Mairo Bashir

Mairo currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of CreditCorp Limited—a consulting and advisory services firm based in Lagos—and as a Director on the boards of Information Connectivity Solutions Limited, Enownow Limited, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc. Mairo is a founding member of Women in Management and Business (Wimbiz) and has served as a member of the Federal Government Steering Committee on Solid Minerals. Prior to founding CreditCorp, Mairo served in various management positions in United Bank for Africa (UBA), rising to become Executive Director, Corporate Services at the bank.

She was also Director of UBA Capital and Trust Limited; a fully owned subsidiary of UBA. Before joining UBA, Mairo worked in various institutions including International Merchant Bank Limited, where she gained experience across operations, credit and marketing. Mairo holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and an MBA in Finance from the University of Jos.

Mohammed Garuba

Mohammed is one of the co-founders of CardinalStone Partners Limited. Prior to joining the firm, he served as Director of Equity Securities at Renaissance Capital where he was responsible for setting up and driving the company’s securities trading and sales business in Nigeria. Before joining Renaissance Capital, Mohammed served as Managing Director of Zenith Securities Limited, a subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc, where he oversaw strategy, deal origination and execution. He began his banking career at Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (Now Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc) where he worked in asset management and was involved in managing institutional investors, mutual funds, and structured funds.

Mohammed holds an MBA from London Business School and a B.Sc. in Insurance from the University of Lagos. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria. He is also an Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, UK and an alumnus of Yale University and Harvard Kennedy School.

He is the Founder and President of Ansar Heritage Empowerment Foundation. He is passionate about boxing, football, golf and tennis and enjoys mentoring, reading, and volunteering.

Michael Nzewi

Michael is one of the founding partners of CardinalStone. Michael most recently served as a Director in the Global Markets division at the London offices of Standard Chartered Bank (SCB). At SCB, Michael was responsible for originating and structuring corporate and leverage debt transactions for the sub-Saharan African region. Prior to joining SCB, Michael served as the pioneer Head of Corporate Finance at Vetiva Capital Management where he successfully executed several high profile advisory and financing mandates for financial institutions and corporates in Nigeria. He also worked briefly in the Corporate Finance Division of Access Bank Plc. Michael began his banking career at Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (Now Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc) and prior to that, qualified as a Chartered Accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Michael holds a B.Sc. in Accounting from the University of Benin, Nigeria and an MBA from Said Business School, Oxford University, UK. He is an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. Michael is married with two children and is an avid Chelsea Football Club supporter.

Wole Famurewa

Wole studied at the University of Lagos, Nigeria where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance. His university experience cultivated his keen interest in economics and financial markets. Between 1999 and 2010, he pursued a career in investment management and research. During this period, Wole worked at FSDH Securities, Lead Capital, Afrinvest and PHB Asset Management and was the head of investment research at all these organisations.

Prior to joining CNBC Africa, Wole was a frequent speaker/panellist at investment conferences in Nigeria and South Africa. Additionally, between 2002 and 2007 he was a freelance analyst for the Economic Intelligence Unit, writing/contributing to several reports including the Nigeria Country Commerce and Country Finance reports.

Wole joined CNBC Africa in 2010 as a business news presenter on the channel. His responsibilities include anchoring/co-anchoring live business programmes, interviewing top business leaders, financial analysts, government officials, traders and regulatory authorities. He has interviewed hundreds of high profile business and political leaders including Jacob Zuma (South Africa President), Goodluck E. Jonathan (former President Nigeria), Yemi Osinbajo (Nigeria Vice President) Ali Bongo Odinmba (Gabon President) Jeff Immelt (CEO, General Electric), Sebastian Coe (IAAF President), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria), Wale Tinubu (CEO of Oando Plc Nigeria), James Nwangi (CEO of Equity Bank Kenya).

Yomi Adeyemi

Yomi Adeyemi is a graduate of Mathematics / Statistics with over twenty years of diverse finance industry experience in Corporate & Investment Banking, Stockbrokerage Services, and Strategic Business Turnaround. He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He is also a CFA Charterholder and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Executive Programme. Yomi has attended various training programmes in finance, leadership, and governance internationally including the Harvard Business School. 

He started his banking career with Merchant Bank of Commerce (MBCOM) in 1999. He left in 2000 to join the Corporate Banking Division of Lead Merchant Bank. Whilst at Lead Bank, he also worked in the Investment Banking Group that participated in various landmark capital market transactions. He was later seconded to the brokerage arm of the Bank (Lead Investments & Securities Limited) to revamp its dwindling fortune.  

Yomi left the Lead Bank Group in 2004 to join Core Trust & Investment Limited as Head, Financial Advisory Group, a position he held till 2008 when he left to take up the position of Managing Director/CEO, Fortress Capital Limited.  

Yomi has other business interests spanning Real Estate, Media & Advertising. He currently sits on the boards of Livestock Feeds Plc, Connect Marketing Services Limited, and Red Media Group in non-executive capacities. He is also a Council Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange representing dealing member firms.  

He actively plays soccer, squash, and chess. He volunteers for Life Changers Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting the less privileged through Education, Vocation & Enterprise.