Access Bank (Ghana) Plc has appointed Pearl Nkrumah as its new Managing Director, effective October 1, 2025, marking her as the bank’s first woman in the role since it began operations in Ghana in 2009. Approved by the bank’s Board of Directors and the Bank of Ghana, Nkrumah takes over from Olumide Olatunji, who has led since 2018 and is now moving to a senior position in Nigeria with Access Bank PLC.
Nkrumah joined the bank in 2022 as Executive Director, overseeing Retail & Digital Banking in Ghana and managing retail operations across 15 Access Africa markets outside Nigeria. With 27 years of banking experience, she began her career at Standard Chartered Bank from 1998 to 2012, later holding leadership roles in commercial and business banking at Stanbic Bank. She also chairs the Ghana Stock Exchange Council for listed companies and holds a BSc and MBA from the University of Ghana, an LLB from GIMPA, and training from Harvard Business School. Her skills cover retail and transactional banking, commercial banking, risk management, and digital transformation.
Ama Bawuah, Board Chair, called Nkrumah’s appointment a step forward for diversity, praising her proven leadership over three years on the board. “She’ll build on past successes and inspire women in leadership,” Bawuah said, while thanking Olatunji for his seven-year tenure strengthening the bank.
Nkrumah said she’s honored to lead, vowing to collaborate with the board, management, and staff to drive value for customers, shareholders, and communities, positioning Access Bank Ghana as a growth leader and the world’s most respected African bank. The move underscores the bank’s commitment to robust leadership and inclusion through strategic succession planning.
During Olatunji’s leadership, the bank saw strong growth in investor trust, deposits, and its balance sheet, plus partnerships with global entities like the International Finance Corporation, Mastercard, and Norfund, earning multiple awards for performance and sustainability. Olatunji expressed confidence in Nkrumah, noting her industry-recognized leadership will elevate the bank further, building on the team’s dedication he saw firsthand.
