Aurélie Chazai is the founder and managing partner of Chazai & Partners, a business law firm based in Douala, Cameroon that provides innovative, accessible and tailored services to local and international clients. She is admitted to practice in Paris and Cameroon.

Her practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, banking and finance, project finance, commercial contracts, company restructuring and real estate.

Aurélie Chazai worked in the Paris office of the English based business law firm Ashurst LLP before joining the Paris office of the American law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in 2014. She intervened on a wide variety of corporate transactions in Europe and Africa especially in countries members of the Organization for the Harmonization of Corporate Law (OHADA) in Africa (especially in countries member of OHADA).

Aurélie Chazai has also worked at international law firms and companies based in Paris including Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, Linklaters LLP, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre, Ernst & Young, and in the capital markets department of AXA Investments Managers.

She has lectured Banking law at the Cergy Pontoise University in France from 2012 to 2013. Aurélie Chazai holds a Master’s Degree in Financial Law, a Master’s Degree in Business Law and Taxation, a Master’s Degree in Tax Law and a Bachelor Degree in Private Law from the University of Paris I – Panthéon Sorbonne. She is fluent in French and English.

She is a member of the African Business Lawyers’ Club (ABLC) an association promoting the migration of best practices of business law in Africa. Further, she is a member of the Association of Cameroonian legal professionals based in France promoting investment opportunities to potential investors in France and Europe.

Thank you for making out time to chat with us — in your own words — who is Aurélie Chazai? 

Thank you for this opportunity! In a few words, I am a lawyer admitted to the Paris and Cameroon bars. For more than a decade, I worked in international law firms in Paris. I then decided to return to Cameroon where I founded Chazai & Partners with my two partners Flora Wamba and Sarada Nya; we have since been joined by our fourth partner, Emmanuel Massoda. This makes me an entrepreneur. I am also a daughter, a wife, and a mother of two.

How did you start out your career and how long have you been in the legal field?

I have been a licensed lawyer for 9 years now, and I have spent a total of 13 years in the legal field, with a focus on banking and finance and capital markets. Initially, I hadn’t really planned on becoming a legal professional. At one point, I was even contemplating becoming a medical doctor like my mother. I ultimately decided to study law, but really, I could have picked anything, as long as there was a scientific ring to it.

I was not disappointed though, because understanding and practicing law requires a high level of intellectual and scientific rigor. My affinity for numbers was also satisfied when I decided to go into banking and finance law and stock exchange law later on. I started by interning for international law firms when I was a student. Then I joined the Paris Bar Training School (École de Formation du Barreau) to become a lawyer. Then I worked as an associate at the Paris offices of Ashurst and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and went out to start Chazai & Partners in 2017.

Amazing! Tell us more about the work you do at Chazai & Partners.

Chazai & Partners is a business law firm that is primarily focused on Africa. Our goal is essentially to provide local and multinational corporations, banks, financial institutions, governments and other public sector entities, start-ups and individual investors with a full range of legal services adapted to the specific needs of local transactions and projects in Africa.

When we were still lawyers in Paris, we observed that many African or multinational corporations operating in Africa were systematically using European-based international firms, even though these firms had only theoretical knowledge of the applicable laws and regulations, and virtually no practical knowledge of the relevant markets.

This trend was certainly due to a lack of qualified local counsels for certain types of transactions, but also to a long-established habit of refusing to take African lawyers seriously. We wanted to change that − or at the very least to be a part of the movement that would change that.

As Africans, we believed we were best equipped not only to guarantee the best international standards and practices to our clients but also to help them navigate the cultural and administrative intricacies of the African markets. So, we established our firm with the idea of being active and competitive in all major areas of business law in Africa.

For example, we work in corporate law and mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, insurance, real estate, oil and gas, energy law, competition law, public business law, or litigation and arbitration. Our Firm definitely aims for an international dimension. Our lawyers are admitted to three bars (Cameroon, Paris and Nigeria) and as we speak, we are present in Douala (Cameroon), Paris (France) and in Port-Gentil and Libreville (Gabon).

Tell us about a memorable case or issue you have worked on at Chazai & Partners.

The Firm was recently hired to restructure the refinancing of an EOCG 6,5% net 2016-2021 bond issued by the State of Congo (Brazzaville) on the CEMAC financial market through the issue of assimilable treasury bonds (OTAs) on the CEMAC money market.

