The road to success is rarely linear and never easy. But with courage, hard work, perseverance, and dedication to duty, Jim Ovia, founder and chairman of Zenith Bank, proves we can achieve the unthinkable.
Jim has been called the Godfather of Banking by Forbes Africa. And this should be no surprise. In a time of tension between military and civilian regimes, periods of incredible economic instability, and a decaying infrastructure, Jim founded Zenith Bank in Nigeria. Under Jim's leadership, what started with $4 million in shareholders' funds, grew into one of Africa's largest banks, an internationally recognized institution with more than $16 billion in assets.
His story is a living testament to his message that success results when we act with courage and dare to try. Africa, Rise and Shine is part-memoir, part-inspirational business guide, reminding entrepreneurs and investors around the world of this valuable lesson: You must never allow the perceptions of others impact your own vision of what is possible for the future.
"Jim Ovia's entrepreneurial flair demystifies Africa. Africa Rise and Shine shows his meteoric rise from humble beginnings to building a formidable bank. This is a wonderful African success story." - SIR RICHARD BRANSON, FOUNDER OF VIRGIN GROUP, INVESTOR AND PHILANTHROPIST "Jim Ovia has been my personal friend and trusted banker over the last twenty-five years. Africa Rise and Shine lays bare the secrets to Zenith Bank's success from one of Nigeria's most respected businessmen. Jim's inspirational tale of success against all the odds is an important lesson of how adversity can always be surmounted. His principles of doing business can be applied globally as demonstrated by Zenith Bank's London Stock Exchange listing. This book is an essential read for anyone that wants to do business in Africa." - ALIKO DANGOTE, GCON, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, DANGOTE GROUP OF COMPANIES
"Having personally negotiated with Jim Ovia to create the landmark Prudential Zenith Life Insurance partnership, I have seen his artistry at deal making firsthand. Jim's ability to step back and take a long-term perspective has been a key factor in his business success. His twelve rules for building profitable businesses, whilst critical for African enterprises, could equally be applied globally. How I wish I had read Africa Rise and Shine prior to sitting down to the negotiation table with him!" - MATT LILLEY, CEO, PRUDENTIAL AFRICA
