UBA Group Appoints New CEO for its UK Subsidiary

United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced the appointment of Loknath Mishra as Chief Executive Officer of its United Kingdom subsidiary, effective 2 February 2026.

The appointment underscores UBA Group’s commitment to expanding its international presence and reinforcing its role as a key financial bridge between Africa and global markets.

UBA UK plays a pivotal role within the group’s international network, supporting African corporates, financial institutions, sovereigns, and global partners through correspondent banking, trade finance, transaction banking, and treasury services.

As CEO, Mishra will focus on positioning UBA UK as a centre of excellence for regulatory compliance and customer service, strengthening financial resilience through diversified income and liquidity sources, and enhancing UBA’s leadership in trade, transaction, and correspondent banking to support business flows to and from Africa.

Mishra brings decades of international banking experience across retail, corporate, investment, and transaction banking, with a distinguished track record of building and leading regulated banking platforms in the UK and Europe.

Commenting on the appointment, UBA Group Managing Director/CEO Oliver Alawuba said, “Loknath brings exceptional global banking experience, regulatory credibility, and deep expertise in wholesale and transaction banking. His leadership will be instrumental in advancing UBA UK as a flagship subsidiary and strengthening our capacity to support trade and investment flows between Africa and international markets.”

Alawuba added that the appointment reflects UBA’s continued investment in building a world-class international banking franchise to drive Africa’s economic integration into the global economy.

Mishra, on his part, expressed delight at the appointment, saying, “I am honoured to join UBA at a time of significant opportunity for the group. UBA’s unique role in connecting Africa to global markets is compelling and strategically important. I look forward to strengthening UBA UK’s platform and supporting clients in unlocking growth across Africa and beyond.”

Before joining UBA UK, Mishra was Managing Director and CEO of ICICI Bank UK, where he enhanced the bank’s presence in the UK and European markets while strengthening governance, regulatory engagement, and operational resilience. He also held senior roles at ICICI Bank Limited, including Group Head of Wholesale Banking and Global Head of Transaction Banking, contributing to the expansion of the bank’s global wholesale franchise and leading customer-focused transformation initiatives.

Mishra is recognised for his leadership in complex regulatory environments, driving digital innovation in trade finance, cash management, and retail banking, and was honoured with the Freedom of the City of London for his contributions to financial services.