What happened is that we organized the takeover and cancellation of the majority of the securities issued on the financial market at the time of the bond issue, and the simultaneous issue of OTAs on the money market to the previous owners of these securities, therefore allowing the bond to be repaid in advance through the OTAs issue.

In simple terms, a debt for which the Government was in immediate danger of defaulting was replaced by another debt with more favourable terms, thus relieving the pressure on the State Treasury.

This was certainly an innovation in terms of Government debt restructuring. It was the very first time that a transaction of this nature occurred in the CEMAC region. Even when I was still working in Europe, I don’t remember having ever seen anything like this. It definitely required a fair bit of legal engineering, and the fact that we were able to pull it off is assuredly a great source of pride for the Firm.

And what are the major lessons you’ve learned being a career woman?

The lessons I learned being a career woman are not fundamentally original. I learned that it is necessary to not only work hard but also abide by an uncompromising work ethic. It is also crucial to surround oneself with hard-working, well-meaning, dedicated people.

I also learnt that even though women face many inequalities and injustices throughout their careers, it is important to remain strong and never admit defeat. Finally, one of the most important lessons I have learned as a woman, a lawyer and a business owner is that it is okay to say no.

When a case or a deal would prove detrimental to you personally or to your organization, or when a colleague or a client is pushing you to engage in questionable behaviour, you should always say no. Hold on to your integrity because ultimately, a lawyer is only as good as their reputation. Also,  there are lots of disbarrable offences out there, and jeopardizing your entire livelihood just to accommodate someone would be a very bad idea indeed.

Do you think that there are challenges that are specific to women in the corporate world?

There are definitely challenges that are specific to women in the corporate world.  As a result of the patriarchy that still largely affects our societies, women are not given the same opportunities and chances as men, especially so in corporate settings. The corporate world definitely places an unfair burden on women to work twice as hard and to perform twice as well as men to get the same level of recognition, if any.

Women in positions of authority are often criticized or insulted when they try to effectively exert that authority. They are called angry or bitter, whereas men are called brave or no-nonsense. Women have to deal with harassment, sexual and otherwise, in the workplace. To this day, far too many complaints are not seriously addressed or investigated.

The gender pay gap also remains a very urgent problem, not to mention the persistent inequality in terms of parental leave or the very real discrimination faced by women who have or are looking to have children. For women of colour − black women, in particular, the hurdles are even greater in the international corporate world, as they often have to deal with racial discriminations on top of everything else.

And let’s not forget that there are entire jurisdictions where women in the workforce, let alone in the corporate world, is not even part of the equation. But in my own experience, these things are starting to slowly change. When we started Chazai & Partners, we were definitely met with some resistance or contempt that a men-led firm would never have had to endure.

But we never veered off-course and gained the market’s respect bit by bit. In just 4 years, we have become a leading law firm in Cameroon and Central Africa. That is certainly encouraging, and while it does not mean that all the above-mentioned issues will be resolved overnight, it is certainly a clear message to all women out there that they, too, can make it.

If you were to advise a group of women who desire a career path in the legal space, What do you think makes someone successful in this field?

To a group of women who desire a career path in the legal space, I would say that the law is a serious business that must be approached seriously. Self-discipline and intellectual rigour are key. I would tell them to be inspired by what has been accomplished before them, but also to be fearless innovators.

I would also tell them to always remember that in many respects, the cards are still stacked against them, so they should always be careful not to provide ammunition to the people who do not want to see them succeed.

On a more personal note, I would also advise them to never forget to take the time to live their own lives. It is true that the demands of the legal profession are high. For all lawyers, especially in business law, the short deadlines, the all-nighters and the occasional unmanageable client are a reality.

But contrary to a popular belief, the key to thriving in this profession is not to let oneself become completely consumed by the job. Rather, one needs to find a healthy balance between their work-life and personal life. When you’re on the job, give it your absolute all.

When you’re off, truly be off. Disconnect and unwind. Spend time with your friends and family, explore yourself and discover your passions. This will allow you to approach your work with a clear, level-headed mind.

Who are the greatest influences in your life and career?

I would say that the greatest influence in my life is my mother. She was a very hands-on mother, but she also instilled a true sense of independence and responsibility in us. She raised us to believe that we could do anything, and growing up, I watched her establish and maintain a successful medical practice, all the while taking care of her family; so I certainly believed that.

