Biography And Profile Of Miriam Olusanya, GTBank’s First Female MD Ever

Born Miriam Chidiebele Olusanya, the latest GTBank‘s Managing Director, Miriam Olusanya is one of the top Nigerian women serving as inspiration to the younger one and generations to come, breaking barriers and records and setting great career pace for others to follow.

On Wednesday 14th July, the company’s secretary, Erhi Obebeduo, had, in a statement confirmed Miriam Olusanya as the new MD, revealing that the GTBank Board will now have Mr Ibrahim Hassan as Chairman. Celebrating the woman of the moment, let’s fill on into her biography and rich profile.

FAMILY
Not so much is known about Miriam’s place of birth, family and growing up as at the time of this report. NgNews247, however, reported that as seen in an internal memo dated April 28, 2021, the bank also carried out a major management shakeup targeted at staff above the age of 45. Two of the oldest Executive Directors and four General Managers out of 9 were retired, with plans to replace them with younger executives mostly under the age of 45 to take charge. This hints that Miriam Olusanya is above 45 in age.
Read also: Samia Suluhu Set To Become Tanzania’s First Female President
EDUCATION
She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm) degree from the University of Ibadan (1995), Nigeria and a Master of Business Administration (Finance and Accounting) from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom in 2011. She obtained the professional ACI (Association Cambiste Internationale) Dealing certification – The Financial Markets Association, and  She has attended various courses and Executive management and banking specific developmental programs in leading educational institutions around the world, one of which is Cranfield School of Management.MARRIAGE
Miriam Olusanya’s marriage to her husband, Abiodun Olusanya had crashed in June, a few weeks before her new appointment, although they both are said to have been living separately with her husband for some years before Abiodun finally sued for divorce in the United States of America USA in January, 2020. The Divorce document which is now making rounds on social media, following her appointment as reportedly obtained by Brand News Day reads that the case titled ‘PETITION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE’, has Miriam Olusanya’s husband, Abiodun as the plaintiff and she as the defendant.

She rose through the ranks until her appointment as Executive Director in 2018, after a successful period as the General Manager/Head, Wholesale Banking. She  serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank (Gambia) Limited. She is also a member of the Financial Markets Sub-Committee of the Bankers’ Committee, the primary interactive policy platform made up of the Central Bank of Nigeria and banks. She is currently the Group Treasurer and Head, Wholesale Banking Division. With her new appointment, Miriam Olusanya is the first female MD the bank will ever have since it began operations in 1990. Miriam Olusanya is preceded by Segun Agbaje.

Miriam Olusanya is said to own an investment in the United States but has filed to withdraw her ownership, 2 weeks after her husband filed for their divorce. In a report also obtained by Brand News Day’s correspondent, Miriam has filed papers to withdraw her ownership of an investment company with the name, ‘KO & C Investments’, which is incorporated in the State of Georgia. While many say she did this as her marriage is collapsing, others believe that she did this in anticipation of questions that might arise from the bank regarding her financial dealings outside the shores of Nigeria, as she’s potentially a replacement for Segun Agbade, the former MD while she was Executive Director. TESTIMONIALS
Some employees of GT Bank, who reportedly spoke to Nairametrics on the condition of anonymity, following Miriam Olusanya’s latest appointment testify that she is inded the right person for the job. “Miriam is an astute leader who is very skilled at her work. Her focus and visionary leadership will definitely impact the bank’s operations going forwards”, a staff reportedly said. “She has the grit and charisma to take over from Mr Agbaje. She has been a top performer and a great team-builder from her time as a general manager. She also has the requisite experience in various sectors of the bank that we are hopeful will come to bear in her leadership of the bank.“, another reported told Nairametrics.

Photos Credit: Getty