![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/HHC_7874.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhen did you start working with the group, with the Chairman, and what was your first impression of him?<\/strong><\/h3>\nI started work with the group \u2013 specifically with the Chairman about 24 years ago. Let\u2019s just say my first impression of him was his dress sense: he was dandy in his work outfit with sleek suspenders and powerful shoes.\u00a0 He emitted power.\u00a0 I was at once caught up in this aura.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t take time to understand his modus operandi: work, work, work.\u00a0 And it has remained so to this day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Looking back at where you came from, would you have imagined that Heirs Holdings would transition to what it is now? Why?<\/strong><\/h3>\nI knew our Chairman was ambitious.\u00a0 He worked solidly hard and was relentless in his pursuit of excellence. But quite frankly, I never imagined the organisation\u2019s growth would assume this phenomenal height.\u00a0\u00a0 It was all about ambitions and foresight that were made of sterner stuff.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What, in your opinion, have been the greatest growth milestones of HH?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIt is said that fortune favours the brave.\u00a0 The organisation wanted to show a commanding presence in its operating environment.\u00a0 With evolving economic opportunities, it persistently repositioned and expanded the business frontiers.\u00a0 From the acquisition of Merchant Bank of Commerce, another acquisition of Crystal Bank (renamed Standard Trust Bank), the merger of the bank with UBA, through to the establishment of Heirs Holdings and then the founding of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, the feature has been consistent with the unwavering vision of TOE to build an enduring and iconic global business group.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How has HH grown over the years and how has HH caused your personal growth?<\/strong><\/h3>\nHeirs Holdings commenced business only nine years ago.\u00a0 Within this period, it has expanded its businesses encompassing the financial services, hospitality, power, healthcare, oil and gas and real estate sectors. The entity has rapidly grown to become a valued global brand.\u00a0 As I look back, its emergence as an evolving conglomerate is simply astounding.<\/p>\n
In terms of my personal progress within the group, as someone who has virtually played a background role in the start-up of the various entities of the Group, I can feel very proud for what has evolved in the Group.<\/p>\n
I was right there when we took over Merchant Bank of Commerce.\u00a0 I encountered challenges in serving severance letters to disengaged staff.\u00a0 I was in the theatre during the delivery of what became Standard Trust Bank.\u00a0 After several interactions with the old staff of UBA, I was the first STB staff to set up office in the new environment, awaiting the rest of the staff.\u00a0 I was in the frontline in the commencement of the real estate business \u2013 Heirs Properties – that eventually merged with Afriland Properties. I was the first pioneer staff of Tenoil; was also its first Port Harcourt staff with responsibility to create the office in that region.\u00a0 And I was one of the three pioneer staff that set up what is today Heirs Holdings.<\/p>\n
As can be seen, I have had a leading (perhaps unseen) hand in almost all the leading businesses across the group.\u00a0 So, I feel nothing but happiness that I have witnessed all these evolutions.\u00a0 If you liken these developments as something akin to childbirth, I am happy that the children have matured and grown to become distinguished players in the scheme of things.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What are the lessons you have observed or embraced while working within the Group?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere are numerous lessons you learn when you work within the Group.\u00a0 Whether you are a new employee or an age-long staff, you have got to be focused.\u00a0 The environment will auto-propel you to so do.\u00a0 Secondly, you must learn to achieve results.\u00a0 Full stop.\u00a0\u00a0 You must show tenacity: this brings relentless drive. Also, you must never give up on any of your pursuits of a given assignment.\u00a0 Most importantly, embrace feedback.\u00a0 Mistakes are tolerated when you receive and act on feedback.\u00a0 However, if you fail to provide feedback when required, you might end up damaging a process.<\/p>\n
In my shorthand writing days, a particular passage tells us what is common: That there are three principal ways in which we can learn \u2013 looking, reading or hearing.\u00a0 In the HH Group, you fit in suitably through these means. The rest of the catechism is presented in the simple Culture Code guidebook.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nine years of existence – do you think the group has done well? How and why?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the last nine years, I will unequivocally say the group has done exceedingly well, even as it continues to deepen and enrich its workforce with the modern knowledge to drive its businesses with exceptional performance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Its venture into the power sector of the economy is a very bold statement of intent to improve an industry that has remained a major source of concern to not only the lives of ordinary citizens but of small, medium and established businesses in the country.\u00a0 I believe an improvement and stability of this sector will translate to economic growth and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What is your vision for the group in the next ten years?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the next decade, I see a group that will, outside the financial services sector, further expand its scope of businesses beyond Africa and become an even more recognised global brand in their various sectors, attracting constant attention as a reference point in the developing world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Tochi Eze, Contributing Editor Hooray! Heirs Holdings turns 9 this August. So we thought what better way to appreciate this remarkable organisation than to speak to one of its longest-serving staff members \u2013 Uche Amah, Head Corporate Services, Heirs Holdings. When did you start working with the group, with the Chairman, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4148"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4156,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions\/4156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
