Management

Dr. Bamidele Osuolale Makanjuola

Chairman/Non-Executive Director

Awolowo  University), Ile-lfe. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Chemical Engineering and Economics from the Loughborough University of Technology, United Kingdom. He is a member of both the Polymer Institute of Nigeria and the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

He became the Executive Director in Charge of Corporate Planning and Development in December 2001 and was appointed Managing Director on 1″April, 2006, a position he held until his retirement on 30’th September, 2012. He is currently the Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Taiwo Ayodele Adeniyi

Group Managing Director

Mr Taiwo holds a B.Sc. Degree in Chemistry and M.sc (Pharmaceutical Chemistry) from the University of Lagos and a Masters Degree in Supply Engineering and Logistics from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom. He won the prestigious Chairman’s award of an outstanding employee in 2009 and the Nigerian National Productivity Order of Merit Award in 2012.

He started his career in Pharma Deko Pie where he gained wide experience in operations management and products developments. He joined Vitafoam in 2007 as Logistics Manager and later became the Manufacturing Manager in 2010, a position he held until his appointment in July, 2012 as Executive Director and later Technical Director.

Mr. Adeniyi was appointed Acting Managing Director on 22nd April, 2015 and became the substantive Managing Director on the 4th of June, 2015.

Mrs. Adeola Adewakun

Non- Executive Director

Mrs Adeola  holds  a  Masters  of  Pharmacy  Degree  from  the  University  of Portsmouth, Hampshire, United Kingdom. She is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the General Pharmaceutical Council of Great Britain.

A United Kingdom registered Pharmacist, Mrs. Adewakun  has held  various  management  positions  in  different  Pharmaceutical  companies  in  the  United  Kingdom.  She was appointed to the Board of the company with effect from 23″‘ May, 2013.

Mr. Gerson Parreira Silva

Non-Executive Director

Mr Gerson is a Chemical Scientist with competency and specialization in Polyurethane (PU) Systems, a core production component of Vitafoam, and Vitapur (a sandwich panels and chemical systems subsidiary of Vitafoam).

In the course of his brilliant career, Mr. Silva has worked in several frontline chemical systems organizations across the globe including Dow Chemicals (one of the leading chemical companies in the world) for 18years as a chemical scientist and analyst. Having acquired know-how of chemical systems application at DOW, Mr. Silva in partnership with like minds, proceeded to establish PURCOM., one of the largest Chemical System Houses in South America .PURCOM is an internationally acclaimed producer of various PU applications and systems.

Mr. Silva is a widely travelled Consultant on PU Chemical Systems. Mr. Silva, a Brazilian was appointed to the Board of the Company with effect from 1st October, 2017.

Mr. Achike Charles Umunna

Non- Executive Director

Mr. Achike Charles Umunna obtained a Bachelors Degree in Law (LL.B) from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1982, graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1983 and obtained a Masters Degree (LL.M) from the University of Lagos in 1985.  A Knight of the Catholic Church, Mr. Umunna is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management Consultants (NIMC) and also holds a certificate in international arbitration from the University of Rome Tre.

Mr. Umunna has been actively engaged in legal practice for over 35 years with experience in both the public and the private sectors.  He started his legal career from the then National Assembly Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos where he was the Secretary to the Rules and Business Committee of the House of Representatives and later as legal officer with the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters Lagos.  

He went into private practice with the law firm of Chuka Okoli and Associates before establishing the firm of Achike Umunna and Associates in 1986.  Amongst other fields of practice, Mr. Umunna has acquired expertise in the field of maritime, petroleum, international trade laws and practices having worked as legal consultant in China, Bulgaria, Romania, United Kingdom, USA Germany and Japan.  He was appointed to the Board of the company with effect from 19th December, 2019.

Mr. Bamidele S. Owoade

Commercial Director

Mr Owoade Bamidele Sola holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Master’s degree in business administration (MBA). He is a member of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria. He started his career in 1995 as management trainee in West African Batteries Limited (Exide) where he gained experience in operations management and quality assuranc

e. He joined Pharma Deko PLC in 2000 as Plant Engineer and later became Factory Engineer and Head, Factory and Engineering. He then joined Vitafoam Nigeria PLC in 2008.

Prior to his appointment to the board of Vitafoam on 18th December, 2018, Mr Owoade was at various times the Factory Manager, Ikeja Plant, National Sales Manager, Head of Sales and Managing Director Vitablom Nigeria Limited (a subsidiary of Vitafoam)

Prof. (Mrs.) Rosemary Ivionwen Egonmwan

Independent Non-Executive Director

Prof Rosemary holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Hons) Degree and a Masters of Science (M.Sc) in Zoology from the University of Lagos. She also obtained a Doctorate (D.Phil.) Zoology from the prestigious University of Oxford, United Kingdom.

Professor (Mrs.) Egonmwan is a distinguished scholar and academician with over thirty (30) years’ experience. She was the Senior Environmental Adviser for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company from 2009 – 2010 and served on the Management Board of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) from 2012- 2016.Prof. (Mrs.) Egonmwan serves as a member of several boards and committees of the University of Lagos where she is currently a distinguished lecturer, including the Postgraduate School Board and University of Lagos Senate.

She is a member of the Ecological Science of Nigeria, and British Ecological Society. Prof. (Mrs.) Egonmwan was appointed to the Board of the Company with effect from 1st October, 2017.

Mr. Abdul Akhor Bello

Independent Non- Executive Director

Mr Abdul retired from UAC of Nigeria Plc in June 2019 after a 30 years of meritorious service in the company where he rose to the zenith of his career in the company as the Group Chief Executive Officer; he also held various senior management position in the company such as Group ED/Chief Financial Officer; Managing Director, UAC Property Development Company Plc and Managing Director, CAP Plc.
 
 He brings to the Board of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc vast experience which he acquired across a range of businesses in manufacturing, banking, leasing, registrar services, pensions, real estate, logistics and quick service restaurant sectors. Mr. Abdul Akhor Bello once served on the governing council of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
 
 He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Mr. Bello attended Yaba College of Technology, Lagos. He is an alumnus of Oxford University’s Advance Management & Leadership Program and has undertaken various international development courses.

Mr. Joseph Alegbesogie

Finance Director

Mr. Joseph Alegbesogie joined the Vitafoam Group in February 2013 as Head of Finance and Administration at Vono Products Plc, a then subsidiary of Vitafoam Nig. Plc. Prior to joining Vitafoam, he held leadership positions in various other organizations including Messrs. Giwa-Osagie, DFK & Co. (Chartered Accountants), as Audit Manager: 2005; Whassan Nigeria Ltd, a then subsidiary of Compass Group Plc, UK, as Financial Controller: 2012.

He has over 23 years professional and practical experience in accounting, audit, taxation, and insolvency practice. He was redeployed from Vono Products Plc to Vitafoam Nig. Plc in 2015, as Chief Accountant and later promoted to the position of Head, Finance and Accounts in 2017.

Mr Alegbesogie is an alumni of Lagos Business School, a fellow of the Chattered Accountants of Nigeria and an Associate member of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Port Harcourt.

Mr. Olalekan Sanni

Company Secretary/Legal Adviser

Mr. Olalekan Sanni holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is a member of the Nigeria Bar Association. He is also an Associate of Institute of chattered secretaries and administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) and Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM). 

Prior to joining Vitafoam as Company Secretary/Legal Adviser in 2010, he had served as Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of the then Amicable Assurance plc from 1997 to 2003 and Company Secretary/Legal Adviser to Vono Products plc from 2003 to 2010. Mr. Sanni has attended several senior management courses and taught law at the Lagos State Polytechnic and other private institutions.