Accelerate Podcast

Retrenchment during COVID was a reality for many professionals. Rita reveals how she explored new entrepreneurial opportunities after being let go of a job, with over 20 years of experience in employment. By drawing on her innate skills, life experiences, and determination to keep going, she was able to explore a range of business opportunities, driving forward her success. Listen to this episode and learn more about her drive, intercultural businesses, and how to identify growth opportunities.     Rita has over 20 years of experience in Strategy, Partnerships, Programme, Innovation and Business Management fueling growth, competitive advantage & transformative change in the Technology and Energy sectors. She is a Board Member at the Event Managers Association of Kenya and a Co-Founder of Go Gaga Experiential Company Limited a leading Conferencing Events Company in East Africa. She is also a co-founder of Zuri Foundation which aims to champion women change-makers through Zuri Awards, Trade Linkages, Training and Mentorship, Fund Raising and Women Launch-Pad. She is extremely passionate about technology, youth and women empowerment on all fronts – economically, intellectually and even socially.  

Bukola Smith, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FSDH Merchant Bank, holds an MBA from Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, U. K, and a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Lagos. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, and an Associate Member, Certified Institute of Pensions (Nigeria). She was Executive Director, Business Development at First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and held several other leadership positions since she joined FCMB in 2006. She was responsible for the banks over 200 branches across Nigeria and under her leadership, the bank's SME-focused team moved from 5th position in the industry to 1st position in 2019 within three years. She established the FCMB Women in Business Desk (branded SheVentures) which supports female entrepreneurs and set up FCMB Trustees and FCMB Custody.  She currently sits on the boards of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR), and the Toyin Oni Foundation (NGO for cancer awareness). She serves as a mentor to several young women within and outside these networks and also mentors teenagers in Public Schools. In this

In this podcast, I share some questions that will help you reflect in detail on your 2021. The reason I ask myself these very questions is to determine what direction I should follow in 2022. I want to grow and improve in every area of my life, as well as remain aligned to my overall 25-year plan. Here is a glimpse of the questions you can ask yourself: What did I do that I shouldn't have? What did I spend a lot of time on? Where did I let things happen to me? How can I take a good experience and make it better? Listen to this week's episode of the Accelerate Podcast and get some tips that will help you look back, and plan for a successful 2022 as well.

Nataliey Bitature is the Chief of Staff at The Simba Group, and the founder of Musana Carts, a social enterprise building solar-powered street food vending carts and HER an online mentorship platform with over 3000 young African women.   She has been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30, The World Bank, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and World Economic Forum as a business leader and innovator.   Passionate about learning, Nataliey has multiple executive education certifications from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master's in Social Entrepreneurship with a specialization in Project Management from Hult University in San Francisco and received her undergraduate degree and Honorary Doctorate in Business and Innovation from Keele University, UK.   Nataliey recently joined the Women's Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Global Impact for Businesswomen, Entrepreneurs and professionals as a council member (WICCI). She has been appointed as a board of directors of both Uganda Property Holdings Ltd (UPHL) and the Makerere Innovation and Incubation Centre. She is also a board member for the Quiin Abenakyo Foundation, Start-Up Hub, Capital Solutions Social Innovation Fund, Save the Children Africa Advisory Board and their Women's Network.   In this

When passion meets opportunity, a side hustle becomes a business empire. In this episode of Accelerate Podcast, Yoadan Tilahun discusses the foundation on which she built a successful business, as well as the key attributes that led to her company's tremendous growth in Ethiopia and throughout Africa. Yoadan founded Flawless Events while working full time in the Washington, DC area. She re-located the company to Ethiopia in 2008 in recognition of the opportunities on the African continent.  Flawless Events organizes summits, corporate events and conferences throughout the African continent. The most rewarding part of her work is the satisfaction of seeing her clients' vision for their event come to life. She is an enthusiastic advocate for professionalizing the MICE industry in East Africa.  In 2015, Flawless won the “Event Planner Africa” award at Meetings Magazine's Women in MICE celebration. Yoadan serves as the president of the newly-established Ethiopian Events & Exhibition Organizers Association. The UNDP awarded her “Seasoned Entrepreneur of the Year 2018” award and MeetingsNet had Yoadan a 2017 Changemaker for her trailblazing role in Ethiopia's events industry.  She has also been featured on Forbes Afrique and on How We Made It in Africa. She holds an MBA in International Business and is fluent in Amharic, English and French.  Along with her husband, they are raising their three growing boys!  

