Directors & Officers
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mr. Rasheed Sarumi Chairman, Non-Executive Director
Mr. Reji George Managing Director/CEO
Mr. Adewale Arikawe Non-Executive Director
Amb. Nonye Udo Ind. Non-Executive Director
Mrs. Iquo Ukoh Ind. Non-Executive Director
Mr. Jan Van Eykeren (Dutch) Non-Executive Director
Ms. Osayi Alile Ind. Non-Executive Director
Ademola Adebise Ind. Non-Executive Director
Mr. Abdul Akhor Bello Non- Executive Director
BRIEF PROFILES OF DIRECTORS
Olakanmi Rasheed Sarumi
Rasheed Sarumi is the Group CEO of Saroafrica, a leading agribusiness and consumer goods Group with multiple subsidiaries. As Chairman of Presco Plc, he provides strategic leadership and governance oversight, guiding the company’s integrated operations and growth initiatives across Nigeria and Ghana.
With a background in Agricultural Engineering and executive education from Harvard and Lagos Business Schools, Rasheed combines strategic vision with deep operational expertise. His leadership is focused on driving sustainable growth, improving efficiency, and expanding agricultural value chains across the region.
He is a member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council and the Presidential Committee on Food Security Systems, where he contributes to national efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and food security. Rasheed also chairs the Board of Trustees for Large-Scale Cassava and Derivatives Processors in Nigeria, and the Family Business Advisory Committee at Lagos Business School, promoting resilience, value addition, and continuity in enterprise.
Beyond business, Rasheed co-founded the Youth Advocacy for Social Change Foundation, which empowers underserved Nigerian youth with access to quality education and workplace readiness skills.
Reji George
Reji George is the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Presco Plc, bringing over four decades of experience in commercial agriculture across Asia and Africa. His career spans the management of large-scale rubber and tea plantations in India, as well as the leadership of integrated farming and agribusiness value chains across East and West Africa.
Before joining Presco, Reji served for 18 years at Olam International in Nigeria, where he held the role of Vice President, Farming Division. He led the development of Olam’s fully integrated, mechanized commercial rice farming project in Nasarawa State and contributed to global initiatives in regenerative agriculture and sustainability.
Reji holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Marketing and Finance, from T.K.M College of Engineering and Management, Kerala University, India. His leadership continues to shape sustainable agribusiness models across the continent, with a strong emphasis on innovation, productivity, and shared value.
Adewale Arikawe
Mr. Arikawe brings over twenty-six years of leadership experience spanning across general management, commercial strategy, sales, customer development, and brand management. He has held senior leadership roles at Royal FrieslandCampina, overseeing operations across Sub-Saharan Africa, and at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria. His career also includes senior leadership positions at Nestlé Nigeria Plc, where he managed multi-channel sales operations and contributed to key strategic growth initiatives.
He holds an MBA in Business Administration and Management from the University of Chichester and has completed executive education programmes at London Business School and IMD (International Institute for Management Development), Lausanne, Switzerland, with a focus on leadership, execution excellence, and business impact.
Jan Van Eykeren
Jan Van Eykeren is a seasoned agribusiness executive with over 18 years of experience managing large-scale agricultural operations across Africa and Europe, particularly in palm oil and rubber plantation development and processing. He was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Presco Plc on September 26, 2022.
Jan holds a Master’s degree in Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (Engineer) and an Executive Master's in Interim Management. His career spans a wide range of senior roles across agriculture, livestock, fruit production, and agro-industrial services. He has worked in both entrepreneurial and corporate settings, overseeing operations in countries such as Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Abdul Akhor Bello
Abdul Akhor Bello is a Chartered Accountant with extensive board service and leadership experience in various sectors of the economy. During his 30-year career with the UACN Group, Abdul held senior leadership positions such as Managing Director of CAP Plc, Managing Director of UPDC Plc, Group ED/Chief Financial Officer of UACN Plc and Group Chief Executive Officer of UAC of Nigeria Plc. Abdul serves an independent Non-Executive Director on several Boards.
Nonye Udo Esther
Ambassador Nonye Udo is an accomplished career diplomat who represented Nigeria admirably both at home and abroad. Her distinguished service to Nigeria in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs earned her the 2017 Presidential Civil Service Merit Award. At the United Nations Headquarters she was a well-respected expert member of the United Nations revered Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, the ACABQ. As a female officer in a mostly male dominated field of diplomacy, Ambassador Udo was very sensitive to women empowerment, gender mainstreaming and mentoring of the underprivileged. This was a continuation of her work on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations as well as Nigeria’s expert to the Committee on Responsibility to Protect (R2P). As a further recognition of her expertise and dedication to service both to humanity in general and Nigeria in particular, she was nominated and served as the first Nigeria female Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Luxembourg and to the European Union headquarters.
Mrs. Iquo Ukoh
Mrs. Iquo Ukoh is an accomplished marketing executive with over 30 years of experience in brand management, consumer insights and engagement, and corporate communications. She holds a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Nigeria and has also completed executive programs at both the London and Lagos Business Schools. She was the first female Executive Director at Nestlé Nigeria where she spearheaded innovative brand campaigns and product launches that reshaped the FMCG landscape. A visionary leader with a passion for shaping the future and empowering young women, Iquo serves on several boards as a Non-Executive Director leveraging her wealth of experience to drive organizational success.
Ms. Osayi Alile
Ms. Osayi Alile is a renowned professional with extensive experience in nonprofit governance, philanthropic management, grant administration, and corporate social responsibility. She holds degrees from Rutgers University and has earned executive certifications from prestigious institutions, including Harvard, Yale, and Lagos Business School. Over the last two decades, she has partnered with government entities, corporate organizations and small to medium-sized enterprises in developed and emerging markets to drive economic and social development. Osayi is known for her creativity, entrepreneurial drive, and commitment to addressing global, national, and community-level challenges.
Ademola Adebise
Ademola has over 33 years’ experience across information technology, banking, risk management, financial control, and strategic planning. He is a former MD/CEO of Wema Bank, where he led the launch of ALAT, one of Africa’s first fully digital banks and a leading digital platform in Nigeria.
His career includes senior roles at Stanbic IBTC, National Bank, and Accenture. He has served on the boards of several financial institutions and currently sits on the boards of AIICO Capital Limited, AIICO Insurance Plc, and FCMB Group, and is Chairman of Family Homes Fund Limited. He is a Fellow of ICAN and CIBN.