Dalu Ajene

CEO & Head of Coverage, Africa | Standard Chartered

A seasoned financial services executive with over two decades of international banking experience across Africa, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He brings a dynamic blend of global insight, deep local expertise, and a strong track record in corporate and investment banking, and wealth and retail banking.

Dalu has held senior roles at Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, Bank of America and Bear Stearns, and was instrumental in launching Rand Merchant Bank in Nigeria, where he worked for over ten years in various local and group functions, ultimately serving as its CEO. His leadership blends global perspective with deep local insight, driving innovation and cross-border growth.

Since joining Standard Chartered in 2024, Dalu has led the bank’s vision to connect Nigerian clients to global opportunities – solving their most complex challenges, while intermediating capital and optimizing value for such clients. He has been a champion for global subsidiaries, financial institutions and wealth and retail clients to deliver sustainable impact and economic transformation.

He holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Strategy from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), the Metropolitan Club and other non-profit endeavours. Outside the boardroom, he is passionate about youth empowerment and community development.

Dalu is married and has two sons and enjoys long-distance running and squash.