Seasoned financial services executive, Dalu Ajene, has been appointed by Standard Chartered as the Chief Executive Officer of its operations in Africa, with dual responsibilities as the Head of Coverage for Africa.
Prior to his appointment, Ajene served as the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Nigeria, a position he assumed in April 2024. Under his leadership, the bank recorded strong year-on-year financial performance, including meeting the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recapitalisation requirement of N200bn for national commercial banks ahead of the March 2026 deadline.
Ajene is a seasoned financial services executive with over two decades of international banking experience across Africa, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He brings a dynamic blend of global insight, deep local expertise, and a strong track record in corporate and investment banking, and wealth and retail banking.
Before joining Standard Chartered, he had held senior roles at Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, Bank of America and Bear Stearns, and was instrumental in launching Rand Merchant Bank in Nigeria, where he worked for over ten years in various local and group functions, ultimately serving as its CEO. His leadership blends global perspective with deep local insight, driving innovation and cross-border growth.
The bank said the appointment of Ajene, who has over 25 years’ experience in the global financial services sector, reflects its culture of promoting excellence and reinforces confidence among stakeholders in the Nigerian financial industry.
Speaking on his appointment, Ajene said, “Having had the privilege of leading Standard Chartered Nigeria over the past two years, I am deeply honoured to now take on broader responsibilities across Africa.
This transition reflects the strength of our franchise, the resilience of our teams, and the impact we have delivered in a period of significant change and development.
“Across the region, Standard Chartered remains a key partner in trade finance, structured solutions, and development finance, leveraging technology to deliver client-centric services anchored on trust.
He holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Strategy from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO), the Metropolitan Club and other non-profit endeavours.