By Francis Ajuonuma
The Association of Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) has elected a new executive council for the 2026–2028 term, with growing expectations that the body must move beyond symbolic leadership and deliver measurable impact for members across the banking sector.
The election, held at the association’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos on Thursday, produced a leadership team drawn mainly from major financial institutions.
Babajide Sipe of the Bank of Industry emerged as President, while Chinwe Bode-Akinwande of FirstBank was elected First Vice President. Others include Morolake Philip-Ladipo of Wema Bank as Second Vice President; Abiodun Coker of UBA as Publicity Secretary; Olugbenga Owootomo of Polaris Bank as General Secretary; Halima Ishak of Jaiz Bank as Financial Secretary; Ademola Adesola of Parallex Bank as Assistant General Secretary; Unoaku Temitope Anyadike of GTBank as Treasurer; and MacQueen Afolabi of Zenith Bank as Social Secretary.
In his acceptance speech, Sipe outlined familiar leadership themes such as mentorship, engagement, advocacy and professional development.
However, industry observers note that similar pledges have characterised previous administrations, with limited structural transformation in terms of career advancement, industry influence and member welfare.
While Sipe promised to be “an unrelenting advocate” for members, he offered few concrete timelines or performance indicators, raising questions about how the new EXCO will translate vision statements into actionable reforms.
First Vice President Chinwe Bode-Akinwande called on members to take collective responsibility for strengthening the association’s voice.
Yet, some practitioners remain cautious, pointing to declining participation and weak grassroots engagement that have historically undermined ACAMB’s capacity to function as a truly representative professional body.
Outgoing President Rasheed Bolarinwa highlighted achievements, including partnerships with regulatory bodies and expanded professional certifications.
Nevertheless, critics argue that ACAMB still lacks a strong policy presence and has struggled to shape significant conversations around professional standards, digital transformation, and job security within the banking communications space.
As the new leadership assumes office, the objective measure of success will lie not in ceremonial handovers or goodwill messages, but in whether ACAMB can assert real relevance, strengthen its institutional influence, and deliver tangible value to its members
