The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) convened its 49th Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, June 30, where members were introduced to their newly elected President, Mrs. Funmi Ekundayo, making history as the institute’s first female president.
Ekundayo’s journey to this milestone began in July 2021 when she was elected as the Vice President and Vice Chairman of the council of the institute. In March 2023, she secured the position of the 29th President-Elect of the Institute. Throughout her tenure, she has made notable contributions and achieved significant milestones within various committees.
Beyond her involvement with ICSAN, Ekundayo has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc. (Now Tangerine General Insurance) and holds positions as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of several corporate entities.
Ekundayo’s professional background encompasses law, corporate governance, stockbroking, and capital market practice. She completed her A’ Level studies at Kwara State Polytechnic, graduating with distinction. Subsequently, she obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos in 1995 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1996. Ekundayo further pursued her master’s degree in Law at the University of Lagos, which she obtained in 1998.
Her career commenced with an attachment at the prestigious law firm Banwo & Ighodalo, and she later assumed the role of Managing Director/CEO of STL Trustees Limited (then Skye Trustees Limited) in 2010.
Ekundayo’s pursuit of knowledge extended to institutions such as the Harvard Business School, Lagos Business School (Chief Executive Programme), and IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and holds affiliations with organizations like Ikoyi Club 1938, Lagos Country Club, Lagos Business School Alumni Association, and the Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria.
In his farewell speech, outgoing president Mr. Taiwo Gbenga Owokalade advised the incoming administration to prioritize capacity enhancement for members, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, and promote their participation in well-structured governance programs. He highlighted his administration’s efforts to elevate the institute’s visibility through media programs and partnerships with esteemed higher education institutions in Nigeria.
Owokalade also emphasized that staff welfare received attention during his tenure, with adjustments made to staff remuneration to mitigate the impact of soaring inflation, providing some relief to employees.
“We have nurtured and sustained relationships with some institutes with whom we are in the league as leading professional institutes in Nigeria, including the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. (ICAN), and the Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR).
He said under his administration, the issue of staff welfare has been reviewed with staff remuneration advanced to accommodate the debilitating effect of the soaring inflation and thus give workers some measure of reprieve.