The habits of a person go a long way to showing how they really are. This is the general belief and the likely origin of the idea of people being animals—lions and bears for high achievers, sheep for timid folks. Going by this understanding, the inner animal of Kennedy Uzoka, judging from his habits and love for fine cars, is an Arabian Stallion!
Kennedy Uzoka is the celebrated Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA). His ‘celebrated’ status is the result of a thousand and one awards and plaques engraved with ‘Kennedy Uzoka’. By all accounts, the man is a maestro of the banking game: he is always on a high drive, and has shown an innate ability to draw his team after him, all working in the same gear.
In 2019, Kennedy Uzoka was crowned Business Day’s Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year, and labelled the most charismatic banker and visionary, and one of the pillars of corporate banking in recent times. But that’s not all.
Kennedy Uzoka became Group CEO in 2016 and in that same year began to work magic. In that same year, UBA’s assets grew by over 25%, customer deposits ballooned by almost 20%, net loans expanded by over 40%, and even shareholders’ funds reportedly grew by over 30%. All of that was Uzoka and his team in action. As his inner horse whinnied and kicked, so did his collection of horsepowers.
Kennedy Uzoka loves cars. According to reports, his garage in Osborne Foreshore, Ikoyi, is a den of engines and tires, all of the best and latest kind. The Rolls Royce brand is reportedly one of his favourite babies, and the sheer costs of these babies is allegedly enough to sink most national economies.
The life of Kennedy Uzoka is the envy of many. At home or work or play, he is only ever the odd one out because he masters every scene. His wife, Lotanna is a beauty among beauties; and his children are a joy to him. Uzoka’s life reads like a fairytale because it is a fairytale when compared with those of his contemporaries.
Gear shifts are Kennedy Uzoka’s strongest points, whether that gear is bound to a V12, twin-turbo Rolls-Royce engine, or the corporate threads of excellent banking.