Career-wise, I would cite my mentor and friend Barthélémy Faye, who is a Partner at the Paris office of Cleary Gottlieb, where I worked prior to founding Chazai & Partners. He taught me a lot, not only about the law but also in terms of team management and career development. He works closely with his associates and is never afraid to give credit where it is due. That is definitely something I try to emulate with my own associates.

If you had an all-expense-paid trip to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I would go to Japan. I’ve always been fascinated by Japan and its culture. I would just as enthusiastically read a good manga or a Yukio Mishima novel. Japanese cuisine is also a must for me.

However, I feel that for all that the Japanese mainstream culture has taken over the world, a lot remains mysterious and misunderstood about Japan. So, visiting and meeting the people would definitely help me gain a better insight into what truly makes and drives that country.

What does self-care mean to you, and what three things do you do to unwind?

To me, self-care relates to whatever one can do to improve and or maintain their general health, and also their mental health. To unwind and clear my head, I usually go to the gym or run in my neighbourhood.

I also love spending some quality time with my family and friends. Whenever I can, I practice the guitar at home. My kids certainly make for an enthusiastic audience.

The Leading Ladies Africa Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

We had a great conversation during our sit-down with Adenike Adebola — where we talked about everything from her journey starting out in Marketing, to how the pandemic has redefined work, to why it’s important to never let anyone break your spirit. Double points if you’re a female career professional — there’s so much that is resonant in this interview. Enjoy!

Let’s start from the beginning — how did your journey into being a Marketing Professional begin?

I have always had an inquisitive mind. I like to get under the skin of problems to unpack the “why?” so that I can build something to solve the issue, step back from it and go again if I don’t crack it the first time. My first interaction with Marketing was in the first organization I worked with after leaving school. UAC, Mr Biggs, I was appointed Brand Manager after spending the first 3 or so years in operations and I fell in love with Marketing right away. Marketing excites me because there is always a new challenge, there are no guarantees, the unpredictability of the competitive environment and the adrenalin type energy that comes with working the dynamics, as well as the reward of winning the consumer choice is just what makes it so rewarding. It’s been 20+ years of operating in the marketing function, since then I’ve been exposed to local, regional and global roles — and I have to say, I still feel the same buzz.

Wow! How interesting — so did you always know that this was your chosen path, or was it unplanned?

Totally unplanned! I studied Food Technology and I always thought I’d make a career out of it. I remember setting my sights on the big name food companies in Nigeria post-graduation, looking out for Management Trainee Programmes and being disappointed because a lot of them discriminated against HND holders. I recall not being extremely excited after I got a job with UAC, and was placed in the restaurant business as a manager. To me, it felt like more catering than Food Technology, but it was a good start because I was intent on working for a proper Blue Chip company and nothing less — so to me, that at least was a 50% win. The rest is history like they say because after that I simply focused on being very good at everything that was thrown at me. It wasn’t long before the MD at the time spotted me and took a chance on me as Brand Manager. Of course, as time went on and as every new challenge presented itself, I always did my homework, equipped myself appropriately, took courses that helped me become better, and basically learned whatever I needed to learn to set myself up for success. 

In your opinion — what does Marketing entail, and what qualities are required to be a great Marketer?

The textbooks describe Marketing as the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. The key theme that I often like to draw on when I think about the right qualities is the fact that it is as much art as it is science — both critical in equal measure for success, especially in todays’ dynamic world. I believe firmly that what separates brilliance from standard in Marketing is the part that is art. It is the role of judgment, of a very connected mind, sharp intuition and a good eye to see and feel beyond the obvious, going with your gut when your head is afraid and the ability to translate it all for your benefit. The science of course ensures that you cover everything required — from commercial astuteness that drives profitability which is the end game, insights that support distinctive solutions for product, design, comms, physical and mental availability, pricing etc — but to be clear, the magic comes from the art.

People always seem to confuse Marketing and Sales — can you share what the key differences are?

It’s very simple: sales are transactional, it’s at the end of the line, I exchange money for a product or a service period. Marketing figures out what you need, why you desire it and how to put it in front of you and the story you need to be told so that you will willingly exchange value in excess of what it actually cost to make it so we can make money from it. The better the illusion of value marketing can create the more profitable the opportunity. 