My initial exposure to 10X thinking was through Google. Google engineers are guided by seeking ways to improve something 10 times, rather than by 10%. They begin their thinking process with a blank sheet of paper and ask themselves questions that are out of this world. Naturally, we think about how to double and consider our existing systems and processes. This is the easiest way we think, as our brains are wired to think this way. However, this leads to working harder and putting more effort into what we do. Instead, we need to start thinking exponentially. 10X is about a total rewrite of your existing rules. The results that you can get will be higher, with less effort. In this podcast, you will discover why it is crucial to adopt 10x thinking, starting right now.

Nora Bannerman is an accomplished and internationally acclaimed fashion designer and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience promoting indigenous businesses and successfully managing a number of companies. Nora served on the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) National Implementation Committee to get Ghana the AGOA VISA that enables the export of over 6,000 Ghanaian products duty and quota free access to the USA market. She is credited with promoting Made-In-Ghana Textiles and Clothing in Europe and the US since the 1980s. Her company, Sleek Garments Export Ltd recently received the Made-In-Ghana Awards for the ‘Outstanding Textile and Garment Company of the Decade' and has been manufacturing PPE for the Ghana Government to support the fight against COVID-19. In 2019, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group named her as one of the Top 20 Global Female Business Leaders. Nora received the Woman of Excellence Award in March 2020 for her ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Social and Economic Development of Ghana'. She has been inducted into the Corporate Ghana Hall of Fame, 2021.

Yemi Keri is the CEO of Heckerbella Limited, a Technology Business Transformation company, and a Partner at Holmen Consulting, an IT Business Consulting firm. With over 22 years of experience in the Information and Communications Technology sector at top management levels in both the public and private sectors, she was the Director and Regional Manager, West Africa for SAP Africa and the pioneer Managing Director/CEO of the Edo State Government ICT Agency. Yemi serves as a mentor to various digital and technology-enabled start-ups, a Director of the Lagos Angel Network and Co-founder of Rising Tide Africa, a women's movement initiated to increase women's participation in angel investing, education and cross border investments. In this

Catherine Engmann is the Partner and Head of Sirdar Ghana with over two decades of experience in corporate governance and company secretarial practice. She was the Managing Director and Founder of Platinum Corporate Solutions, an organization that focuses on supporting entities with the implementation of best practice corporate governance frameworks, cultural transformation, leadership development, organizational development and personal growth. Catherine has a degree in Biotechnology, is a graduate of the ICSA (UK) and has several certifications in the human potential arena, including cultural transformational tools, leadership development, coaching and self-esteem. She is also a certified John Maxwell Coach, an Executive Director of the John Maxwell Team, a certified Jack Canfield Success Trainer.   In this

Peju is a seasoned C Level Executive who has led significant P&L's ($500m in 2015) and is an experienced Non- Executive Director, Board Advisor and Chair. She has led in different ownership and governance structures including Publicly listed, Private Equity, Individual and Family-Owned businesses and has extensive international experience in Africa, Europe, the US and the UK.  She has worked across multiple sectors including Manufacturing and Distribution (Cement, Mattresses, Food), Energy (Renewables), Agriculture, Financial Services and Consulting. Peju won the 2015 CNBC Africa Business Woman of the Year award and the 2013 Harvard Business School Nigeria Leadership award. She holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, MBA from Harvard Business School and an AMP and AVIRA from INSEAD. She supported the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning in the development of the 2017 – 2019 National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan in Nigeria. In this

