Heirs Holdings Announces Key Leadership Appointments

•Names Chidi Okpala executive director

•Azubike Emodi appointed Afriland Properties MD/CEO

Oluchi Chibuzor

Heirs Holdings yesterday announce further strategic leadership appointments, with Chidi Okpala becoming Executive Director – Payments, Group Integration & Strategy (PGIS).

Also, Azubike Emodi was appointed MD/CEO, Afriland Properties Plc. Emodi succeeds Uzo Oshogwe who had led the company as its founding MD/CEO since 2013, and who recently was appointed CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc.

Okpala, according to a statement yesterday, would oversee Heirs Holdings’ technology and healthcare business sectors and would also be responsible for driving synergies across the Group.

He would additionally direct the HH Group’s strategy in the payment space, as HH leverages its financial services heritage and technology platform, to enter this rapidly evolving sector.

Okpala brings over two decades of leadership experience spanning financial services, FinTech, telecommunications, and strategy consulting. His impressive career includes roles with global and African leading organisations, including Accenture, United Bank for Africa (UBA), and Bharti Airtel International.

He was the Founder and CEO of Airtel Mobile Commerce Holdings (Airtel Money Africa), where he spearheaded the launch of Airtel Money, now one of Africa’s largest digital mobile wallets with over 40 million customers in 14 countries.

Before joining Heirs Holdings, Okpala co-founded and served as CEO of Asante Financial Services Group, a FinTech firm empowering over 520,000 MSMEs across Africa with innovative digital financial solutions.

He holds a Sloan Master of Science in Management from the prestigious London Business School.

For his part, Emodi brings over 20 years of experience spanning financial services, real estate development, and strategic planning.

A visionary leader, he has consistently driven organisational growth and delivered transformative results in companies such as the Royal Bank of Canada, VFD Group, VBank, Anchoria Asset Management, and most recently, Herel Global, where he spearheaded high-impact financial and real estate projects.

The Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony O. Elumelu, who announced the new appointments said, “Azubike will drive the vision of Afriland Properties, creating value from its position as one of Nigeria’s largest land banks, and delivering the significant residential and commercial real estate projects in its project pipeline.

“Chidi embodies the qualities we value – excellence, innovation, and dedication. As we enter our fifteenth year, his leadership will assist, as we navigate the next phase of our journey at Heirs Holdings, of empowering Africa and creating transformative impact across the continent.

“As Heirs Holdings Group continues to invest in human capital, as a strategic driver of the Group’s broader ambitions, I am pleased to welcome the two exceptional leaders into our Group.”

Heirs Holdings is a family-owned investment company committed to improving lives and transforming Africa. The Group invests in financial services, power, oil & gas, real estate, hospitality, and healthcare sectors across 24 countries worldwide.