Tope Smart, NIA Chairman
BY NKECHI NAECHE—–The Nigerian Insurers Association(NIA), the umbrella body of insurance will today decorate Mr Tope Smart as the 23rd Chairman of the association.
Mr Smart who is a doyen in the insurance industry, is the Group Managing Director of NEM Insurance Plc will be taking over from Mr Eddie Efekoha who served for two years.
Smart, as his mostly called by friends, is an Insurance graduate and an award winner from the University of Lagos (1987) is also an Associate of both the Chartered Insurance Institute, London (ACII) 1990 and the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (ACIIN) 1991. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka 2000.
A seasoned Underwriter and Marketer, he started his Insurance Career with the firm of Everyman Insurance Brokers, Abuja in 1987.
The Management of the Company later discovered the abundance of talent in him and was recommended to head the Abuja Branch of the firm but he left for Nigerian-French Insurance Company Limited in 1989 in order to widen his experience.
While there, he served the company in various capacities and rose to the position of Head of Marine Unit before leaving for Perpetual Assurance Company Limited as one of the pioneer management staff in 1991.
He became the Assistant General Manager (OPERATIONS) of the Company before leaving to team up with Vigilant Insurance Company Limited as the General Manager/Chief Executive in 1995 and was later confirmed Managing Director of the company in 1997.
With the successful completion of the
the recapitalization exercise in 2007, he was appointed the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the new NEM Insurance Plc, a position he held until April, 2009.
Mr. Smart is currently the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Group, following his increased responsibilities and the company’s expansion into the West African Sub-region with the successful registration of NEM Insurance Company (Ghana) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Group in May, 2009.
He has attended many top professional courses in Insurance and Management.
The investiture will be chaired by no other than Professor Pat Utomi, while the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu will be the special guest.
The investiture will be attended by over 200 operators the insurance industry, friends and well-wishers of Tope from all works of life.
