The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has elected Richard Ayibiowu as its new President.

The national umbrella body of the business community entrusts the seasoned business executive with the responsibility of leading it during a period of significant economic and labour market reforms.

Ayibiowu succeeds Dr Ifeanyi Okoye and is expected to drive the association’s advocacy on labour relations, private-sector competitiveness, job creation, and enterprise development.

Before his appointment, Ayibiowu was a member of NECA‘s Governing Council and immediate past Chairman of the Committee of Finance Experts (COFE), where he played a key role in shaping the association’s financial and governance policies.

He is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pivot Engineering Company Limited. Also, he serves as Director of Operations at Pivot Energy Services, overseeing engineering solutions across oil and gas engineering services, maintenance, procurement, construction, power transmission and substation projects, and port concession operations.

A graduate of Surveying Engineering, Ayibiowu later qualified as a Chartered Accountant and is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

He began his career with Map Data Engineering Services Limited before joining Price Waterhouse Coopers and Arthur Andersen, now KPMG West Africa, where he gained extensive experience in finance, auditing and business advisory services.

He subsequently joined Honeywell Group as Head of Corporate Planning and Development, where he led business development, corporate finance, strategic planning, budgeting and budgetary control, financial statement review and consolidation, and the management of special purpose vehicles.

In 2004, he joined Pivot Engineering Company Limited as Finance Director and member of the board before rising to the position of Managing Director.
Following the consolidation of the group’s energy businesses, he also assumed the role of Director of Operations at Pivot Energy Services.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Ayibiowu currently serves as Chairman of NECA’s Global Certification Limited (NGCL) and is a director of THRIVE Microfinance Bank Limited. He also sits on the boards of several companies, non-governmental organisations and cooperative societies.