Ghana International Bank CEO Dean Adansi sacked, Ian Greenstreet named replacement

Dean Adansi has been fired as CEO of UK-based Ghana International Bank after seven-and-a-half years. The board, controlled by the Bank of Ghana, named Ian Greenstreet as his replacement — but regulators may have questions about how the transition was handled.

Sacked without warning

Dean Adansi, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana International Bank (GhIB), has been removed from his post with immediate effect. The GhIB Board — which is controlled by the Government of Ghana through the Bank of Ghana — told him last Sunday that his services were no longer needed. An official announcement to staff followed on Monday.

Adansi was appointed CEO in 2019 and served for about seven-and-a-half years. His removal comes despite what he calls a remarkable turnaround at the London-based bank.

A turnaround CEO shown

the door

In a parting email to senior staff seen by Myjoyonline, Adansi highlighted the bank's recovery under his leadership. "We grew trade revenues by over 300% and maintained a clean loan book with a strong LCR and CAR. We reached our goal of $100 million in revenues in five years and we're looking forward to doubling the size of the business in another five years — while managing our modest capital closely."

He praised frontline staff "who have led us to the point of recovery" and said the board had approved a strategy focused on non-interest income, funding diversification and modernisation.

New CEO already named

Ian Owulakwao Greenstreet, an investment banker and international expert in financial risk management, has already been named as Adansi's replacement. Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Johnson Asiama, who chairs the GhIB Board, said in official communications that he was delighted "that Ian Greenstreet has agreed to become Chief Executive Officer of Ghana International Bank," subject to regulatory approval.

Regulatory questions

Questions have been raised within governance and regulatory circles about whether the transition aligns with procedural requirements under the UK's Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Senior Managers Regime. The rules require formal notifications and regulatory approvals for changes to senior management functions.

As at 4:30 am Thursday, June 11, 2026, the bank's website still listed Mr Adansi as the CEO of GhIB. That suggests formal filings hadn't been updated yet.

A troubled history

GhIB was established in 1959 as the London branch of Ghana Commercial Bank, two years after Ghana's independence. The Bank of Ghana holds more than 50% of shares, with the balance held by Ghanaian financial institutions, including GCB Bank, SSNIT, and ADB.

The bank was once on the brink of failure and placed on a regulatory watchlist by UK authorities in 2016. In recent years, it has undergone regulatory remediation processes, including a period of voluntary business restrictions and a Section 166 review initiated by UK regulators. That section empowers the FCA and PRA to require a regulated financial firm to appoint an independent third party to produce a report on specific aspects of its business.

Some industry observers say the latest leadership change could attract further scrutiny given the institution's recent regulatory history.

Greenstreet's appointment is subject to regulatory approval by the PRA and FCA. Until that approval comes through, the bank's leadership remains in a state of flux. Adansi, meanwhile, has been described by the board as having "assumed leave" — a framing that doesn't match the reality of his sudden departure.