Marketers are known to be quirky, creative, data-driven people, would you say that this is an accurate description?

I’ll agree mostly. However, I honestly don’t like labels because I believe that the more diverse a marketing team is, the better. All those qualities should be present; remember it’s a science as much as it is art. You do need your wits about you and some anti-status quo tendencies, something we’ve come to describe as being “edgy.” You have to be a master of preempting what will happen and why based on what has already happened, which is what the data helps with. Then you also need all the creative ambition and capacity to develop something that places your brand at an advantage, depending on what winning means for you. You also have to be able to sell that dream to the external audience as well as internal stakeholders which is where the capacity for storytelling shows up.

In your 20+ year journey — what have been your career milestones and low points — and how have you navigated both?

20 years is a long time and I have stopped keeping track. I know that I cannot change the past — allowing low points to drain my energy is an absolute waste of me and the future, so I take the learnings and move on quickly and promise myself not to make the same mistakes again. The low points are an opportunity to learn and discover yourself and I do my best not to miss those opportunities when they show up. I also used to take the highlights for granted and move on quickly but I have learnt, and am getting better at recognizing them as an opportunity to stop and celebrate and to draw energy from them for myself and my team, energy that fuels us to take on what’s ahead. I believe that the up and downs in our careers are a part of the learning curve — the real tragedy is not recognizing them. That part is a choice you need to make each and every time, understanding that nobody else can do that for you — even if the only the learning you take from it is a reminder that “this is only a job” — that in itself is a perspective that can frame a better you for the future.  

Amazing! Very insightful and inspiring. Still on failure — can you share any instance where you failed, and what lessons you learned from it?

The one I like to share will be when I worked with a difficult boss who was intent on breaking my spirit by making work difficult. I held my ground for almost 2 years and pushed myself against all odds, refusing to walk away, expecting reason and performance to prevail. While he didn’t overtly break my spirit and make me the puppet he needed me to be, I walked away with a chip on my shoulder, second-guessing myself for a while afterwards. It’s important to note that even though I completely found myself again, I also learned how to recognize the moment to walk away and stop taking it — a lesson that most career professionals need to learn. I learned that exposing yourself too long to anything that constantly bruises your confidence is worse than proving to that source that they are wrong. 

As a woman in the C-Suite — would you say that there are any specific challenges women face — or do they impact everyone regardless of gender?

I think the challenges are mostly the same, and while there may be dimensions that are unique to females, they are disappearing in a lot of organizations. I work for Guinness for instance and Diversity and Inclusion is something that we are very big on. Apart from the demands of family life where in Nigeria (where I come from), we are more traditional and it, therefore, feels like the woman needs more than 24 hours in a day to keep up and match up, and of course the occasional boys club behaviour there isn’t really any major difference. My view though is: if there is a men club, then create a women’s club that provides opportunities for growth and advancement. Also, its important to find creative ways to extend your capacity with traditional home responsibilities so that 24 hours is no longer such a barrier, giving you space and freedom to thrive at being yourself.

As a Leader and People Manager, how do you keep your team motivated and efficient?

I believe in ownership, commitment and accountability. Choose your team well and create an enabling environment so they can flourish and feel that everyone’s voice counts. I inspire my team to shoot for the stars, to be the best version of themselves every day, to be comfortable with vulnerability and open to ask for and offer help, to take pride in their own growth, development and impact. More importantly, we try to find the time to play together. The team is what we make of it and everyone has a part to play. 

Still on teams — 2020 was a challenging year for teams globally, what were some of the things you did to manage that process for yours?

2020 was weird — I’ll be honest, I found it very daunting. I am a physical person — I touch and connect with people personally. So while those zoom meetings made sense initially, it very quickly became a challenge. We have a team meeting every month (still on Zoom) but we try to encourage everyone to have their videos on — just so we can aid that visual connection. We have activities that encourage people to share more of themselves, if the kids peep in we don’t mind, sometimes a child is hanging on their parent’s neck while we are on a call, we don’t mind. Something that has helped my team immensely, is the fact that we’re a switched-on team. Everyone is on the case with their work and focused on their own outcomes, so this means that people don’t need to be policed — they just get on with it and reach out when they need help. On the whole, it’s truly been a journey — I’m craving getting back to working face-to-face in one location, and look forward to when that’ll be an option again.

