Sonnie Ayere is the Group CEO of DLM Capital Group, a full-service investment bank with a focus on creating long-term financing solutions to key sectors across the Nigerian economy. He has over 27 years of professional experience in banking. He has worked at HSBC Bank, NatWest Bank, The Sumitomo Mitsui Bank, and BMO-Nesbitt Burns. He also worked at the International Finance Corporation (IFC, a subsidiary of the World Bank), and while there, spearheaded IFC’s role in the development of the Nigerian bond market. At the IFC, Mr. Ayere also held the role of structured finance specialist for sub-Saharan Africa. He developed structured finance and securitisation transactions in addition to creating instruments that support value in the debt capital markets. He was also the pioneer managing director and CEO of UBA Global Markets, now United Capital PLC, between 2005 and 2009. He is an alumnus of CASS Business school and London Business School.