Our Board

BABATUNDE DABIRI

is the Chairman.  A seasoned banker and holds a B.Sc. (Economics) degree from the University of Ibadan (1974) and MBA from Columbia University, New York, USA (1978).

He started his career at Chase Merchant Bank Ltd (later known as Continental Bank) where he spent over 11 years before moving to Prime Merchant Bank Ltd as the founding Deputy Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer.  He helped to establish Fountain Trust Bank Ltd where he was the Managing Director for 8 years.

He later joined Magnum Trust Bank Plc in December 1998 as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and successfully transforming it into a full-fledged commercial bank. Until his retirement in 2008, he was the Group Managing Director/CEO of Sterling Bank Plc (the consolidated consortium of five banks consummated in 2005). He is on the Board of several organizations which include Vice Chairman, Mutual Benefits Assurance PLC; Director, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, First Marina Trust Ltd. and Academy Press Plc.

OLUGBENGA LADIPO, FCA

the Managing Director, is a qualified Accountant and a graduate of Accountancy and Finance.  He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and also a member of the Institute of Management.

He joined Academy Press Plc. as Head of Accounts in 1998 from a background of over ten years post qualification professional experience.  An erstwhile financial magnate both in practice with one of the top practicing firms Akintola Williams Deloitte & Co. (Chartered Accountants) andFood &Beverages industry with multinationalsstatus – The Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd. (Bottlers of Coca Cola Products).  Prior to this, he has had stints with the Lagos State Ministry of Finance, the United Bank for Africa Plc. and UAC of Nigeria Plc.

He has assisted in repositioning to the financial and operational functions of the company – Academy Press Plc.to meet the modern day challenges.  He was elevated to the Board in 2004 as Executive Director Finance & Admin and appointed Managing Director in 2006.

FOLASHADE B. OMO-EBOH

she is a non-Executive Director and graduate of Psychology and Publishing from Yorkshire, Huddersfield Polytechnic and Oxford Polytechnic, Oxford, respectively.

She joined the West African Book Publishers Limited in 1990 as Assistant Production Manager.  She became Production Manager in 1991 and Senior Production Manager in 1995.

She was promoted Executive Director, Production & Publishing in March 1996 and became the company’s Managing Director in 2001.  She was appointed to the Board of Academy Press Plc in November 2009.  Mrs. Omo-Eboh is a graduate of Lagos Business School.

OYEWOLE OLAOYE

is a non-Executive Director of the company. He is a graduate of the University of Ife wherehe bagged B.A. (Literature in English) and the University of Lagos where he obtained M.Sc. in Mass Communication.

His working career spans from the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service (WNBS) to Indigo Magazine and then to Drum Publications where he rose to become an Editor. He was also a columnist with both Drum and Trust Magazines between 1975 and 1984. He joined West African Book Publishers Ltd (WABP) in 1984 on the editorial team of Monthly Life magazine and later became the Editor-in-Chief and a director of the company. He has served as a member of the Governing Council of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, between 2006 and 2010, and a Director of OAU Investment Company Ltd.

He is a former Chairman of the Joint Council/Senate Committee on Senior Staff Discipline of Obafemi Awolowo University and a former worldwide president of the institution's Alumni. He was appointed to the Board of Academy Press on April 29, 2013. Mr. Olaoye is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and a Fellow of the African Public Relations Association (APRA). He is the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Diametrics Limited, Abuja.

FEMI AKINGBE

he is a Chartered Accountant, who started his professional career in 1976 with Audit Firms including Price Waterhouse & Co. (1978-80). He joined Chase Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited in 1980 as a Credit Analyst, rose to become Lagos Branch Manager of the bank in 1984 and left as an Assistant General Manager (Head of Credit Policy Dept.) in January 1988. In September 1983, Mr. Akingbe completed the 12 Month Credit Development Program of Chase Manhattan Bank, N. A., New York, and was graded “Outstanding”.

Mr. Akingbe has been the Chief Executive Officer of Ventures & Trusts Ltd since 1989 and has exceptional competence in relationship/portfolio management, financial consultancy and venture capital services, product marketing and international trade finance.  Asides being a Director at Academy Press Plc, Mr. Akingbe is also the Chairman, Board of Directors at Agusto & Co and the Senior Partner at VANDT Advisory Partners LP.  Mr. Akingbe was appointed a Director at Academy Press Plc. in 2016.

DAVID PRITCHARD

Non-Executive Board member.   A graduate of Cambridge University, he is a seasoned Solicitor, Legal Advisor and Mediator with expertise in managing complex projects and commercial matters.  He is versatile in mercantile jurisprudence and a Consultant in Litigation and dispute resolution.  He is also a former Army Officer in UK, a business magnate and lawyer par excellence. He trained in the City of London and was Head of Litigation at Penningtons Manches LLP.  He  also served as a Consultant and Director in Setfords Solicitors LLP and Moot Hill Limited respectively in UK.  He has a long association with Academy Press as a Director of the Hambleside Group of Companies in UK, a long standing technical partner of Academy, since 2015. David brings his legal and analytical skills to the Board of Academy Press.  He was nominated to the Board in April 2020.

PAUL ADERIBIGBE

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Jos and joined Academy Press Plc. as a Graduate Trainee in 1996. His proficiency in computing have seen him performed in the Accounts department from where he was saddled with the responsibility of setting up the company’s Information Technology unit which he headed for some years before he was appointed the Deputy Coordinator, Production.  He was confirmed Coordinator (Sales & Marketing) in 2016  and in recognition of his hard work and resilience in service, his designation was changed to General Manager (Sales & Marketing) in 2017.  He was appointed Sales Director (Sales & Marketing) in April 2020.  He is an Associate member of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), and a graduate of Lagos Business School in the Advanced Management Programme.    As an astute Team Player with flair for business development, he became Executive Director (S&M) in January 2021.