By: Aruna Dumbuya
The Banking & Finance Department of the Institute of Public Administration & Management (IPAM) has today 27th June, 2024 hosted the MD & CEO of Rokel Commercial Bank Dr. Ekundayo Walton Gilpin for Public Lectures. About 550 Banking Students at (IPAM) benefited from the critical subject matter of Customer Relationship Management and its Impact on The Banking Industry in Sierra Leone.
Implementing the policies of key National Documents like; The National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI-2022 to 2026) and meeting the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility in the education sector, Dr. Gilpin’s lectures seek to help students studying Banking and Finance gain practical knowledge of various aspects marketing, branding and customer relationship. 
During the lecture, the Managing Director emphasized the importance of customer data management which he considered to be an effective customer relations strategy to target customers in various demographics for maximum impact. In this regard, he sought the importance of a robust IT software that will be of existential relevance to manage and coordinate effective customer relationship activities in a Banking and or related financial institution.
Additionally, the cerebral MD postulates the importance of an institution’s location, visibility efforts, service output and positive attitudes from staff would have a tremendous impact on the perception and public views that will be used to culminate the good reason to be seen as a corporate citizen. As the lecture transformed into a more lively and interactive session, the Banking and Finance Students at IPAM were exposed to the world of Banking as well as how the inspirational and visionary leadership of any institution would make the difference. 
A larger number of the students present were also eager to know the phenomenal journey of Rokel Commercial Bank and how the bank was transformed to be in the positive glimpse of the public for its fastest growing pace in the industry and the Sub-region.
Dr. Gilpin also delves into the concepts of Organizational Capacity, Objectives, outcomes and Expected deliverables that are central in Customer Relationship Management. He also considered Leadership Traits, Organizational ambience and Visibility with innovative drive to be vital for modern day banking.
Before concluding the lecture, Dr. Gilpin opened the floor for questions and comments. Several questions were asked, and general comments and concerns were satisfactorily addressed; as students were awestruck and rapt from the responses they got from Dr. Gilpin.
RCBank – The Bank of Choice!!!
