JoyBusiness is reliably informed that the Board of Directors of Barclays Bank Ghana has nominated Abena Osei-Poku as the Managing Director of the bank.

Mrs Osei-Poku if approved by the Bank of Ghana will take over from Patience Akyianu who will be leaving the bank at the end of September this year.

The nominated MD upon approval will start work from October 1. 

JoyBusiness learnt she will be working with the outgoing Mrs Akyianu to ensure a smooth transition and handover process. 

Until her nomination, Mrs Osei-Poku served as the Head of Coverage North for the Bank's Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) business, Rest of Africa region. 

She was appointed to the role in 2017 and has been covering the CIB cluster markets of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Ghana.

Mrs Osei-Poku has 15 years experience in banking gained from working across these regions. 

Mrs Osei-Poku at one of Barclays Bank's Breakfast Meetings

She had previously served as the Corporate Director of Barclays Bank Ghana with oversight responsibility for Barclays Bank Uganda and has been credited with the turnaround of the Corporate Banking business of the bank. 

Her experience includes origination and structuring of corporate and investment banking deals, client coverage, risk management, strategy implementation, talent development and change management.

Some of the acknowledgement of Mrs Ose-Poku work includes recognition of Barclays Bank as the Best Corporate Bank in Ghana (2015), Best Cash Management business in Ghana as well as Best GDO in Uganda. 

She joined Barclays Bank from Standard Chartered Bank in 2010 where she held various senior roles including regional responsibility, Risk Management for West Africa and Central Africa as well as Director, Global Corporates Ghana.

Mrs Osei-Poku is an alumnus of Manchester Business School.