{{short description|Nigerian banker}} {{Infobox person | name = Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1959|1}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | other_names = | known_for = | education = | employer = | occupation = CEO | spouse = Victor Gbolade Osibodu | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu''' or '''Funke Osibodu''' (born January 1959) is a Nigerian banker who led Ecobank Nigeria and the Union Bank of Nigeria.
==Life== Funke Osibodu was born in January 1959.<ref>[http://www.checkcompany.co.uk/director/8540312/MRS-OLUFUNKE-IYABO-OSIBODU Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu], CheckCompany, Retrieved 23 February 2016</ref> She attended the University of Ife and the Harvard Business School.<ref name=new>[http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/08/new-ceos-resume-immediately-who-they-are/ New CEOs resume immediately, who they are?], Babajide Komolafe, 14 August 2009, VanguardNGR, Retrieved 23 February 2016</ref>
She was CEO and later a director of the holding company of Ecobank Nigeria until she left in 2006.<ref name =cbn/> Her husband Victor Gbolade Osibodu is a Nigerian entrepreneur.<ref>[http://societynowng.com/Union-Bank-MD-Funke-Osibodu-Hubby-Victor-Acquire-Two-Oil-Vessels Uninon Bank MD Hubby acquires 2 Oil vessels] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001351/http://societynowng.com/Union-Bank-MD-Funke-Osibodu-Hubby-Victor-Acquire-Two-Oil-Vessels |date=2017-02-02 }}, SocietyNowNG, Retrieved 23 February 2016</ref>
She came to notice when there was a shake-up in the Nigerian banking industry when five bank CEOs were dismissed on 13 August 2009, and five replacements were named by the Central Bank of Nigeria.<ref name=cbn/> She was chosen to lead the Union Bank of Nigeria replacing Bartholomew Bassey Ebong.<ref name=ft/> Others replaced on the same day included the CEO of FinBank who was replaced by Suzanne Iroche.<ref name=cbn>[http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/08/cbn-sacks-5-banks-directors/ CBN sacks 5 Banks Directors], Gabriel Omoh and Babajide Komolafe, 14 August 2009, VanguardNGR, Retrieved 23 February 2016</ref> Ebong was sacked for giving collateral free multibillion-dollar loans to speculators that included Peter Ololo.<ref name="Makanjuola2015">{{cite book|author=Yomi Makanjuola|title=Banking Reform in Nigeria: The Aftermath of the 2009 Financial Crisis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Z8MCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16|date=8 May 2015|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-1-137-49353-8|page=42}}</ref>
Osibodu was praised for the transparency and discipline that she introduced at the Union Bank of Nigeria. She was placed at position 47 on a list of the world's most powerful businesswomen by the Financial Times in 2011.<ref name=ft>[https://www.ft.com/content/91c434ca-0b35-11e1-ae56-00144feabdc0 Top women], FT.com, Retrieved 24 February 2016</ref> She was the only African woman to make the list.<ref name=other>[http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2016/01/the-other-side-of-funke-osibodu/ The Other Side Of Funke Osibodu], 9 January 2016, NGRGuardianNews.com, Retrieved 24 February 2016</ref> She stood down from her position as CEO of the Union Bank at the end of 2012.<ref name=bloom>[https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=60780563&privcapId=9794025 Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu], Bloomberg, Retrieved 23 February 2016</ref> After she left the bank she entered the power industry as the CEO of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company for Benin City in Nigeria<ref name=poorsource>[https://africaindc.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/you-can-only-squeeze-so-much-out-of-an-orange-but-power-africa-provides-a-lot-of-sunshine-africa-breakfast-on-the-hill/ You Can Only Squeeze so Much Out of an Orange], AfricaInDC, Retrieved 23 Feb 2016</ref> where her husband, Victor, is the chairman.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Osibodu, Funke}} Category:Nigerian bankers Category:Harvard Business School alumni Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Obafemi Awolowo University alumni Category:Nigerian women chief executives Category:Nigerian chief executives Category:Nigerian corporate directors Category:Women corporate directors