Chinwe Esimai
Tribute
Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha may portray countless characters on Nigeria's Nollywood screens, but her favorite role remains the one no camera captures – knees bent over in prayer for her two children, her heart beating out love to soothe their paths. Between takes on bustling Nollywood sets, she steals moments to guide them aright, refusing to let either maternal guilt or career ambition win an unnecessary war. We celebrate how she shows the world that no role will ever be as challenging or rewarding as raising humans who know they are deeply loved.
Profile
Chinwe Esimai is a distinguished lawyer, corporate executive, author, and speaker. She currently serves as the President and CEO of Scepter3 Global Advisors, a strategic risk management advisory firm that provides compliance and risk management services to high-growth financial technology companies, banks, and governments. Prior to this role, Esimai was the Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer for Legacy Franchises at Citigroup, Inc., where she played a pivotal role in overseeing regulatory and compliance aspects of Citi’s global consumer banking business divestiture. Notably, she was also Citi’s first Chief Anti-Bribery & Corruption Officer, pioneering a crucial compliance initiative that spanned across 160 countries and impacted over 200,000 employees. Beyond her corporate achievements, Esimai is passionate about inspiring immigrant women leaders and has authored the book ‘Brilliance Beyond Borders,’ which highlights the genius and unique power of women immigrants making their mark in America. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in political science, summa cum laude, from The City College of New York and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. Esimai has been recognized with numerous accolades, including American Banker’s Most Powerful Women in Banking and Crain’s New York Business Notable Diverse Leaders in Banking & Finance. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and their three children—two boys and a girl.