The Central Bank of Nigeria, in the early hours of Thursday, appointed Hassan Imam as the new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Keystone Bank, the PUNCH reports.

Imam takes over leadership of the commercial bank from Olaniran Olayinka, who served as CEO from March 2020 until the CBN dissolved the boards of Keystone Bank and two other banks on Wednesday.

With over 25 years of banking experience, Imam has held various executive roles during his career.

Prior to his appointment as CEO, Imam served as Executive Director for the North Region at Fidelity Bank since January 2020. In that position, he was responsible for Fidelity Bank’s commercial, SME, consumer, and public sector business in 19 Northern Nigerian states, including Abuja.

Imam joined FSB International Bank in 1998 before it merged with Fidelity Bank in 2005.

Over the years, he took on various leadership positions at Fidelity across commercial banking, consumer banking, SME and risk management.

The new Keystone Bank CEO rose from General Manager to a role on the Board of Directors during his long career at Fidelity.

Hassan Imam studied economics for his bachelor’s degree and obtained two master’s degrees, including an MBA. He is a certified accountant and has attended executive programs at Harvard Business School, Wharton and other top institutions.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration, an Associate Member of Chartered Public Accountants, an alumnus of Oxford University and Pan-Atlantic University, and a Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.