Our pEOPLE
Our long years of experience at Gricunas gives us the poise to serve you.
Meet Our Team
GricunasHR has a strong leadership team with experience in banking, consulting, fast moving consumer goods, engineering, law, HR, recruitment etc
Dr. Nick Odife
Founder/CEO
Dr. Odife holds a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from Bradley University, Peoria Illinois USA, a master’s Degree in Financial Management from the University of Benin Benin City, Edo State Nigeria winning the Chief Isaac Akimokun Prize for the Best Graduating student in 1987 and a first Degree in Applied Mathematics from the same University.
He is skilled in Banking, Numerical Analysis, Corporate Turnarounds and Competency Management. He is also a Certified Recruitment Analyst CRA, a Certified Performance and Competence Professional CPCP and until recently a board member of the World Human Resource Board, WHRB. Over the years, Dr. Odife has displayed competency, character and capacity in handling very difficult assignments.
He is currently the Chairman, Senate in Africa, Bradley University, USA International Institutions Africa Programme.
His banking experience with Nigeria International Bank NIB/CitiBank and Zenith Bank Plc includes Transaction Services, Treasury and Foreign Exchange Operations, Branch Co-ordination, Cash Management and Funds Transfer Operations with NIB/CitiBank Kano Kano State, NIB/CitiBank Ikeja Lagos, NIB/CitiBank Marina Lagos, NIB/CitiBank Apapa Lagos, NIB/CitiBank Idimu Lagos, NIB/CitiBank Ososa Ogun State, NIB/CitiBank Egbeda Oyo State, Customer Service and Relationship Management with Zenith Bank Ikeja Lagos, Zenith Bank Broad Street Lagos, Zenith Bank Apapa Lagos and Zenith Bank Victoria Island Lagos.
After his career in banking, he went into private business as an entrepreneur and was involved with the indigenous courier and logistics origination with City Messengers Nigeria Limited and City Messengers (UK) Limited as a logistics value chain, Effex Bureau De Change Limited as a Central Bank of Nigeria CBN licensed weekly foreign exchange trading firm, Gricunas Consulting as a Human Capital Management HCM Group and Boardroom Partners and Services Limited as a board advisory firm for local and medium-sized companies in Nigeria. He was also involved with internally generated revenue services for states and local governments in Nigeria. As a Federal Government of Nigeria certified Train-The-Trainer Consultant for the establishment of Debt Management Departments (DMDs) for states and local governments Dr. Odife has garnered enough experience on advisory services for sovereign debt management for sub-nationals.
He got various training and development experience from the following institutions namely:- Middle Earth Consultants, Hyderabad India, Carlton Advanced Management Institute CAMI USA, APRC United Kingdom, Lagos Business School LBS Lagos, Centre for Management Development CMD, CMD Road, Ikosi Ketu Lagos, Ogun and Lagos States Government Boards of Internal Revenue Generation Services, Akintola Williams Deloitte & Co Lagos and Debt Management Office DMO, the Presidency Abuja.
Nick has a strong ability in identifying talents for top management positions and has over the years groomed and developed leaders in various sectors such as banking, courier and logistics value chain, trading , property and commercial activities, the recruitment industry, consulting and human capital development etc. Most of these individuals have grown to become chairmen, CEOs and directors of their own organizations. He is a team builder, a relationship expert and a good manager of men and resources.
Nick is a member Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and fellow Association of Professional Recruitment Consultants, APRC UK and Nigeria.
Dr. Odife founded the Institute of Professional Recruitment Consultants, IPRC Nigeria in 2009, a professional institute limited by guarantee, certified by the Corporate Affairs Commission CAC and the Federal Ministry of Education FME Abuja to train and certify recruiters and human resource managers in Nigeria and has certified over 2,000 Certified Recruitment Professional (CRPs) in Nigeria and Africa.