I knew our Chairman was ambitious.\u00a0 He worked solidly hard and was relentless in his pursuit of excellence. But quite frankly, I never imagined the organisation\u2019s growth would assume this phenomenal height.\u00a0\u00a0 It was all about ambitions and foresight that were made of sterner stuff.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What, in your opinion, have been the greatest growth milestones of HH?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIt is said that fortune favours the brave.\u00a0 The organisation wanted to show a commanding presence in its operating environment.\u00a0 With evolving economic opportunities, it persistently repositioned and expanded the business frontiers.\u00a0 From the acquisition of Merchant Bank of Commerce, another acquisition of Crystal Bank (renamed Standard Trust Bank), the merger of the bank with UBA, through to the establishment of Heirs Holdings and then the founding of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, the feature has been consistent with the unwavering vision of TOE to build an enduring and iconic global business group.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
How has HH grown over the years and how has HH caused your personal growth?<\/strong><\/h3>\nHeirs Holdings commenced business only nine years ago.\u00a0 Within this period, it has expanded its businesses encompassing the financial services, hospitality, power, healthcare, oil and gas and real estate sectors. The entity has rapidly grown to become a valued global brand.\u00a0 As I look back, its emergence as an evolving conglomerate is simply astounding.<\/p>\n
In terms of my personal progress within the group, as someone who has virtually played a background role in the start-up of the various entities of the Group, I can feel very proud for what has evolved in the Group.<\/p>\n
I was right there when we took over Merchant Bank of Commerce.\u00a0 I encountered challenges in serving severance letters to disengaged staff.\u00a0 I was in the theatre during the delivery of what became Standard Trust Bank.\u00a0 After several interactions with the old staff of UBA, I was the first STB staff to set up office in the new environment, awaiting the rest of the staff.\u00a0 I was in the frontline in the commencement of the real estate business \u2013 Heirs Properties – that eventually merged with Afriland Properties. I was the first pioneer staff of Tenoil; was also its first Port Harcourt staff with responsibility to create the office in that region.\u00a0 And I was one of the three pioneer staff that set up what is today Heirs Holdings.<\/p>\n
As can be seen, I have had a leading (perhaps unseen) hand in almost all the leading businesses across the group.\u00a0 So, I feel nothing but happiness that I have witnessed all these evolutions.\u00a0 If you liken these developments as something akin to childbirth, I am happy that the children have matured and grown to become distinguished players in the scheme of things.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What are the lessons you have observed or embraced while working within the Group?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere are numerous lessons you learn when you work within the Group.\u00a0 Whether you are a new employee or an age-long staff, you have got to be focused.\u00a0 The environment will auto-propel you to so do.\u00a0 Secondly, you must learn to achieve results.\u00a0 Full stop.\u00a0\u00a0 You must show tenacity: this brings relentless drive. Also, you must never give up on any of your pursuits of a given assignment.\u00a0 Most importantly, embrace feedback.\u00a0 Mistakes are tolerated when you receive and act on feedback.\u00a0 However, if you fail to provide feedback when required, you might end up damaging a process.<\/p>\n
In my shorthand writing days, a particular passage tells us what is common: That there are three principal ways in which we can learn \u2013 looking, reading or hearing.\u00a0 In the HH Group, you fit in suitably through these means. The rest of the catechism is presented in the simple Culture Code guidebook.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nine years of existence – do you think the group has done well? How and why?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the last nine years, I will unequivocally say the group has done exceedingly well, even as it continues to deepen and enrich its workforce with the modern knowledge to drive its businesses with exceptional performance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Its venture into the power sector of the economy is a very bold statement of intent to improve an industry that has remained a major source of concern to not only the lives of ordinary citizens but of small, medium and established businesses in the country.\u00a0 I believe an improvement and stability of this sector will translate to economic growth and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What is your vision for the group in the next ten years?