About Sonnie Babatunde Ayere
Background
- 20 years corporate finance, structured finance, corporate banking, and asset management experience.
- Pioneer MD/CEO, UBA Global Markets
- Prior to this, he spent 4 years at the IFC in various roles as Co-Head of the Financial Markets Division focusing on Sub-Sahara Africa
- Worked in various Corporate and Structured Finance, Banking and Asset Management roles in HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland (formerly, NatWest), Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, Bank of Montreal Nesbitt Burns in London.
Relevant Experience
- Involved in the origination, structuring and distribution of several of the most complex bond issues in Nigeria to date – CERPAC Securitisation, PRIMERO Securitisation, FMBN Securitisation, NMRC Issuance Programme, Mortgage Warehouse Asset Backed Commercial Paper Programme and many others
- Set up Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Co Plc, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mortgage Warehouse Funding Limited working with and reporting to the Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala
- IFC’s lead in the development of the Nigerian domestic bond market (2004)
- Advised and served on the LagosHOMS committee chaired by Gov Babatunde Fashola
- Originated and structured Kebbi state, Ebonyi State, Nassarawa series I and Private Bonds
- Merger and Corporate Restructuring : AIICO Plc- Financial Adviser- Merger of Aiico Insurance Plc, Aiico General Insurance Plc and Aiico Asset Management by a Scheme of Arrangement- 2010
- Restructuring : Bayelsa State Government- Financial Adviser- Restructuring of the state’s N50 billion bond issuance- 2011
- Corporate Divestment : Bank PHB Plc- Financial Adviser- Divestiture of Legacy Insurance, PHB Capital & PHB Trustees from Bank PHB from Legacy Insurance Limited through a sale of its equity holding – 2011/12
- Part of the team responsible for setting up a US$20bn Fixed Income Structured Investment Vehicle (“SIV”), with a US$2bn Capital Note Program which launched in 1999. He was involved in the company’s set up, compiling aspects of its procedures manual, system evaluation and testing and subsequently responsible for analyzing, investing and trading in various ABS/MBS and other asset classes e.g. bank senior and subordinated debt and other corporate debt plus the on-going credit monitoring of the portfolio.
- He was part of the team that structured the first ever Japanese de-linked Balance Sheet Collaterised Loan Obligation securitisation – GBP1.4bn Aurora Funding. He was also responsible for managing the bank’s fixed income portfolio in Asset Backed Securities (‘ABS’) and Mortgage Backed Securities (‘MBS’) investments and other asset classes for it’s balance sheet.
- He has championed various conversation points on Infrastructure Financing at both national and international fora, including APSFIF in London where he presented and led panel discussion on ‘Infrastructure & Capital Markets Innovation in Africa – The Case Study of Nigeria’.
- He was sworn in as the President, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria (AIHN) in 2016 where he served for 2 years. He was also on the SEC Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Council (CAMMIC), a member of the Nigerian Bond Steering Committee, the SEC committee on Market structure & reforms and the Steering Committee for the review of the Foreclosure and Securitization Law of Nigeria.
Awards
- He was awarded the CEO of the Year Award by International Investor Europe in 2020, as well as the CEO of the Decade (Investment Banking Category) at the Business Day Banks’ and Financial Institutions (BAFI)Award 2020.
- He was also featured on The Signature 50 Founders Edition as one of the “Men Who Built Nigeria at 60”.
- In January 2021, he was awarded the ECOWAS Icon of Societal Development Award from the West African Youth Council (WAYC)
DLM Capital Group has won many awards some of which are:
- Best Debt House 2011 – Nigerian Investment Banking Awards
- Best Investment Bank 2012 – African Governance & Corporate Leadership Awards
- Investment Firm CEO of the Year 2014 – Africa – The European Global Banking & Finance Awards, United Kingdom
- Finance & Investment Company of the Year 2014 – Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia (EMAA) International Business Award, Dubai
- Best Investment Bank Nigeria 2014 – Financial Awards by International Finance Magazine, London
- Best Male Entrepreneur, Investment Services Award – International Business Star Quality Award 2014
- Best Investment Banking Company, Nigeria 2014 – Global Banking & Finance Review Awards, London
- Best Corporate Finance Advisory Team, West Africa 2014 – Cfi.co Capital Finance International Awards, London
- Best Investment Bank 2014, Nigeria – World Finance Magazine, United Kingdom
- Africa’s Patriotic Personality of the Year Award 2014 – LEADS Africa
- Nominee, ESQR Quality Choice Prize 2016 – European Society for Quality Research, GermanyWinner of Sustainable Financial Advisory Solutions Provider Africa 2016 – Insight Global Award, United Kingdom
- Investment Banking Personality of The Year 2017 – (Nigerian Credit Industry Awards) The Institute of Credit Administration, Nigeria
- Winner of Capital Markets Value Chain 2017 – Insight Global Awards, United Kingdom
- Winner Best Securitisation House Nigeria 2018 – Global Banking & Finance Review
- Winner Most Innovative Deal 2018 – Global Banking & Finance Review
- Financial Adviser to the Finalist of Debt Capital Markets Development Catalyst Award 2018 – FMDQ Gold Awards
- Winner Best Asset Backed Commercial Paper Programme 2019 – International Investor
- Winner Best Securitisation House Nigeria 2019 – International Investor
- Winner, Best Structured Finance & Securitisation Team, West Africa 2019 – Cfi.co Capital Finance International Awards, UK
- Winner, Deal Advisor of the Year 2019 – BAFI
- Winner, Best Structured Finance & Securitization Team, West Africa 2020 – Cfi.co Capital Finance International Awards, UK
- Most Innovative Investment Bank of the Year 2020 – BAFI
Boardroom Management Positions
He has also held various boardroom management positions in the capacity of Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, Non-Executive Director and Director for several establishments which include:
- Chairman, Board of Trustees – Unique Education Limited
- Former Director – AIICO Insurance Plc
- Former Director – AIICO Capital Limited
- Consultant/ Adviser – Lagos State Government (Lagos HOMS Committee)
- Member CBN Vision 20:20 – Sub-committee on the Capital & Money Markets
- Member – SEC Capital Market Master Plan Committee (CAMMIC)
