BMGA Leadership Speakers Series Podcast

Olamide Adedeji is the Founder of Bounce Networks, an internet media company with television, radio and digital vantage-point in six major cities, including; Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg, New York, London and Dar Es Salaam. He has over 15 years of experience in broadcasting, live performances production and media production. Some of his works include; the production of the first edition of the Soundcity blast magazine, Big Brother Naija from 2019 to 2021 and Soundcity MVP awards. Mr. Adedeji holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Lagos State University.

Teju Abisoye is the Executive Secretary (ES) of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), delivering on programs targeted at tackling unemployment in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a lawyer with over 14 years of extensive experience in development finance, evaluation of humanitarian projects, government interventions, and investment. Ms. Abisoye holds an LLM, International Trade and Investment Law from the University of Pretoria, and an LLB from the University of Ibadan.

Affiong Williams is the CEO and Founder of ReelFruit, the largest fruit processing, packaging, and marketing company in Nigeria that retails a range of dried fruit and nut snacks through a variety of channels. She is an avid runner who has completed over 15 marathons. She was also recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of Africa's most promising 30 under 30 entrepreneurs in 2015. Mrs. Williams holds a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Natalie Kernisant is the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Morrison and Foerster LLP, one of the top law firms in the world with 17 offices located throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. She is listed in Crain's New York Business amongst the 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives. She holds a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, a Master's in Human Resources Management from Cornell University ILR School, and a Master's in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Fola Fagbule is a Senior Vice President and Head of Financial Advisory at Africa Finance Corporation, a pan-African multilateral development institution that provides pragmatic solutions to the continent's infrastructure problems. He is also a co-author of the book ‘Formation: The Making of Nigeria from Jihad to Amalgamation'. Mr. Fagbule holds a Bachelors in Physics from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Lagos Business School. Prior to joining Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Mr. Fola worked at Afrinvest where he was Head of Research.

Ndidi Emefiele is one of the most renowned post-war and contemporary artists in Nigeria. She produces rich figurative compositions based on cultural, gendered, and personal references. Her dynamic brush strokes and color juxtaposition convey the complexity of modern experience and feminine identity. Her work has been exhibited in prominent galleries around the world from Lagos to London and New York to name a few. Ms. Ndidi holds a Bachelor of Arts in painting from Delta State University and a Masters in Fine Art from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London.

Adefunke Adeyemi is the Regional Director of Advocacy and Strategic Relations in Africa for the International Air Transport Association (IATA). She is a lawyer, advocate, and global aviation expert with over 20 years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Lagos and a Master of Law (LL.M.) from the University of Cambridge. She also holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) combined with the Advanced Management Programme in Aviation from the Nanyang Business School.

Vivi Galani has over 15 years of experience at American Express. She is currently the Vice President and General Manager, Network Partnerships Business Development at American Express EMEA (Europe, Middle-East, and Africa). In 2021, she was given the ‘Advocate for Women EMEA Award' by Women in Payments for her role in promoting female leadership and supporting the career development of all women in the workplace. Ms. Galani holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the University of Patras, a Masters in Information Systems from The London School of Economics and Political Science, an MBA from Purdue University - Krannert School of Management, and an MSc in Finance from the London Business School.

Olubankole Wellington is popularly known by his stage name Banky W. He is a singer, songwriter, actor, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and politician. He is also the founder of Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E), a talent management company that has produced internationally acclaimed artists like Wizkid and Skales. He is also founder of the ‘I AM CAPABLE' scholarship fund, a platform that provides tuition and other resources to deserving youths in various tertiary institutions across Africa. Mr Wellington holds a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.

Oulimata Sarr is the Regional Director for UN Women covering 24 countries in West and Central Africa, which is the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women. With over 29 years of work experience, she also embodies expertise in private sector development for emerging markets. Prior to working at the United Nations, Ms. Sarr spent ten years at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and also worked as a Senior Auditor with Ernst & Young in Senegal. Ms. Sarr holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montreal and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Bedfordshire.

Osaretin Guobadia is the co-author of In Pursuit: Journeys in African Entrepreneurship. In addition to being an author, he serves as the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Digital Transformation. He has over 20 years of experience in IT strategy development and project management.