Oke Maduewesi is the Founder and CEO of Zaron group of companies and a mother of two girls, Zara and Ona, from which she had coined the name of her beauty line ‘Zaron'. She holds a degree in Economics from Edo State University, Ekpoma and a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. In 2009, a pregnant Oke lost her husband in a tragic plane crash and was left with a two-year-old child to take care of as well. However challenging, she fought her way through a very dark moment to do more accomplishing things with her life. She quit her job as the Senior Manager at Zenith Bank Plc. to pursue her passion, creating a range of make-up that would suit women of colour. In 2011, she created Zaron, an enterprise that now manufactures and distributes cosmetics and hair products which has been tailored to the specific needs of African women. Zaron keeps empowering Nigerian widows as a way of giving back to society. In this

Olatowun Candide-Johnson is an entrepreneur and a lawyer with 30 years of experience in corporate and commercial law and business development and governance of multinational corporations. During her career, she worked in Law Practice, Shipping, Oil and Gas. Before taking early retirement from Total Group, she held the combined role of General Counsel, Executive General Manager, Management Services Division and Chief Compliance Officer for the Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria. In 2016, Olatowun obtained a Global Executive MBA awarded by LSE, NYU Stern and HEC (Paris), known as the TRIUM Global Executive MBA. She is passionate about creating networking opportunities for leading women in business. This led to her establishing GAIA Africa Club in 2018. She is also the Founding parent of Lagos Preparatory School, Ikoyi, one of Africa's leading British curriculum preparatory schools in Lagos. She serves on several boards as Chairman and Board Member. She is also an Angel investor and a member of Rising Tide Africa – a network of female business angels investing in entrepreneurs across the African continent. She loves all forms of art; culture, food & wine, pilates, books, and interesting places. In this

Audrey Mwala, the Acting CEO of the Public-Private Partnerships Commission of Malawi, is a Certified Public Private Partnership Specialist (IP3) USA, a Certified Project Finance Specialist (IP3) USA, a Fellow Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) UK, holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. She has extensive experience in Project Finance, Project Management, Project Risk Analysis, PPP contract negotiations, Privatization and PPP structuring through her 24-year career. She is also the Founder of Sycamore Credit Limited, a successful microfinance company and Sycamore Consult- a training and consulting company. She serves as a Non- Executive Director in a number of corporate boards in Tourism, Financial, Education, Agriculture and Social Sectors. She is extremely passionate about carrying out charitable work and she founded and runs The Safe Home, a charity set up to help street children. In this

NanaAma is the founder of N. Dowuona & Company. She is ranked as a leading lawyer in Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, and the International Financial Law Review. She has advised on numerous significant investments and divestments in Ghana and in other parts of Africa including the USD 200 million sale of Fan Milk International, the acquisition, development and divestment of the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel and Leapfrog Strategic African Investment's USD 180 million investment in the Enterprise Insurance Group. NanaAma is a graduate of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School Undergraduate Program, New York University's Stern School of Business and Columbia University School of Law.  In this episode, NanaAma talks about living the life you want, the challenges of having kids while pursuing a degree in law and became a sought after lawyer, being a woman founder and finding her passion in coaching.

In this episode, Nneka shares her insights while connecting and working with high-performing women and the straightforward tool for accountability she used to track performance, progress, and goals. Also, you'll learn about her new book "Finding Your True North: Your Guide Book for Revolutionized Thinking." 