What do you do to unwind, and how do you keep your creative process fresh?

I lose myself in music. I think I probably play it too loud but no apologies! Music is my hiding place. Sources of creative inspiration abound all around us, you just need to know where to look and be deliberate about spending your time wisely. Or as they say, “Stay Woke!” I also do a lot of podcasts in addition to creative platforms online and on social media. However, I think staying connected with alive minds is one of the things I love to do the most. I find that creativity is most stimulating working through a problem and thinking aloud together. This output is better refined and brighter when you work with brilliant minds.

If you weren’t in Marketing, what would you be doing?

Hmmm… that’s a great question! It would have to be music or organizing events. 

What’s your outlook for 2021?

I fully intend to give more of myself to impact young professionals. 

About Adenike Adebola

Adenike is the Marketing and Innovation Director and a member of the Guinness Nigeria Exec Team. Guinness Nigeria is Nigeria’s only total beverage alcohol company distinguishing itself from the rest of the industry for its portfolio of some of the worlds most loved brands. A collection of premium brands with a rich history and a pedigree of exceptional quality including Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Cîroc, Orijin, Gordons, Malta Guinness and Dubic to mention a few. Adenike oversees Marketing, Reserve, Innovation and the portfolio strategy for Nigeria. 

Prior to her appointment to the top marketing job for Guinness Nigeria, Adenike has held many roles locally and internationally. Most recently she was Portfolio Director, Spirits. Prior to that, she was based in London accountable for Guinness’ communications for Africa. She was also responsible for Diageo’s non-alcoholic agenda for Africa spanning 15 countries, leading the new market expansion, innovation and content creation. As a younger marketer, Adenike was an embodiment of a dynamic thinker-doer, with a strong streak for strategy and commercial acumen, building a personal trademark over the years of delivering sustainable growth through the transformation of brand equity and long-term commercial performance.

Adenike’ s leadership is premised on a personal belief that being the best version of yourself every day requires courage and commitment and the choice to be brave is yours and yours alone especially if you are a woman. She is currently a member of Diageo’s global task force on Inclusivity and Diversity, leading a new wave of brand accountability and participation with tackling negative female stereotypes in the media and in advertising. 

She joined Guinness Nigeria in 2005 as a Brand Manager from UACN, with an HND in Food Technology, she also holds an MBA from the University of Manchester, UK. 

Adenike is married to Toyin and they have 3 children. 

The Leading Ladies Africa Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

Uche Ogboi is one of the leading women in technology and technology investment with a rare combination of finance, banking, tech investing and operational experience. She is a turnaround expert with a stellar track record in driving value creation through excellent execution and implementing processes and structures. 

Uche is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Lori Systems Corp, an e-logistics startup and one of the largest and fastest-growing startups on the continent which was recently nominated as a 2020 tech pioneer by the World Economic Forum. 

At Lori Systems, Uche manages a 200- person team active across 11 countries and she grew the Nigeria business by 10- times in less than one year – a feat she successfully achieved by implementing key initiatives and instituting processes and structure.

Prior to her role at Lori Systems, Uche was Principal, Investments at EchoVC Partners, a Pan-African tech and tech-enabled stage- and sector- agnostic venture capital firm, where she grew the company’s portfolio by 5-times investing in startups across various sectors including healthcare, fintech, telecoms and agriculture. 

Uche was also an Investment Banker at Citibank for 8 years, focusing mainly on M&A, Advisory and structured. She was involved in deploying over $8billion of capital across various regions including Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Whilst at Citi, she managed the bank’s SME fund and was involved in structuring the bank’s agriculture lending initiative. Before joining Citi, Uche worked as an accountant for 2 years. 

Uche is a Chartered Financial Analyst, qualified with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Investment Management Certificate. She holds a BSc. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Birmingham.

She sat on the boards of Lifebank, an e-logistics supply chain for blood and other vital products, Riby, a tech-based financial solutions and services company and System One, a healthcare IoT-enabled devices company. 

Uche is the Founder of The Live Well Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on youth empowerment through its 3-month training programmes in web design and other digital skills for underprivileged youths. She is a passionate advocate for women and is the Investment Lead at Rising Tide Africa, a women’s angel investment network which aims to empower women through investing and mentorship. Uche also mentors several founders in the Africa tech ecosystem. 

