Dr. Rislanudeen Muhammad is an indigene of Kano State Nigeria, born on 29th October 1964 in Kano City to a family that originated from present day Jigawa State. He holds a PhD in Economics from Bayero University Kano (where he graduated with Distinction, both in his course work and thesis on Credit Risk, Intellectual Capital and Financial Performance of listed Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria). He also holds an M.Sc. Economics degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and B.Sc. Economics (Second Class Upper) from Bayero University, Kano. He presently serves as Adjunct lecturer (pro bono) on Risk Management in Financial Institutions as well as Regulation and Supervision of Financial Institutions in the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, Bayero University, Kano. Dr. Rislanudeen had an extensive exposure in Investment, Commercial, Retail and Development Banking as well as public service where he garnered over three and half decades of active service. He was until recently, the pioneer Chief Economist and Head, Strategy and Research Division of Bank of Industry, Lagos. During the period, he was the major anchor in pioneering the Bank’s three years (2025-2027) Corporate Strategy Plan, that has clear focus on achieving the twin objectives of financial sustainability and development impact. He was the pioneer Editor-in Chief, Bank of Industry Journal of Development Finance and Journal of Development Review. He has also served as Special Adviser to the MD/CEO of Bank of Industry. Between 2021 to 2025, he served as a council member of Nigerian Economic Society. Dr. Rislanudeen had earlier worked in UnityBank Plc, where he served at various times as Executive Director in charge of different Directorates including Enterprise Risk Management (Chief Risk Officer) and subsequently Acting MD/CEO. He was also Acting MD/CEO of Tropical Commercial Bank and held management roles in Centre Point Merchant Bank Limited Lagos and Kano State Budget & Economic Planning Directorate. Dr. Rislanudeen had over the years, sharpened his skills and competences by attending courses both locally and internationally. He attended extensive courses at Harvard Business School Boston, London Business School, IESE Business School, Barcelona and INSEAD Business School, Fontainebleau, among others. He is an alumnus of four prestigious Business Schools – Lagos, Harvard, London Business Schools as well as Galilee International Management Institute, Tel Aviv. Dr. Rislanudeen served in numerous professional capacities, some of which are member, Technical Committee on merger of Nine Banks to form Unity Bank Plc as well as listing on the floor of Nigeria Stock Exchange; Technical committee on merger of Kapital Insurance limited, Intercontinental Assurance Limited, Global commerce and General Assurance limited to form UnityKapital Assurance plc (now Veritas Assurance Plc). He also served on the Boards of UnityBank Plc, Unity Capital and Trust Limited, Caranda Management Services Limited, UnityKapital Assurance Plc, Kakawa Discount House Limited, Unity Bank Bureau de Change Limited, Tropical Commercial Bank Plc, Northbridge Microfinance Bank Limited, Global Entrepreneurship Network Nigeria Advisory Board, Commonwealth Women in Business Advisory Board, Dornick Consulting Limited, Trispeed Consulting Limited, Algorism Limited and Kano State Scholarship Board. Dr. Rislanudeen is a Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Fiscal Studies; Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals; Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria; Nigerian Institute of Corporate Administration; Institute of Service Excellence and Good Governance; Nigerian Institute of Management Consultants; Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria; Nigerian Institute of Training and Development and Institute of Business Administration and Knowledge Management. Dr. Rislanudeen is also an Honorary Senior Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and member, Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria; Capital market Academics of Nigeria; Nigerian Institute of Management; Daily Trust Newspapers Board of Economists; and Advisory/Academic Board, Prof. Ngozi Egbuna International Centre for Regional Integration and Trade Research, Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. He has written extensively in published journals as well as electronic and social media on matters relating to Nigerian Economy and has presented papers at various National/International conferences. He is a recipient of several awards, most notably: 1. Special Award of Recognition by Kano State Government of Nigeria for “Remarkable Achievements and Contributions to Economic Growth of our Nation and Development of our Banking Sector”, February 2025. 2. 2025 Presidential Special Public Economics Award by the Governing Council of Nigerian Economic Society, September 2025.