Olawale Ajani
Non-Exec. Director, HR
Olawale Ajani is a Non-Executive Director of GricunasHR. He is a Polymath and a duly Certified and Licensed Human Resource Professional, Certified Management Consultant, Certified Recruitment Professional CRP, Certified Trainer, Researcher, Seasoned Business Strategist, Career Coach, Mentor and Facilitator with over 20 Years progressive experience and Cross- functional Skill set and expertise. He is a Subject Matter Expert with CIPM, Nigeria.
He is an Alumnus of University of Ibadan, Oyo State where he bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology / Anthropology, graduated as Best Arts Option Student with (Second Class Upper Division)and subsequently a Masters Degree in Sociology with specialization in Demography and Bias in Human Resource Management,
Olawale is an alumnus of FATE Foundation, Lagos where he was AEP 60 Class Governor of Budding Entrepreneurs, He also facilitates and mentors at same FATE Foundation. amongst others , he also mentors for Tony Elumelu Foundation, LSETF – Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Africa Effectiveness, LEAP Africa etc. He is a Fellow of Institute of Management Consultants -IMC, also Fellow Association of Professional Recruitment Consultants – APRC UK, also Fellow Institute of Professional Recruitment Consultants Nigeria, He is a member of several Professional Institutes which includes, but not limited to Member NIM, CIPM, IMC, NITAD, AOPN, IAOP, AAHRL, ACGPN etc
He has consulted widely and trained in Nigeria and overseas; for diverse Industry Verticals and Sector of the Economy amongst whom are; Integrated Energy, Maritime, Oil and Gas, Aviation, Renewables, Reseach,Hospitality, FMCG,.Ecommerce, Mining, Construction Manufacturing, Academia, Power, Info Tech, QSR, Public Service, NGOs, Accelerators, Incubators and Start ups.
Dr. Helen O. Melifonwu
Executive Directoer, CORPORATE GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP
Dr. Helen Oreffo Melifonwu is a 1983 First Class Honours graduate from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and also has two Masters Degrees in Language and Communication Art from University of Ibadan (1986) and International Law and Diplomacy from University of Lagos in (1987) respectively with academic distinctions. She also holds a Ph.D in Public Policy and Marketing
Dr. Helen is a professional banker with cumulative experience spanning over 25 years. She worked with such banks as ICON Limited (Merchant Bankers) Lagos and was also a pioneer management staff of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTB) Victoria Island, Lagos. She was a Senior Manager of the change management team member recruited to strategically transform Crystal Bank of Africa and later promoted to Assistant General Manager in 1992.
Dr. Melifonwu further served as Group Head, Abuja Business District of Reliance Bank in 2004 and has extensive knowledge of Investment Banking, Foreign Currency Trading, Credit Analysis, Financial Appraisal, Report Writing, Project Co-ordinating and Monitoring as well as excellent marketing and negotiating skills.
Dr. Melifonwu has a habit of improving efficiency of operations and a strong ability to quickly grasp complex concepts, analyzing and interpreting such ideas into a logical strategy.
Dr. Helen has intensive experience in identifying and concluding deals with profitable returns.
She has also demonstrated strong ability to motivate staff to maximum productivity and control costs through the most effective use of manpower and available resources.
Helen furthermore has impeccable skills and versed in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.
Currently she is a financial consultant serving several reputable corporate and individual investors in the area of Telecom, Power, Railways, Steel, Real Estate and other Nigerian Public Sector Concessioning Projects.
In summary, Dr. Helen O. Melifonwu is focused, success driven, a strategic and analytical thinker, possesses good leadership qualities, interpersonal and people skills, highly personable and also possesses high level of integrity, self regulation, with excellent communication skills both verbal and in writing.
OBJECTIVES
To foster Relationships built on Character, Competence and Professionalism.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Technical and Conceptual Competences in improving efficiency of operations
Strategic and Tactical Marketing
Strong ability to grasp complex concepts
Business & Administrative Infrastructure
Cash Flow Optimization
Business Partnerships, Employee Relations and Client Management
Enterprise Risk Management
Team Mentoring, Building , Large Staff Management & Leadership
Proficiency in managing relationships and building networks
Barr. (Mrs.) Ndidi Odife
Dir., Corporate/Legal