Banking guru, Ernest Mawuli Agbesi, is the new Managing Director of the largest state-owned bank, GCB Bank Ltd, Myjoyonline.com can confirm.

He beat competition from some of the country’s most experienced bankers who hoped to lead the bank.

The Board of GCB Bank settled on Mr. Agbesi after grueling interviews with about five applicants – all of them astute bankers.

He will succeed Mr. Simon Dornoo, who left the bank in March this year after nearly six years at the helm of affairs there.

Mr. Agbesi is the current MD of the state-owned National Investment Bank (NIB).

He is credited with turning around the fortunes of NIB which was on a downward spiral, making the bank a profitable entity now.

The experienced banker is known in banking circles as ‘the bulldozer’ who personally lobbies for business.

He is expected to bring his considerable experience, passionate advocacy and business acumen to bear on GCB Bank.

Mr. Ernest Mawuli Agbesi’s entire working life has been in the banking and finance area.

With an MBA, P.GD and a Diploma in Accounting, he started work with the then Ghana Co-operative Bank in 1985, rising through the ranks to become Deputy Manager in 2000.

The then International Commercial Bank, now First Bank of Nigeria (FBN-Ghana) was his next station after leaving the Co-operative bank in 2000.

 He left ICB in 2006 as Divisional Head in charge of Sales & Business Development, Estates and General Services and Retail Banking.

He again joined another private bank, Unibank in January 2008 as Head of Sales & Business Development and later as Head of Banking Operations.

He remained in this position until March 2014 when he was appointed the MD of NIB.

Mr. Agbesi’s vast experience is expected come in handy as he heads GCB, a bank with unparalleled network of branches across the country.

In a related development, his Deputy at the NIB, John Asamoah, is expected to be elevated to the position of substantive MD of that bank.

He is believed to be the best person to steer the bank on the positive trajectory and path of growth laid by the exiting MD.