Executive Team
We are led by men and women who possess very strong characters and are at the top of their game
Sonnie Ayere
DLM Capital Group
Sonnie Ayere has over 20 years of solid corporate and structured finance, corporate banking and asset management experience working with the following institutions in London – HSBC Bank, NatWest Bank, The Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, Bank of Montreal BMO ) ( - Nesbitt Burns ( the investment banking arm of the Bank of Montreal), the International Finance Corporation ( IFC ) - World Bank Group - based in Washington D . C . and then Johannesburg, South Africa, the United Bank of Africa Group “UBA”)Plc ( . in Lagos, Nigeria and finally founded Dunn Loren Merrifield .
Following a successful career in corporate banking and later corporate finance at HSBC, NatWest and The Sumitomo Mitsui bank, Mr. Ayere joined BMO Nesbitt Burns and worked as part of the team responsible for setting up a US$20bn Fixed Income Structured Investment Vehicle (“SIV”) and worked as an analyst / investment manager in charge of investing in complex asset backed securities, mortgage backed securities, corporate bonds, bank subordinated debt to include asset and other types of swaps etc. He then joined the IFC in Washington and held the position of senior investment officer responsible for structured finance for Africa and Co-Head – Financial Markets Business Development – Sub Saharan Africa (Anglophone and Lusophone Countries); thereafter, he joined UBA Group as the Pioneer Managing Director/CEO of UBA Global Markets (“UBAGM”), the investment banking subsidiary of United Bank for Africa from August 2005 to January 2009.
Mr. Ayere then went on to establish Dunn Loren Merrifield in early 2009. He possesses extensive cognate experience in fixed income capital markets; as such has played a pivotal role in originating and executing several notable transactions in securitisations, and other various structured finance related transactions internationally and in Nigeria. Mr. Ayere is a member of the Nigerian Bond Steering Committee, SEC committee on Market structure & reforms, the Steering Committee for the review of the Foreclosure and Securitization Law of Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”) FSS2020 Technical Steering Committee. He holds an MA (Hons.) in Financial Economics from the University of Dundee, Scotland. He is an Alumni of Cass Business School London (MBA) and London Business School. Mr Ayere is also FSA registered and was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Science (DSc) from the European-American University.
Ololade K. Razaaq
Mrs. Ololade K. Razaaq is the Managing Director of DLM Trust Company Limited. She has over 20 years experience began when she started work with Muyiwa Bunmi Ogunlela (a firm of Chartered Accountants) between 1999 and 2000 during her service year as Audit Trainee.
After her service year she joined the services of Dusmar Presidential Hotel as Accounts Manager before joining Afribank Trustees & Investments Ltd (also known as Mainstreet Bank Trustees and Assets Management Company Ltd) as an Assistant Manager in 2001. She was in Mainstreet Bank Trustees for over 17years where she gathered useful experience and rose to the position of Head of Operations and Treasury and also Head, Marketing department where she was mainly responsible for business development and customer relationship management.
She was an active member of the Management Executive Committee of Mainstreet Bank Trustees and actively involved in preparation of quarterly and annual reports for the company strategic sessions up till the time she left Mainstreet Bank Trustees & Asset Mgt. Company for DLM Trust
Company Limited. Mrs Ololade K. Razaaq is a graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta where she obtained her HND in Accounting at Upper Credit Level in 1998. She also has an MBA from Ondo State University (now Adekunle Ajasin University). She has attended training courses program both within and outside the country. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Loans and Risk Management of Nigeria
Kennedy Ighodaro
Kennedy Ighodaro is a seasoned Financial Analyst with over 27 years of experience in venture capital operations, financial services, manufacturing and other service oriented industries.
Prior to joining DLM Group, he was the Country Manager of West Africa Venture Fund (WAVF LLC), Sierra Leone for over four and half years. WAVF LLC was established by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the development arm of the World Bank Group to deliver risk capital (private equity/venture capital) and technical assistance services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in two post-war countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Prior to this, he was Chief Finance Officer and General Manager at Armored Technologies & Systems Limited (AT&S).
Emeka Ngene
Emeka Ngene is the managing Director of DLM Advisory partner. He has over 10 years of experience in development consulting, corporate and project finance, and broad capital market transactions
Over the last few years Emeka Ngene has worked with the DLM team to deliver projects with wide ranging market development impacts and has found a niche in combining core structured finance skillsets; mainly off-balance sheet financing solutions for corporates and projects as well as the establishment and management of conduits for providing sector and industry level solutions to solving complex funding challenges.
