How Farihan Alhassan became Ghana’s youngest regional bank manager

As a young boy growing up in the streets of Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana, he was fated to become many things; his parents wanted him to be a medical doctor, the society saw in him a great footballer, but Farihan had a secret ambition - to break his father’s record of having 26 children!

Now a 38-year-old banker, Farihan Alhassan, Head of Business Banking at Stanbic Bank has traded his ambition with his broader plans as he throws in the towel with three children. Farihan describes his childhood in Tamale as something straight out of “Leave it to Beaver,” complete with days of playing football on dusty football pitches, roaming the streets with friends and hurrying home for dinner with his 25 siblings.

Back then, it seemed he was destined to follow in his mother’s footsteps into practicing medicine. But that changed when Farihan entered Secondary School where he felt too truculent to be a medical doctor. Questions about whether one is on the ‘right’ career path can strike fear into even the most confident person's heart but Farihan tells us he accidentally found himself in the banking sector, made history and poised to break even more barriers.

Career

After his first degree, he intended going for his masters/PHD in the USA, UK or Canada, come back and launch a career in any other field other than banking. His father however insisted he did his national service before traveling, and that was where he found his calling. He was posted to the SME unit of CAL bank for his national service in 2005.

His exceptional efforts during his service days according to him, were never intended to make himself the star, but for the sole purpose of furthering the course of his team and doing whatever he was asked to do to perfection.

His hard work was recognised and in the space of two years, Barclays Bank Plc poached him at the age of 26 years, where he was made the regional manager in charge of the Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.

After successfully establishing the Barclays brand in the three northern regions, Farihan was moved back to Accra as the regional manager for Accra South. Farihan joined Stanbic Bank Ghana as Head of Channels in January 2014 and currently heads the Business Banking Unit.

Role models/Mentors

Farihan takes inspiration from many colleague bankers such as Nana Dwemoh Benneh, Head of Personal and Business Banking at Stanbic Bank, who according to him, has moulded, groomed and imbibed in him strong, ethical and spiritual values. Other people who have influenced Farihan’s career and life include Henry Baye, Head of Retail at Standard Chartered Bank, Frank Adu, MD, CAL Bank, Mr. Charles Addo, and Alhassan Andani, the Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank.

Most fulfilling accomplishment?

Farihan speaks fondly of two accomplishments he is most proud of in his banking career. First is the revivification of the business in Barclays bank in the three Northern Regions between 2008 and 2010, which he looks back on with a lot of pride. The second accomplishment is the institutionalisation of the sales culture in the Personal and Business Banking business at Stanbic Bank. Farihan describes these two achievements as his personal pride.

Regrets

Farihan is not one to focus on failure. “In the moment, a slip-up makes you feel a great deal of regret, but you get over it quickly as it melts away with a typical “live and learn” mentality. After all, nobody’s perfect, right? I for one do not feel too bothered about my failed actions and inactions because I do my best to rectify such mistakes. I have internalised the preceptive maxim that mistakes can be fixed, or at least apologized for”.

Education

Farihan is an old student of Presby Experimental Primary and JHS, Tamale (Senior prefect), Tamale Secondary School (House Prefect, Tamakloe House) and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (NUGS President), where he obtained his first degree. He holds MBA in Finance from GIMPA and MA in Economic Policy Management from University of Ghana, Legon.

Family

Farihan was born into a family with deep religious roots. His father, Alhaji Alhassan Dandawa is a renowned Arabic cleric in Tamale and Hajia Hawabu, his mother, is a retired medical practitioner. He is married to Mariam Mahama and has three children namely, Baraka, Saha and Nasara.

Hobbies

Farihan loves to watch Manchester United play and used to be a very good footballer growing up. He captained the Northern regional under 12 team in 1993-4 when he played for the super eagles in Tamale. Aside football, Farihan also enjoys reading the Quran. That is how he spends his quiet moments. He loves to read, sit down and reflect over it. He believes no one can do anything without Allah’s blessings and considers Allah the secret behind all his achievements, that’s why he will worship him forever.