Mr. Chimezie Victor Ihekweazu SAN, has officially mounted the saddle as president of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) following a formal handover on December 14, 2023.
Immediate-past president, Richard Ayodele Akintunde, SAN, made this known in a social media post, while outlining key milestones during his two-year tenure.
He said: “On 14 December 2023, the leadership of BRIPAN changed when my tenure came to an end, and I passed the baton to my good friend and brother silk, Victor Iheaweazu, SAN FBR.
“During my tenure, membership increased from 413 to 1330, our revenues increased by almost a 100%, membership experience was optimised, the BRIPAN brand became very visible as the leading trainer of Insolvency Practitioners in Nigeria and we improved awareness of insolvency resolution options available.”
He further noted that on the aforementioned date, he had the privilege of presiding over the 22nd AGM of BRIPAN for the last time as President. “At the AGM, new council members were elected, 72 new Associate Members were inducted and 13 persons were conferred with a Fellowship.”
The Richard Ayodele Akintunde-led executive committee was sworn in in December, 2021.
Until his elevation to the office of president, Ihekweazu was the deputy president of the association.
Ihekweazu is an alumnus of the University of Calabar, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigerian Law School and University of Lagos, where he obtained his BA, LLB, BL and LLM respectively. He was appointed a Notary Public in 2001 and served in the Capital Market Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mr Ihekweazu is a member of the American Society of International Law, Capital Market Solicitors Association of Nigeria, Construction and Infrastructure Chamber of Nigeria (CICN) and Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN).
He has represented clients in a number of Insolvency matters, within and outside Nigeria and remains an active member of International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL International) and presently serves as a member of the Federal Ministry of Industries Trade and Investment Committee on Reform of Investment Laws and Policies.
The BRIPAN brand became very visible as the leading trainer of Insolvency Practitioners in Nigeria
Mr Ihekweazu has served as Executive Co-ordinator the NBA Human Rights Centre, Member NBA Lagos Branch Bye Laws Review Committee, Member Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Committee (National), Co-Chair NBA Lagos Branch Dinner Committee, Member NBA Lagos Law Week Planning Committee and Member NBA National Anti-Corruption Commission in the past and has attended all NBA National Conferences in the last 14 years and remains an active member of the NBA.
He has attended several UNCITRAL Working Sessions at the United Nations Headquarters in Vienna and New York as well as consulted for the World Bank.
BRIPAN is a nonprofit association committed to building the profile and performance of its members in the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practice field. It promotes the best practices for professionals working with financially troubled individuals and businesses. It is made up essentially of members of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) who have a bias for the practice of Insolvency and Business Recovery with the desire to raise the level of practice to one of parity with best global practice.
