Governance expert and corporate executive, Funmi Ekundayo, has emerged as the new President of the Corporate Secretaries International Association, the global body representing governance professionals and corporate secretaries across more than four continents.

The announcement, made over the weekend on the Association’s official website, marks a major milestone for Nigeria’s governance community and reinforces Ekundayo’s standing as one of the country’s leading voices in corporate governance, law and financial services.

Ekundayo currently serves as Group Managing Director of STL Capital Group, where she has led strategic transformation efforts that have strengthened the firm’s position in Nigeria’s trust and fiduciary services sector.

According to her profile on the CSIA website, Ekundayo is an alumna of Harvard Business School and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Law from the University of Lagos.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, and a member of its Governing Council.

She recently completed her tenure as President and Chairman of the Governing Council of ICSAN (2023–2025), becoming the first female to hold the position in the institute’s 57-year history.

Her leadership period was noted for institutional reforms, capacity building and increased visibility for the profession.

With over 29 years of professional experience, Ekundayo began her career at Bentley, Edu & Co (in association with Irving & Bonnar), where she spent nearly a decade in legal practice before transitioning to the financial services and capital markets sector.

She later held senior positions at Sterling Asset Management & Trustees and United Capital Trustees before joining STL Trustees, where she rose to become Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and subsequently Group Managing Director of STL Capital Group.

Ekundayo is a past President of the Association of Corporate Trustees of Nigeria and previously served as Honorary Treasurer and Vice President of CSIA before assuming its presidency.

She is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the Institute of Capital Market Registrars, the Chartered Institute of Directors, the Institute of Investment Advisers and Portfolio Managers, and the Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals.

She is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.

In a statement on Monday, STL Capital Group said, “We are pleased to share the exciting news that this afternoon, our MD/CEO was officially announced as the new President of the CSIA. Congratulations are in order as we celebrate this remarkable achievement.”

Ekundayo said she looks forward to working with member institutes globally to strengthen corporate governance standards, expand professional capacity-building programmes and further position CSIA as a leading global voice for governance professionals.