Prior to joining Dunn Loren Merrifield, Emeka Ngene was a member of the transactions advisory team of Luma Associates; an Africa focused corporate finance advisory firm in London where he worked with a team of four (4). Responsible for project appraisals and deal structuring, financial modeling, and valuations, of complex corporate finance as well as project finance transactions.
Rotimi Akinseye
Internal Control
Rotimi has over 14 years of experience across Compliance, Enforcement, Internal Control, Risk Management, and Operations within the Financial Services Industry.
Prior to joining DLM, he has served in various capacities at Unity Bank Plc, ranging from Operations, Internal Control, and Cluster Compliance Manager. He moved to NLPC Pension Fund Administrators in 2019 as the Deputy Head of Risk Management and was responsible for monitoring the Funds’ investment portfolio, conducting quantitative market and credit risk analysis, in addition to identifying, measuring, and reporting all potential operational loss events and facilitating the implementation of appropriate controls to mitigate the risks across the enterprise.
His academic and professional qualifications include BSc Economics from the University of Ibadan; Financial Risk Manager (FRM) & Energy Risk Professional (ERP) designations of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP); Designate Compliance Practitioner (DCP) of the Compliance Institute of Nigeria (CIN); and has completed all levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams.
Rotimi has a knack for statistical and financial analyses as well as risk, compliance, and investment management. He currently holds the position for Group Head, Internal Control.
Kelechi Eke
Operations
With about 10 years of experience, Kelechi coordinates the Group’s Operations across all subsidiaries. She professionally supports the Group’s effort and efficiently collaborates with other functional Teams to drive the business, whilst improving operational performance and management.
She has worked across different departments within DLM Capital Group, providing support to various business functions with competence and possesses the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities with excellent attention to detail. Her attention to the intricacies of every brief sets her apart as a pillar of support to team members.
Her excellent career achievement over the last 10 years have been influenced by her sound leadership, relationship management and analytical background, having earned a Master of Science degree in Information Technology and a First degree in Computer Science.
She commenced her working career with Sterling Bank Plc where she gained hands-on experience and deep industry knowledge before joining the Investment Banking Industry.
Kelechi is currently studying for an MBA at the University of Suffolk, UK.
Nwabu Okonkwo
Nwabu has over 10 years experience in corporate and finance law, project finance and general capital market transactions. He has over the years served on teams that advised multinationals, local entities and regulators on diverse areas of Nigerian and international law and practice including debt and equity financing, structured financing, secured and unsecured lending, mergers and acquisitions, receiverships and winding-up of companies, start-ups advisory, banking and capital markets and public-private partnerships.
Nwabu also provides legal, regulatory and transactional advice/support to all the units of the firm. Prior to joining DLM, Nwabu worked with the Securities and Investment Services Department of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria where he ensured that transactions filed by Investment Banks and Law firms complied with the ISA and the Rules & Regulations of the SEC before recommending same for approval.
Education & Qualification
LL.M (Corporate & Finance Law), Wayne State University Law School, Michigan, USA
LL.B, University of Nigeria
BL, Nigerian Law School
Member, Nigerian Bar Association- Section on Business Law
Nathaneal Solomon
Nathaneal Solomon is a key member of the team with a wealth of experience in the Capital market.
He has gained experience and undergone training in Bonds, Stocks, Treasury Bills, and Corporate Finance/Advisory.
At DLM Capital Group, he has provided drive/support to various business functions with competence and possesses the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities with excellent attention to details.
He is an Experienced Investment Banker with over 10 years of professional experience in Lead Generation: through extensive prospecting, networking and referral, account management, portfolio management, and relationship management. He has catapulted sales and increased account volume by developing strong alliances with key employers in various organizations and industries. He ensures that sales targets are achieved and surpassed and also possesses excellent communication skills.
Nathaneal’s excellent career achievements over the last 10 years have been influenced by his drive to exceed set targets, excellent people skills, sound leadership, relationship management, and analytical background, having earned an MBA (Finance) degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University and a First degree in Physics.
Nathaneal is an SEC-sponsored individual, a member of the Institute of Credit Administration, and an Associate Member, Institute of Directors.
Nathaneal is currently a candidate for the Advanced Finance Program at the Wharton Business School, USA, and the Disruptive Strategy Program at Harvard Business School.