Top 10 Most Impactful Power Couples In Corporate Nigeria – Victor and Funke Osibodu

Mr. Victor Osibodu is founder, Vigeo Holdings Ltd, a multi-billion business empire jointly owned and run with his wife, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, who is adirector in the group and chief executive officer of Vigeo Capital Limited. Victor, a pharmacist and Funke, an economist/banker have combined their professional callings to become one of Africa’s leading power couples.

They are the brains behind the multi business enterprise that is Vigeo Holdings today. The company’s operations are organized in five distinct business divisions operated through subsidiaries – capital, marketing & distribution, oil & gas, power and shipping.

Funke’s experience in banking comes in the capital market operations where the company offers stock brokerage, asset management and advisory services in estate planning, insurance and finance. The service portfolio includes discretionary and non-discretionary fund management activities. It also extends to property acquisition, construction and project management, marketing, and sale of properties, off-plan real estate ventures and property and facility management.

The company also delivers light meal and refreshments through automated vending machines used in banks, hospitals, educational institutions and airports. It provides marketing management services such as corporate services, including corporate rewards, award services, accessories and memorabilia. Other services include various aspects of brand management, including merchandising, channel development, promotional materials, experiential marketing services, road shows and product launches.

The group offers technical support services in the areas of steel products, engineering and maintenance, oil field operations and safety equipment. It also offers operational support to oil and gas companies and energy businesses and handles offshore vessel support services.

The group’s service portfolio also incorporates customer service management, marketing management, ICT, payment systems/3rd party payment, and revenue cycle management services for distribution companies, metering and billing management, management of PPM systems, MD meter audit and maintenance, grid metering, statistical metering and power engineering services. This includes supply and installation of distribution materials, design and construction of injection sub-stations, management of technical losses and alternative energy solution consultancy.

Victor worked in Boots Company Nigeria Ltd and Bodmat International Company before setting up Vigeo Holdings Limited in1985. The multi-billion business empire today runs through five major subsidiaries – Vigeo Oil & Gas, Vigeo Promotions & Marketing, Vigeo Capital, Citiserve Ltd and Citiserve Microfinance Bank Ltd.

Victor started Vigeo Holdings as a marketer of corporate gift items in Nigeria from which the company has built one of the largest service delivery portfolios available in Nigeria. By identifying and filling gaps in Nigeria’s business space, the company evolved from an outfit centralized around the founder to a large, decentralized entity operated through self-propelled subsidiaries.

Funke has over 20 years cumulative working experience in the banking industry where she started her career at NAL Merchant Bank and later moved over to Continental Merchant Bank. She is the first female to attain the height of managing director/CEO of a bank in Nigeria. She has the distinctive position of heading banks at three different places, first at MBC International Bank Limited, thereafter at Ecobank Nigeria Plc before finishing strong at Union Bank Plc.

She held forth at Union Bank until the core investor acquired the bank. After her successful tenure at the bank, Funke was named one of the World’s 50 leading businesswomen by the Financial Times of London – the only African woman that made the list. The global jury of experts chose her in recognition of her role in strengthening the management of the bank, improving discipline and ensuring transparency.

For Victor and Funke, it has been a perfect combination of pharmacy and economics backgrounds flavoured with their strengths in entrepreneurial acumen and banking. The outcome is unlimited expertise and business leadership drive with which they have built the corporate empire that is Vigeo Holdings.

The underlying purpose of this power couple is deeply rooted in conquering challenges to lift people and create value for society. Victor defines it as a devotion to a higher purpose goal of contributing to the development of both the Nigerian people and the nation as a whole.