Olutoyin Odulate is the Founder & CEO of Olori Cosmetics, an African multi-brand cosmetics producer based in Lagos, Nigeria. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Temple University and an MBA from INSEAD. She is a seasoned Consumer Goods and FMCG professional with over 16 years of corporate experience. Her company, Olori Cosmetics is one of the founders of organic beauty goods manufactured entirely from African ingredients in Nigeria.

Olatowun Candide-Johnson is the Founder of GAIA, a members-only business & social club for women whose goal is to encourage women in business to connect more deeply, gain each other's trust and do more business together. She is a seasoned oil & gas professional, lawyer, and regulatory specialist who has become an entrepreneur.

Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru is a specialist Obstetrician and Gynecologist. She is a Public Health physician and an academician who is currently undergoing a Ph.D. in Gender-based Violence, Public Health & Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. She is also the Founder of the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) a non-profit organization that successfully tackles the issues of gender-based violence rape and trafficking of young girls and women in communities throughout Lagos State and across Nigeria.

Acha Leke is the Chairman of McKinsey Africa and a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company. He established Mckinsey's Nigeria office in 2010 and has been at the forefront of McKinsey's expansion across Africa, working in more than twenty countries. He is also the co-founder of the African Leadership Group, which includes the African Leadership Academy and the African Leadership Network.

Ijeoma Ogbechie is the Director of Delivery Management at Bank of America Merrill Lynch with a depth of experience in financial technology sales, large strategic account management, relationship management, and large program management. She is also the founder of Avivere, an online edit of contemporary and luxury women's fashion from African owned and led designer brands.

Ayotola Jagun is the Chief Compliance Officer and Company Secretary of Oil and Gas Company, Oando Plc. She has a rich and diverse experience as a lawyer managing complex cross-border corporate transactions, risk, compliance, and corporate governance matters and is currently a Barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, and an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole is an academic, government advisor, and advocate. She is the Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Ease of Doing Business. Until her appointment to this role in August 2019, Dr. Oduwole was the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade & Investment in the Office of the Vice President. Her team is responsible for Nigeria moving up an unprecedented 39 places in the World Bank's flagship Doing Business Report over the last four years, among other notable achievements.

Abubakar Suleiman is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Plc. His career spans several decades with leading positions in the fields of Financial Advisory, Treasury, Wealth and Liability Management, Risk Management as well as Economics and Planning. He holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Abuja and an M.Sc. in Management of Main Services at the University of Oxford. He is an alumnus of Arthur Andersen (KPMG Nigeria), Wharton School, and INSEAD Business School, in addition to executive education at Harvard and Saïd Business Schools.

Liz Agbor-Tabi is the Vice President, Global Policy at Global Citizen. Liz has over 18 years of experience in healthcare, public health/policy, international development, and urban resilience experience across the United States, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. She is passionate about social impact, global health, international development, and philanthropy.

Masai Ujiri is the President of the Toronto Raptors. He is the first and only African-born President and General Manager of a professional sports franchise in North America. In 2019, he led the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever NBA Championship and the first NBA Championship won by a team outside the United States in NBA history. He is also the Founder of the Giants of Africa Foundation, which urges young people to “Dream Big” and uses basketball to educate and enrich the lives of youth on and off the court.

Dr. Christian Busch is the author of The Serendipity Mindset: the Art and Science of Creating Good Luck, a book that examines how serendipity is a skill, resulting from a mindset that allows people to see and act on opportunities in seemingly unrelated facts or events. He is an internationally renowned expert in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. He is the Director of the CGA Global Economy Program at New York University, and a Visiting Fellow at the LSE's Marshall Institute. He is part of the World Economic Forum's Expert Forum and a co-founder of Leaders on Purpose and the Sandbox Network.

Mo Abudu, Founder and CEO of EbonyLife Media is an entrepreneur, TV Producer, talk show hostess, media personality, and philanthropist. She has been described by Forbes as “Africa's most successful woman”. She is passionate about telling the Nigerian story through the lens, which has led her to deliver world-class films such as Fifty, the Wedding Party, Chief Daddy, and recently Òlòturé, a feature film on Netflix about a young female journalist who goes undercover to expose the ills of human trafficking in Nigeria.