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the next decade, I see a group that will, outside the financial services sector, further expand its scope of businesses beyond Africa and become an even more recognised global brand in their various sectors, attracting constant attention as a reference point in the developing world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Tochi Eze, Contributing Editor Hooray! Heirs Holdings turns 9 this August. So we thought what better way to appreciate this remarkable organisation than to speak to one of its longest-serving staff members \u2013 Uche Amah, Head Corporate Services, Heirs Holdings. When did you start working with the group, with the Chairman, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4148"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4156,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions\/4156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Heirs Holdings commenced business only nine years ago.\u00a0 Within this period, it has expanded its businesses encompassing the financial services, hospitality, power, healthcare, oil and gas and real estate sectors. The entity has rapidly grown to become a valued global brand.\u00a0 As I look back, its emergence as an evolving conglomerate is simply astounding.<\/p>\n
In terms of my personal progress within the group, as someone who has virtually played a background role in the start-up of the various entities of the Group, I can feel very proud for what has evolved in the Group.<\/p>\n
I was right there when we took over Merchant Bank of Commerce.\u00a0 I encountered challenges in serving severance letters to disengaged staff.\u00a0 I was in the theatre during the delivery of what became Standard Trust Bank.\u00a0 After several interactions with the old staff of UBA, I was the first STB staff to set up office in the new environment, awaiting the rest of the staff.\u00a0 I was in the frontline in the commencement of the real estate business \u2013 Heirs Properties – that eventually merged with Afriland Properties. I was the first pioneer staff of Tenoil; was also its first Port Harcourt staff with responsibility to create the office in that region.\u00a0 And I was one of the three pioneer staff that set up what is today Heirs Holdings.<\/p>\n
As can be seen, I have had a leading (perhaps unseen) hand in almost all the leading businesses across the group.\u00a0 So, I feel nothing but happiness that I have witnessed all these evolutions.\u00a0 If you liken these developments as something akin to childbirth, I am happy that the children have matured and grown to become distinguished players in the scheme of things.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What are the lessons you have observed or embraced while working within the Group?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere are numerous lessons you learn when you work within the Group.\u00a0 Whether you are a new employee or an age-long staff, you have got to be focused.\u00a0 The environment will auto-propel you to so do.\u00a0 Secondly, you must learn to achieve results.\u00a0 Full stop.\u00a0\u00a0 You must show tenacity: this brings relentless drive. Also, you must never give up on any of your pursuits of a given assignment.\u00a0 Most importantly, embrace feedback.\u00a0 Mistakes are tolerated when you receive and act on feedback.\u00a0 However, if you fail to provide feedback when required, you might end up damaging a process.<\/p>\n
In my shorthand writing days, a particular passage tells us what is common: That there are three principal ways in which we can learn \u2013 looking, reading or hearing.\u00a0 In the HH Group, you fit in suitably through these means. The rest of the catechism is presented in the simple Culture Code guidebook.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nine years of existence – do you think the group has done well? How and why?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the last nine years, I will unequivocally say the group has done exceedingly well, even as it continues to deepen and enrich its workforce with the modern knowledge to drive its businesses with exceptional performance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Its venture into the power sector of the economy is a very bold statement of intent to improve an industry that has remained a major source of concern to not only the lives of ordinary citizens but of small, medium and established businesses in the country.\u00a0 I believe an improvement and stability of this sector will translate to economic growth and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What is your vision for the group in the next ten years?<\/strong><\/h3>\nIn the next decade, I see a group that will, outside the financial services sector, further expand its scope of businesses beyond Africa and become an even more recognised global brand in their various sectors, attracting constant attention as a reference point in the developing world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Tochi Eze, Contributing Editor Hooray! Heirs Holdings turns 9 this August. So we thought what better way to appreciate this remarkable organisation than to speak to one of its longest-serving staff members \u2013 Uche Amah, Head Corporate Services, Heirs Holdings. When did you start working with the group, with the Chairman, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4148"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4156,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4148\/revisions\/4156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heirsholdings.com\/hhpeople\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In the last nine years, I will unequivocally say the group has done exceedingly well, even as it continues to deepen and enrich its workforce with the modern knowledge to drive its businesses with exceptional performance.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Its venture into the power sector of the economy is a very bold statement of intent to improve an industry that has remained a major source of concern to not only the lives of ordinary citizens but of small, medium and established businesses in the country.\u00a0 I believe an improvement and stability of this sector will translate to economic growth and wellbeing of the Nigerian people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n