Uche is a dynamic and highly sought-after speaker. She has shared her insights and expertise in technology and logistics in panel discussions and high profile events across Africa, including The Financial Times Summit, Africa CEO Forum, Africa Tech Summit amongst several others.

Meet Uche Ogboi

Uche Ogboi is a finance professional turned tech startup executive. She is currently the COO of an e-logistics tech startup called Lori Systems as well as the founder of The LiveWell Foundation; focused on empowering lower-income Nigerians to earn a living. She is also an Angel Investor, investing and mentoring founders in the startup ecosystem. Changing careers twice has taught Uche about the unbelievable capacity of the mind and its ability to adapt to new situations. She is an extremely passionate and committed person and that comes through in every area of her life – my work and my relationships. She loves her family deeply; love to teach/mentor and give.

Journey in the corporate world

I started as an Accountant at a musical instrument distributing company. I’ve been in the corporate world since 2007 – 13 years.

An accomplishment you are most proud of

Turning around one of our business units from stagnancy to 3.5x in just 3 months (4 months after I joined).

Overcoming hurdles

I think a lot of businesses have faced one of the most challenging years yet this year. We had to keep the business alive and thriving through such a difficult period globally whilst dealing with so many unknowns. We have done a good job so far but it was by no means an easy feat.

Lessons learnt as a career woman

Do not “see” gender. Other people will call it out and when they do, continue to deliver excellently and just keep pushing until you exhale!  

Challenges facing women in the corporate world

Definitely. Amongst several others, one real challenge is maternity – both how it affects women mentally and emotionally and how certain companies allow it to impact decisions like promotions about women that have been on maternity in a certain period.

We have to continue pulling each other up so that there are more of us at the top and we can drive the paradigm shift we want to see.

Advice for women on career advancement

Always volunteer for opportunities, even the most challenging. Challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone. It will stretch you in a way you never thought possible, sometimes almost to the point of breaking you but it will eventually birth a new you and you will be so grateful for it. Always network and build relationships across genders and industries.

Greatest influences in your life and career

Several people depending on where I am but the one constant is my father. He is extremely hardworking, diligent with high integrity. He is always ready to take any challenge on and constantly turning around businesses he gets involved with. He is extremely generous and impacts everyone that comes in contact with him and he also builds strong relationships.

An all-expense-paid trip to anywhere in the world

Bali!!! It has almost every kind of natural beauty from greenery to waterfalls, to fields to mountains to beaches…the list goes on!

Self-care and things you do to unwind

Unplugging from time to time once I realize I am starting to feel stressed. I go for long walks, spend time with loved ones and dance!

The Leading Ladies Africa Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

Bukola Adisa is the founder/CEO of Career Masterclass, a platform dedicated to enabling the progression of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals in the workplace. Through webinars, live events and the annual STRETCH conference. Bukola teaches practical career tips to a varied BAME audience which has resulted in tangible career progress for the participants.

She is also a Senior Governance, Risk and Controls expert who has held leadership roles in global financial services organisations such as Barclays, HSBC, RBS, JP Morgan and Deloitte, in a variety of roles spanning Audit, Compliance, Financial crime, Risk & controls.

She was listed in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 PowerList, the 2017 Empower Financial Times List, and the Financial Times HERoes list of executives who have made a substantial difference to women’s careers. Get ready to take notes as you scroll down to read through our interview with the amazing Bukola Adisa.

In your own words, how would you describe Bukola Adisa? Tell us something that we won’t find via Google or LinkedIn? 

That’s a tough one. I would like to think of myself as an empathetic, kind, generous and determined woman. I love to see others succeed and I think that is my life’s greatest honour- to play a part in someone’s success story.

You’re one of the Leading Ladies in the global corporate space — having worked for some of the biggest brands — was this trajectory always clear to you?

Definitely not. My life has been one long series of faith-based decisions. I always knew I wanted to be successful and work in the corporate space, but the dots didn’t always connect early on. They connected as I moved forward in the journey experiencing the highs and lows and everything in between.

What were some of the intentional choices you made earlier on in your career, that you believe led you to where you are now?

I believe the biggest choice I made very early in my career was not to let the environment define me and to believe in myself. This mindset continues to serve me even 15 years on and has seen me through some of my more challenging times. 

