HALO FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED - Key Persons
Eyo O. EyO is the Managing Director of Halo Microfinance Bank Limited (a member of Halo Group); a bank with a focus on providing personal finance through communities.
Eyo is a trailblazer in the financial services sector with a sterling 25-year career that intertwines expertise in commercial and microfinance banking, cooperative management, entrepreneurship, authorship, leadership and data science.
He was at First Bank of Nigeria Limited for 20 years were he served in different roles in eBusiness/ Digital Banking and Branch Management before heading into Management Consulting for 3 years at Creditude Global Services Limited.
With a foundation in Mechanical Engineering Technology (Yabatech, 1997) and advanced degrees in Management (UNICAL, 2000) and Banking & Finance (ESUT, 2004), Eyo's academic journey underscores his belief in continuous learning and adaptation. His professional journey is further enriched by prestigious fellowships (NLI/Yale, 2015) and memberships in leading institutes globally (CMI, IMC, NIM, CIBN, CIoD), reflecting his commitment to excellence and leadership in the financial sector.
His hands-on experience in microfinancing has catalyzed significant changes, establishing multiple cooperative societies that have empowered thousands with financial independence and homeownership with over N12 billion disbursed to low and middle-income households between 2009 and 2019. His visionary approach and leadership have not only fostered financial growth but also built a community of informed, empowered individuals.
Eyo's multifaceted career takes him beyond banking, where he is a recognized thought leader, having authored publications on cutting-edge financial concepts and spearheaded initiatives that address societal needs. His contributions range from founding Nigeria's first Esports Academy to advocating for "Socialize for Equity" at prestigious forums including the first-ever PMI Africa Conference in South Africa (2015), and delving into solutions for old-age poverty through technology.
As Vice Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Director's (Nigeria) Young Directors Forum, Eyo continues to influence the future of leadership and finance. His personal interests, from lawn tennis to data analytics & science, mirror his dynamic approach to life and work, always looking for the next challenge. Eyo O. Eyo is not just a leader in finance; he is a mentor, innovator, and advocate for social change, making Halo Microfinance Bank Limited not just a bank, but a beacon of financial empowerment and innovation.
Job Titles:
- FOUNDER
- Group CEO
- Group CEO and Founder at Halo Group
Mr. Echeruo is the Group CEO and founder at Halo Group. Mr. Echeruo has over three decades of experience in corporate finance transactions, including public offerings, private placements and mergers and acquisitions. He has represented commercial and investment banks, corporations, private individuals and government agencies in varied financing transactions, including raising equity and debt financing for projects in Africa. Among other transactions in Nigeria, Mr. Echeruo has advised several Nigerian banks in structured financing transactions with nominal values exceeding $1.5 billion. Mr. Echeruo's experience covers debt, equity, equity-linked and asset-backed securities, derivatives and structured products. His expertise includes securitizations, repackagings, multilateral agency funding, export related financing, collateralized bond and loan offerings, note programmes, commercial paper and depository receipt programmes and convertible debt and warrant issues.
He has served as advisor to the Nigeria Stock Exchange on its structured finance and derivative securities initiatives. He also led the team that advised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Monetary Union (WAMU) in developing integrated monetary instruments and assisting them in modernizing the financial systems of their respective member states. He has advised on pre-privatization reviews and valuation exercises, structured finance initiatives, and international capital market financings for several Nigerian private sector institutions.
Mr. Echeruo received law degrees from University of Nigeria and Indiana University. He also earned an M.B.A. from Indiana University.
Job Titles:
- and Chief Investment Officer
Paul Uzum has over 16 years consummate experience in the financial service industry in Nigeria. He was the head of Securities Trading Department of Planet Capital Limited, Head of Corporate Finance and Advisory in Qualinvest Capital Limited; Portfolio Manager at Greenwich Merchant Bank, Securities Trader at African Alliance Stockbrokers where he oversaw institutional sales and execution for foreign portfolio investors. He worked in the Credit Risk Management Group of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank).
Paul has vast transaction experience spanning corporate financial advisory, mergers and acquisition, capital raising, investment management, portfolio management, securities dealing and credit risk management. He has been involved in several capital market transactions in Nigeria.
Paul has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, a Master of Science degree in Economics from the University of Lagos and a PhD in Finance Covenant University, Ota. In 2011, Paul obtained membership of two prestigious professional bodies; the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) - Glasgow, UK, and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria (CIS). He is an Authorized Dealing Clerk of the Nigerian Exchange Group.