Enife Atobiloye is the Managing Partner of Human Leadership Resources, a leading Human Resources Solution Provider, and the Regional Head of the TRANSEARCH MEA, a top executive search, and leadership development organization.  She has over 25 years of international experience in executive search and Human Resources consulting. Enife has gained comprehensive proficiency and exposure in several executive roles, such as being Managing Consultant of Kimberly Ryan, a leading indigenous HR Consulting firm in Africa with offices in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, where she progressively built a well-knit team and brand to international standards. Enife holds a Masters's degree in Organisational Performance (Cranfield University, UK). She is certified for occupational testing, levels A&B (British Psychological Society), and a certified Global Practitioner in Human Resources (GPHR). She is a consultant with the STANFORD seed program. With strong leadership skills and competencies in Human Resources and Organizational Development. Proven track record in building start-ups and leading existing teams to deliver business value HR solutions in the most appropriate, efficient, and effective ways. Strong understanding of connecting the people business with the business strategy as an essential line of sight.  She is also a mentor to various youth, young HR professionals, HR Immersion Programs. Furthermore, she is also a Bible teacher on multiple platforms. In this episode,  Enife talks about the context that defines intelligence, relativity to context, and experiences regarding the test of integrity. Checking integrity of what you're saying and who you are, and discipline minimums. You might also be interested in having Enife as a coach, starting with the strategy and tips to excellence for those aspiring for a promotion or to be a CEO.

Violet Okpere has 28 years of professional and leadership experience, with a strong track record of safety, retail delivery, and transformational change in contracting and procurement. Violet started her professional career with a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering alongside MCIPS from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply. Expertise in all facets of supply chain management from Asset operations, Logistic Operations, Wells operations, and Major Projects. Diverse work experience in multiple countries, 24 years in Shell (UK, Brunei, Netherlands, and Nigeria) and four years for Sasol Petroleum International (South Africa, Mozambique, Canada, Gabon, Papua New Guinea).   Violet is currently working at Shell International Limited as the General Manager, CP Projects (Europe, Middle East, Africa); Violet leads the contracting and procurement management of major capital projects across the region and for all lines of business (Deepwater, Conventional oil & gas, Downstream, Integrated Gas and Renewable energy solutions).   Furthermore, she received the following awards: Fellow of the World Commercial and Contracting and The World Commerce & Contracting Fellow status, the highest accolade offered to its members.   In this episode, Violet  talks about professional excellence, fame, recognition awards, resilience and adding value to your work, having God in your life, and the self-awareness that you can succeed even when experiencing failures. She also shares how she became the top executive of SHELL International and leveraged the experts' skill sets.

Tinuade Awe is the Chief Executive Officer of NGX Regulation, which is a subsidiary of The Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. She is: a Trustee of The Nigerian Exchange Limited's Investors' Protection Fund; member of the Board of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC); and a Non-Executive Director of the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS). She has an LL.B Degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife as well as LL.M Degrees from Harvard Law School and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is admitted to both the Nigerian and New York Bars. She is an Associate Member of Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) and Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR). She is a Life Member of Institute of Directors. She was a member of the Senate's Technical Advisory Committee on the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) Amendment Bill 2020. Not only that, but she is the recipient of The African Legal Awards 2018, General Counsel of the Year; Law Digest Africa Awards, General Counsel of the Year 2018, and Esq. Nigeria Legal Awards, General Counsel of the Year 2017. She was recently selected as one of the World Federation of Exchange's Women Leaders for 2021. Her interests include education, travelling, African art, gender and development.

WAMBUI MBESA is the CEO of INTRASOFT International East Africa, a Subsidiary of INTRASOFT International, an IT solutions and services company headquartered in Luxembourg. She oversees operations in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Zambia. She is passionate about giving back and giving forward. Furthermore, she is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of leaders in general and in the IT space in particular.  An entrepreneur at heart, Wambui has co-founded and run a technology company that was recognized by Microsoft 5 times over the years for excellence and business growth within West, East and Central Africa and East & Southern Africa being named twice into the Microsoft President's Club which recognizes the top 5 percent of high performing partners world-wide as reflected in their business success and growth.  Wambui is passionate about giving back and giving forward. She volunteers as a mentor to the next generation of leaders in the IT space and is involved in mentoring with the Presidential Digital Talent Programme (Kenya); Logos Christian Scholarship Fund as well as The Mastercard Foundation's Global Give Back Circle Furthermore, she is a member of the Kenya Women on Boards Network, Women in Technology (WiTA) Kenya Chapter, Kenya Institute of Directors among others. In this episode, Wambui talks about how she became an entrepreneur and founder and tips on being successful regardless of your background, how to network and create connections within your community and why creative imagination is more important than knowledge.

