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Julian Opuni

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Ghanaian banker
Julian Opuni
BornJulian Kingsley Opuni
1972
Accra, Ghana
EducationAccra Academy
Alma materUniversity of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
Occupations
  • Businessman
  • banker
Titlemanaging director of Fidelity Bank
SpouseRebekah Opuni

Julian Kingsley Opuni is a Ghanaian banker who is the managing director of Ghanaian bank, Fidelity Bank since assuming the role in December 2018. He is the 3rd managing director of the bank, which is the largest privately-owned bank and remains the 4th largest bank in Ghana in assets and deposits as at July 2022, and he took over from bank co-founder Jim Baiden.

Early life and education

Opuni had his high school education at Accra Academy and is a member of the 1990 year batch of the school. After high school, he left Ghana to stay in the United Kingdom. He studied for a B.Sc. in Banking and Financial Services from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and became an associate of the Institute of Financial Services.  

Career

In 1994, Opuni joined Lloyds Bank in the United Kingdom on its expedited management trainee programme and gained work with the bank across several of its banking centers in the United Kingdom. His stay with the bank lasted 18 years and he ended up in the titled role of senior manager with responsibility for various business centers to the west of London. 

In June 2012, Opuni returned to Ghana and joined Fidelity Bank as head of commercial banking unit. The unit was at its inception and in an interview that year with British news portal, The Guardian, Opuni, who doubted a career rise to the top at Lloyds, recounted been told by a director at Fidelity that "The thing about Ghana is, you could become CEO one day. Or you could start your own bank. Or you could become minister of finance".

In 2015, he was promoted to the senior management level as director of commercial & SME banking. In 2016, he was designated as divisional director of  retail banking and spearheaded the popular Fidelity Save for Gold Promo which sought to reward customers of the bank with gold bars for deposits made with the bank. When Fidelity was adjudged in 2016 at the Ghana Banker Awards as Bank of the Year,  the Save for Gold deposit promotion was one of two factors cited for the bank's customer growth in the story of The Daily Graphic. The next year, he run the Fidelity 10x Richer Promo to reward active customers and attract new customers for the bank.

In November 2017, Opuni was appointed as deputy chief executive of Fidelity from the role of divisional director of retail banking. However, the appointment was publicised in the news & media space in January 2018. He was accepted by the board of Fidelity as a replacement to the managing director and became managing director and CEO on 1 December 2018.

Opuni has advocated a continental strategy on technology for Africa which he has said will drive technology transfer and make an impact on the continent.

In 2019, he led the bank on a digital drive with emphasis on money transaction using the bank's mobile app and the opening up of the bank's 4th digital branch which offered bank customers an extension of banking hours up till 19 G.M.T. and personal usage of meeting rooms in the facility for their own deal-making. In  2020, Fidelity saw 80% of its total transactions happening through its various digital channels after migration and conversion of majority of the bank's customers onto digital platforms under Opuni's leadership.

There has been changes in the bank's shareholding structure under Opuni's management with need for capital inflow. In 2020, Opuni welcomed the acquisition of a minority stake in Fidelity by private equity firm AfricInvest. In 2021, under Opuni's watch, Leapfrog bought off Amethis and ERES stake in Fidelity gaining a 16.94% shareholding stake. In June 2022, Opuni negotiated a $50 million facility as working capital for the bank  from the IFC.

In August 2022, Opuni, in an engagement with editors of media houses, announced the bank's intent of a launch of a social impact initiative, dubbed the Orange Impact by which the bank intends to give back to society. Opuni also disclosed the credit rating upgrade of Fidelity by rating agency, Global Credit Ratings which rated the bank A+ from a previous rating of A. 

Personal life

Opuni is married to Rebekah Opuni, a designer of wedding gowns in Accra.

References

  1. "Julian Opuni Is Fidelity Bank MD". dailyguidenetwork.com. 17 December 2018.
  2. "Inside the mind of Julian K. Opuni; New MD Fidelity Bank". businessworldghana.com. 21 December 2018.
  3. "Fidelity Bank on course to top 3 target". ghanaiantimes.com.gh. 28 July 2022.
  4. Jesse Ampah Owusu (8 November 2021). "Old students should do more in guiding, mentoring students". gna.org.gh.
  5. "Meet the CEO of Fidelity Bank Ghana, Julian Kingsley Opuni". ghanatalksbusiness.com. 28 September 2020.
  6. ^ Afua Hirsch (19 December 2012). "Ghana expatriates return home to seize opportunities from booming economy". theguardian.com.
  7. ^ "Fidelity Bank 2015 Annual Report". fidelitybank.com.gh. Fidelity Bank. 2015.
  8. "Fidelity Bank gives Gold bars to customers as rewards". newsghana.com. 12 July 2016.
  9. "How Fidelity emerged Bank of the Year". graphic.com.gh. 2 September 2016.
  10. "Fidelity Bank holds first draw of 10x Richer Promo". yfmghana.com. 17 August 2017.
  11. "Fidelity Bank appoints Julian Opuni as Deputy Managing Director". Thefinderonline.com. 29 January 2018.
  12. "Fidelity Bank gets new Dep. MD". graphicbusinessonline.com. 29 January 2018.
  13. "Fidelity bank appoints Julian Opuni as deputy MD". citifmonline.com. 29 January 2018.
  14. Akankshita Mukhopadhyay (17 December 2018). "Fidelity Bank Ghana names new managing director". spglobal.com.
  15. "Implement Continental Strategy on Technology - Fidelity MD". dailyguidenetwork.com. 25 February 2019.
  16. "Fidelity Bank opens Digital Branch at East Legon". businessdayghana.com. 9 July 2019.
  17. "Fidelity records over 80% of total customer transactions via digital channels". myjoyonline.com. 21 June 2021.
  18. "AfricInvest acquires a minority stake in Fidelity Bank Ghana". vaca-Africa.org. 24 November 2020. 
  19. "LeapFrog Investments acquires 16.94% stake in Fidelity Bank". myjoyonline.com. 20 September 2021.
  20. "Fidelity Bank's Julian Opuni in talks with IFC for a $50m facility". africabusinessplus.com. 9 June 2022.
  21. "Fidelity Bank poised for continued global excellence". thechronicle.com.gh. 2 August 2022.
  22. "Fidelity Bank's Rating Raised To A+". dailyguidenetwork.com. 3 August 2022.
  23. Samuel Amegavi (17 May 2017). "Sister Deborah's Bridal Shoot That Social Media Mistook for her Official Wedding". glamafrica.com.
  24. "Joyce Ababio College of Creative Design wins international award". myjoyonline.com. 20 April 2016.
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