L-R: Oluchi Richard-Oti, HR Business Partner; Eziamaka Alfred, HR Business Partner; Ayo Wuraola, MD Leadway Capital and Trust Limited; Adesoji Ogunsanya, Head, Talent Resourcing & Outsourcing; Misturat Bello, HR Business Partner and Atonye Allwell-Brown, Head, Learning & Development, at the 2021 Human Resource (HR) People Magazine Awards where Heritage Bank carted away coveted awards, recently in Lagos.

By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Heritage Bank Plc, Nigeria’s Most Innovative Banking Service provider emerged winner in several categories at the 2021 Human Resource (HR) People Magazine Awards and at the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria’s (FICAN) 30th-Anniversary Conference and Awards.

The bank carted away five coveted awards- HR Champion Award (for MD/CEO, COO), Most Outstanding Engagement Strategy for over 1000 Employees and the HR Leader Award (for Heads of HR).

Others which were awarded by the largest body of financial journalists in Africa, FICAN to Heritage Bank are the duo Platinum Awards presented to the MD/CEO, Ifie Sekibo and Heritage Bank for Outstanding Support towards FICAN and Financial Reporting, respectively.

The bank won the prestigious awards in recognition of the leadership of Heritage Bank in Human Capital Development (HCM) for putting employees first and ensuring that its people management & engagement strategies are second to none, and in celebration of its MD/CEO, Sekibo’s leadership style. The bank was also recognised for Outstanding Support towards Financial Reporting in Nigeria.

This was Heritage Bank’s first time in participating in such an event as HR practitioners, as the financial institution had the opportunity to enter for 3 award categories.

Over 20 established brands from different industry sectors were also said to have participated in the several keenly contested award categories, which cut across various areas of people management and development. Despite the formidable competition and the very rigorous screening process, Heritage Bank emerged as winner in the series of awards won.

Commenting on the awards, the Divisional Head, Human Capital Management, Abike Wesey expressed gratitude to the organisers for believing in Heritage Bank and the leadership of the bank for their support to employees’ welfare.

“We are ecstatic to have received this honour and are extremely grateful for leadership of Executive Management, for giving us wings to fly right in our corner and always willing to listen. It was indeed a remarkable moment for us, as we strutted up the dais, with heads held up high and proud, amidst the cheer & accolades from the HR community, well represented at the event; especially in an event of such calibre, being recognized in a gathering of doyens & captains of Industries for our exceptional accomplishments in a widely acclaimed, challenging year – it was definitely no small feat,” Wesey said.

According to her, “The award and commendations go a long way to show that our people management & engagement strategies are truly working, and we are committed to do more in our world to keep the Heritage flag flying. We identify with our Heritage, because, winning is our heritage.”

The HR Awards is very unique because of its process and organisation. The organisers are usually not aware of the winners till the day of the event, same time the results are revealed per category and award submissions are made on a peculiar website – comparable to none in West Africa.  The judges are respected & prominent former heads of HR, selected from five different countries and from various industries, with cutting-edge experience who judge the contestants on global best practices.

Ozena Utulu, Ag. Group Head, Corporate Communications