In this episode, Nneka shares her takeaways from guests - Audrey Joe-Ezigbo & Ndidi Nwuneli. While listening, you are encouraged to ponder on the following provocative questions. What are you doing about the book you have always wanted to write?  What are you angry about in your country?  And how can you expand and widen your networks to be and do more?

Ndidi is the Managing Partner of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd., which works across West Africa, shaping agricultural policy, creating catalytic ventures, and implementing ecosystem solutions. She is also the co-founder of AACE Foods, which sources from over 10,000 farmers and produces a range of packaged food products for local and international markets. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, which inspires, empowers, and equips a new cadre of moral, disciplined, and dynamic young leaders in Africa. Ndidi is the author of "Social Innovation in Africa: A Practical Guide for Scaling Impact," published by Routledge. She is a TED Global speaker, and her work was featured on CNN, BBC, and a range of international and local media outlets. In this episode, Ndidi talks about how to tap into the $1 trillion opportunities (UN Estimates) in the African Agri-Business sector. She will dig deeper into farming, providing ecosystem solutions, and starting seed companies across West Africa. She also talks about agricultural financing in Nigeria, a private equity fund, and steps to scale your business.

Audrey Joe-Ezigbo is a Serial Entrepreneur, Speaker, Facilitator, Mentor, Writer, Published Author, and Blogger. She has over 26 years of entrepreneurial experience, with core competencies in business strategy, finance and investment management, commercial system, business development, and resource management. In this episode, Audrey talks about the key learnings from the challenges she experienced, What does half-time mean, how to avoid complacency in success, believing in yourself, finding an accountability partner, and identifying your business areas that need improvement or changes.

Nneka Nwobi is an Author, Business Strategist, and Leadership Coach with over 25 years of combined experience in general, financial and sales management, strategic planning and thinking information, and communication technology strategy. She is passionate about helping high-achieving entrepreneurs build profitable and scalable businesses while enjoying financial and time freedom to enable them to live meaningful lives. She is a Nigerian Chartered Accountant (ACA), USA Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and a UK Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) with an MBA and international working experience across 12 countries, including several Fortune 500 including SAP and Microsoft. Nneka serves on several boards as Director in Energy Smart Services, American Tower, and is the  Chairman of the Board at Terragon Group. In this episode, Nneka Nwobi shares how she started the Accelerate Podcast to help and inspire women to take bolder actions as they hear about the stories and experiences of outstanding business leaders she will be interviewing. She will also be sharing learnings on leadership, personal productivity, and entrepreneurship. She believes that if women work together, they can increase the number and quality of Female Business Founders and CEOs across Africa. This podcast is also an initiative of the Accelerate Mastermind Group for High-Performing Female Founders and CEOs, which she facilitates.  

Are you a High Performing Pan-Africa Female Founder or CEO? Or you are aspiring to be one? Then Accelerate Podcast is for you. This podcast is also for you, if you have a heart for empowering African Female Leaders. My name is Nneka Nwobi. I am an Author, Business and Leadership Coach and an Entrepreneur. I have decades of invaluable global experience and cherished African roots. In this podcast, I will be having stimulating conversations with various High Performing Pan-African Female Founders and CEOs. As my guests, they will be speaking from their wealth of experience that you can glean from. I will also be sharing some of my current learnings and thoughts. The ultimate goal, is to help you become a better version of yourself, achieve financial and time freedom whilst living a significant life.