Former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru, has been appointed to the Board of Diamond Bank Plc, making her the third woman on the bank’s board.
Okauru’s appointment which is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and shareholders, was announced by the bank at the weekend
According to a statement released by the bank, her appointment as an independent director was approved by the Board of Directors of Diamond Bank Plc at its meeting of July 26, 2012.?
Described as a hands-on strategy/change management consultant and change agent with proven leadership ability, the bank said Okauru’s appointment is expected to bring on board her wealth of experience in contributing towards the advancement of Diamond Bank.
Currently the Managing Partner of Compliance Professionals Plc, she supports individuals and organizations to ensure compliance with rules and regulations. She is also a part-time member of the United Nations (UN) Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters as well as a member of the Board of Trustees of DAGOMO Foundation Nigeria (Limited by Guarantee), a family based non-governmental Organisation geared to community development.
As member of the UN Committee of Experts, Ifueko is the coordinator of the sub-committee on capacity building responsible for identifying and executing capacity building initiatives for deserving revenue authorities and officials. Ifueko also acts as the 2012 Mentorship Chair of the African Women’s Leadership Think Tank (AWLTT).
From May 2004 to April 2012, Ifueko was the first female Executive Chairman of the FIRS and Chairman of the JTB comprising representatives of all taxing tiers of government in Nigeria. During her tenure, she spearheaded comprehensive tax reforms that led to the development of a national tax policy (for the first time), modification of tax legislation and remarkable improvement in the effectiveness of Tax Administration.
Tax collection in the FIRS, under the leadership of Ifueko Omoigui Okauru grew significantly.