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Okomo-Okello named to Barclays Africa board [Business Daily (Kenya)](Business Daily (Kenya) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The chairman of Barclays Bank of Kenya's board of directors has been appointed to the board of the company through which Barclays Plc, the bank's ultimate holding company, owns its Africa businesses. Mr Francis Okomo-Okello, 65, has been named an independent non-executive director of the Barclays Africa Group (previously the ABSA Group), which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Also joining the Barclays Africa board is Mr Alex Darko, 61, an independent consultant who once served in various positions at AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. The appointments take effect on October 1 this year. Barclays Africa Group Chairman Wendy Lucas-Bull said: "In line with our previously stated intention to appoint two additional board members to reflect the pan-African nature of the Group, it gives me great pleasure to welcome Francis and Alex to our Board. They bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise and we look forward to their contributions." Mr Okomo-Okello joined Kenyan bank's board in August 2003 and was elected chairman in April 2005. He is currently the Executive Director in charge of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Industrial Promotion Services Group, which is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). He serves as chairman of TPS Eastern Africa Limited (Serena Group of Hotels and Lodges), and as a non-executive director of the Nation Media Group. Shareholders were further advised that Mr Brand Pretorius, who has been a director since 2009, will step down from the board on October 31, 2014. "Brand has been serving as chairman of the Group Remuneration and Human Resources Committee (GRHRC) and as a member of the Directors' Affairs Committee and the Social and Ethics Committee," a statement to the JSE read. "Mohamed Husain will succeed Brand as chairman of the GRHRC." Lucas-Bull said: "I wish to thank Brand for his dedication, insight and wisdom during his tenure on the Board. Brand has decided to dedicate more time to both his community work and his family. He has made a significant contribution to both ABSA and Barclays Africa Group and we shall miss his counsel when he leaves us at the end of October." Barclays completed the consolidation of the majority of its Africa operations with the ABSA Group in July last year, forming the Barclays Africa Group, which now has operations in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique and South Africa. (c) 2014 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |