Fiona Ahmed Ahimie makes history as first female President of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has elected Fiona Ahmed Ahimie, Managing Director of First Securities Brokers Limited, a subsidiary of FirstHoldCo Plc, as its 14th President, making her the first woman to serve as President and Chairman of Council in the Institute’s history.

Her election marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s financial services sector, reflecting the growing influence of women in senior leadership and signalling a new chapter in the evolution of the country’s capital market.

With nearly 20 years of experience across stockbroking, investment banking, private equity, real estate, wealth management and business development, Fiona brings extensive industry expertise, international exposure and a strong record of driving growth.

She began her career at one of Nigeria’s leading stockbroking firms, where she developed a solid grounding in capital market operations and foreign investor transactions. She later joined FBN Capital, now FirstCap, as Head of Sales Trading, where she played a key role in overseeing both domestic and international institutional deal flows. In 2015, she was appointed Managing Director of African Alliance Securities Nigeria, where she led significant growth in market share, client expansion and cross-border transactions.

Since joining First Securities Brokers Limited in 2016, she has overseen a major transformation of the business, positioning it among Nigeria’s top brokerage firms by 2018 through stronger execution capacity and increased global investor participation.

Beyond her executive responsibilities, Fiona has served on several corporate boards and committees. She currently sits on the boards of First Funds, the private equity arm of FirstHoldCo Group, NGX Real Estate Limited, Japtini Logistics and Awabaah, a micro-pensions business. She also serves on the Statutory Audit Committee of the Central Securities Clearing System.

A strong advocate of lifelong learning and professional excellence, Fiona has completed executive education programmes at MIT Sloan School of Management in the United States, IESE Business School in Spain and INSEAD in France. She is also pursuing a doctorate at Afe Babalola University Business School.

Her professional credentials include Chartered Stockbroker, Chartered Accountant and Chartered Director. She is also an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, serves on the Curriculum Review Committee of Lagos Business School and has mentored participants in the WIMBIZ Women on Boards Programme for four consecutive years.

Outside the corporate sphere, Fiona is recognised for her philanthropic work, supporting educational opportunities for young people and championing inclusive growth.

Her presidency comes at a crucial period for Nigeria’s capital market as the sector responds to greater global integration, regulatory reforms and rapid technological advancement. As President, she is expected to focus on broadening market depth, strengthening professional standards, boosting investor confidence and supporting the next generation of capital market professionals.

Fiona will officially assume office on 30 April 2026, while her formal investiture is scheduled for 25 June 2026, when key stakeholders from across Nigeria’s financial sector are expected to gather for the historic occasion.