Red Star Express gets new EDs, MDs for subsidiaries

Red Star Express Group has announced the appointment of new Executive Directors for the group and Divisional Managing Directors for its subsidiaries.

The subsidiaries are Red Star Logistics, Red Star Support Services, Red Star Freight and the Express arm.

Obabori Sola Obabori, Dep Group MD/CEO

The management of the group said that the appointment is in a bid to offer more comprehensive logistics solutions that will enhance clients’ optimal satisfaction and reposition the brand to consolidate its leading position in the industry, one of Nigeria’s foremost logistics companies.

Sola Obabori becomes the Group Deputy Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. An astute management professional with long and outstanding Sales and Marketing career, he traversed different spheres in the industry, making landmark contributions in areas of Customer Service and business development, Outsourcing, Logistics, Warehousing and Freight. He was previously the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Red Star Logistics Limited.

He is an alumnus of several advanced management and leadership programmes from world class institutions including The School of Business Leadership of the University of South Africa, McGill Executive Institute, Canada, Lagos Business School, Nigeria; Harvard Business School, USA; Haas Business School of the University of California, Berkeley, USA; The University of Westminster, United Kingdom and FedEx Purple Academy, Belgium where he excelled as the Purple Star Award Winner in 2006. He is an Associate member of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (Chartered) and a Fellow of the Institute of Business Development.

Victor Ukwat is the Executive Director, Sales and Marketing for the group. A resourceful professional with strong expertise in revenue expansion and cost reduction through building of a competitive corporate brand, he is passionate about excellent service delivery, building and motivating dynamic teams and creating revenue opportunities.

Victor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science (B.Sc) from the University of Calabar, M.Sc. from the University of Ibadan and an MBA in Business Administration from the Lagos Business School. He is an alumnus of Senior Entrepreneurship, Management and Leadership Programmes from some Global best institutions, including FedEx Purple Academy Brussel, IESE Business School (Spain), Harvard Business School (USA), Columbia Business School New York , University of Wisconsin (USA) and most recently, Schulich Business School, Toronto Canada.

Auwalu Babura is the Executive Director, Finance and Administration for the group. He holds a first Degree in Accounting (BSc) from Bayero University Kano and an MBA in Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos State University. He is also an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He Joined Red Star Express in 1994, and has served in various capacities as Head of Internal Control and Processes, Head of Treasury and Accounts, Group Accountant, Group Treasurer, Credit Controller among others. He has attended various training programs cutting across Controls, Planning, and Risks& Leadership amongst others both locally and abroad.

Charles Ejekam becomes the Divisional Managing Director of the Express arm of the group. He started his career in Red Star Express as a Commercial Executive in year 2000. He has handled various responsibilities in territorial management, key accounts management, marketing, brand and public relations and regional sales management both in Lagos and Abuja.

He holds a Masters degree in Public and International Relations from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science with a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has at various times attended trainings within and outside the country in the areas of leadership, sales and marketing and key account management.

Enoma Ojo is the Divisional Managing Director, Red Star Support Services, responsible for the management of the outsourcing arm of the group. Until recently, he was the Assistant General Manager, Corporate Services, overseeing the recruitment and staffing, learning and development and the management of the group’s fleet and facilities. He has 19 years working experience in the company and has risen through the ranks as a commercial executive, commercial coordinator, assistant commercial manager Port Harcourt, district manager Aba, acting assistant general manager East, and chief operating officer Red Star Support Services.

He is a graduate of Economics & Statistics. He also obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Benin. He has attended courses in Management and Leadership, Sales and Marketing, Customer Service, Finance, Manpower Development and Service Management.

Tonye Preghafi , until his appointment to head Red Star Freight Limited was the Head, Learning and Development for Red Star Express Group. He joined the organization in October 2004 and has served in various capacities in both Lagos and Port Harcourt. He started out in Corporate Sales and later on to Learning and Development. In between, he served as President Red Star Express Cooperative and Multipurpose Society. He holds a Bachelors Degree in History from the Lagos State University and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Business School, Netherlands (BSN). He has attended several management and leadership trainings within and outside Nigeria.

Red Star Logistics is headed by Ocholi Etu. Ocholi joined the Red Star group from MDS Logistics where he worked in various capacities, including as a Depot Manager in Calabar in 2007 and later in Kaduna. In 2008, He was transferred to Aba to manage MDS Logistics’ largest distribution center in the eastern region, a position he held for 4 years till 2012.

He was twice recognized as ‘The Manager of The Year’ in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, he was appointed MDS Regional Manager Lagos & West, managing operations spanning 9 states in south south, south west and north central geo political zones of Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelors Degree in Economics from Bayero University Kano and an MBA from University Of Wales, Cardiff in the UK. He is a member of Council of Supply Chain Professionals USA, Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK (CMLIT), an Expert in Supply Chain Management (ESCM) from Institute Of Supply Chain Management (IoSCM, UK), a Certified Practitioner in Procurement and Logistics (CPPL) from Institute of Professional Financial Managers, London (IPFM, UK).

Red Star Express Group is a premium logistics solution provider in Nigeria in area of revenue, network coverage and market share in the domestic and international market. It enjoys a domestic strength of over 240 offices in Nigeria, delivers to additional 1,800 communities, over 2,400 highly trained personnel with over 600 delivery vehicles in its fleet. It operates as the Nigerian licensee of FedEx, which is the world’s largest express transportation company.