The London Business School (LBS) Alumni Community Nigeria recently hosted an intimate brunch and fireside chat with Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe.

Held in Lagos, the event brought together high-calibre, career-driven C-suite leaders across various sectors such as finance, FMCG, investment, and more, for a candid conversation on breaking barriers, navigating leadership, and the shared responsibility to Accelerate Action.

Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe shared powerful reflections on her trailblazing journey to becoming the first female CEO in Fidelity Bank’s history. Recounting the challenges of rising through the ranks in a male-dominated industry, she spoke with conviction about the mindset that propelled her forward. “I have personally never acknowledged the gender glass ceiling in my career or in anything in my life. When something looks like a barrier, I see it as motivation to go even harder,” she said.

Her story, marked by resilience and a refusal to be boxed in by stereotypes, offered inspiration to the women present. She emphasised that success comes from talent, consistency, discipline and the willingness to take bold steps, even when failure feels like a possibility. “Don’t fear failure. It’s part of the process. Every misstep has taught me something that helped me get better,” she said.

She also spoke about the importance of balance, acknowledging that modern women often juggle many roles from business leader to caregiver. “Learning to balance family and career is not just important for business success, it’s important for success in life.”

While celebrating the progress made in recent years, she called for more action to ensure true gender equity across sectors. “Today, 11 of Nigeria’s 26 commercial bank MDs are women. That’s progress, but we must not stop there. We want to see that number go to 14, 15 and beyond.”

She expressed admiration for the strength of the LBS alumni network in Nigeria and was visibly delighted to be in the company of such high-calibre women. “I’m truly impressed by the quality of professionals in this network; It’s refreshing and inspiring to see so many women leading with excellence.”

President, LBS Alumni Community in Nigeria, Akintayo Sanwo-Olu, said that as a community, they are not just talking about change but building it. “At LBS, we’re committed to empowering more women to lead across industries and actively changing the narrative around gender and leadership,” he said.