Governance expert and senior corporate executive Funmi Ekundayo has been announced as the new President of the Corporate Secretaries International Association (CSIA), the global umbrella body for governance professionals and corporate secretaries operating across multiple continents.
The appointment was confirmed over the weekend via an official statement published on the association’s website.
Ekundayo’s elevation marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s governance community, further cementing her reputation as one of the country’s most respected voices in corporate governance, legal practice, and financial services.
Don’t Miss This: CBN Exempts Dollar Transactions from New Cash Withdrawal Limit Fees
She currently serves as Group Managing Director of STL Capital Group, where she has led strategic transformation efforts that strengthened the firm’s role in Nigeria’s trust and fiduciary services sector.
According to her CSIA profile, Ekundayo holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Law from the University of Lagos and has completed executive studies at Harvard Business School.
She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) and sits on its Governing Council.
She made history as ICSAN’s first female President in its 57-year existence, serving from 2023 to 2025—a tenure widely recognized for institutional reforms, professional visibility, and expanded capacity-building initiatives.
With nearly three decades of professional experience, Ekundayo began her career at Bentley, Edu & Co (in association with Irving & Bonnar), before moving into financial services where she held senior positions at Sterling Asset Management & Trustees and United Capital Trustees. She later advanced to become CEO and, subsequently, Group Managing Director of STL Capital Group.
A past President of the Association of Corporate Trustees of Nigeria, Ekundayo also previously served as Honorary Treasurer and Vice President of CSIA before assuming the presidency.
She is affiliated with multiple prestigious professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Institute of Capital Market Registrars, Chartered Institute of Directors, Institute of Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers, Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.
In a congratulatory statement, STL Capital Group described her appointment as “remarkable news,” celebrating her leadership and contributions to governance.
Ekundayo expressed her readiness to collaborate with CSIA member institutes globally to strengthen governance standards, enhance capacity-building programmes, and elevate the association’s influence on the world stage.