At the LLA Webinar we had with you a few months ago, you talked extensively about how people could “future proof” their careers — do you think those strategies are the same for men and women — or there should be different approaches?

In the main, everyone needs to be thinking about how to futureproof their career mainly because the combination of technology advancements and the COVID crisis has significantly disrupted the world of work. In doing this, professionals will need to lean on their experience, expertise, knowledge and professional network and it is well known that women don’t always benefit from strong networks and connections in the way men do. However, there are many support organisations out there dedicated to the advancement of women’s careers so the future looks positive that women will not be disproportionately penalized by the shift that is happening.

So let’s talk about Career Masterclass and it’s amazing baby, the Stretch Conference — what was the idea behind both?

Career Masterclass was born out of a pure need to give back. I was at the top table on the fast lane and I looked around me and saw very few people who looked like me sitting at these tables. I have never been one to admire the problem so I started Career Masterclass as a way of letting the under served community know that they can absolutely take a seat at the table and showing them the way to do that. 

STRETCH conference started very much on the same ethos- many conferences I attended had few people of colour in attendance or as speakers or panelists so I thought if it didn’t exist, I would create it and here we are today.

The Stretch Conference is a career development conference for BAMEs — what was the objective behind specifying this target audience?

BAME people are routinely overlooked, underemployed, and found at the very lowest tiers in organizational structures and I also know that we are the most educated and qualified group so this anomaly bothered me. I was determined to play my part in teaching these professionals how to navigate the corporate organisations, to inspire them not to give up, to motivate them to reach for more and that is why STRETCH conference is the amazing platform it is. The empathy, generosity and energy come through and people leave refreshed and determined to push on and it works!

Right. In a world of #BLM #MeToo and other global movements, how would you say black women and women of color specifically can hold their own spaces in corporate environments?

This is our time. I truly believe that we are watching history being written in our lifetime and it is a beautiful thing to behold. Women of colour now need to ensure they are visible- fortune favours the brave and visible woman. This is our time to come out of the shadows, to push forward and to pursue our goals as we have reached an inflection point in history where the tides are slowly turning in our favor.

Share with us a failure experience of yours and what you learned from it?

I have openly shared before about a time early in my career when I was preparing for a promotion panel. I did all the preps, spoke to mentors and colleagues only for me to find out that I wasn’t being considered. As much as that experience hurt, I learnt a valuable lesson in making your ask known, often and repeatedly. I had erroneously assumed I was being considered on the basis of one conversation 6 months earlier with no follow ups. Now I make my ask known clearly, in writing and I follow up periodically. 

There are even more conversations now about the importance of Mentors and Champions — especially at work — what are your thoughts?

Mentors and champions (Sponsors) are invaluable. We need them to advise, encourage and advocate for us when we are not privy to discussions about us. Anybody serious about their career has to seek out mentors and sponsors.

Do you think that #remotework and #WFH are here to stay permanently? And what would you say is the impact on the global workforce? 

I do believe that remote working and WFH are now more of a permanent feature. The ongoing pandemic has proven that people can be as productive working remotely as in the office. The advent of tech tools has also made collaboration easier, so my hope is that employers are now able to measure their employee’s success by their outputs and not time spent in the office. However, some people genuinely work better in office environments and such people should have the option to continue to do so.

I know you’re in the thick of planning the Stretch conference, but I’m curious – what do you do for fun and how do you unwind?

Err fun what is that? Seriously I love to read which I find harder to do these days, but I have two amazing boys and a lovely husband who I spend time with. I also love to cook, and I have a group of friends who I hang out with when time permits.

Last words for those starting out and navigating their futures in the workplace? 

Be bold, have confidence in your abilities and stay committed to your dreams, aspirations and goals as they are very valid

The Leading Ladies Africa Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

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Bodam Taiwo is the Premium Spirits Trade Marketing Manager for the Brown Forman Portfolio, at The Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company), where she is responsible for creating and embedding the long-term strategy for sustainable and profitable growth of the portfolio. 

Prior to NBC, Bodam worked at Guinness Nigeria, a total beverage company, where as Customer Marketing Manager, she successfully led the development and establishment of the trade marketing strategy for the Reserve portfolio.  Some of her key contributions on this role include conceptualising, designing and executing the Reserve BTL Activations platform per brand and developing and executing the 365 essentials strategy for Reserve. In this role, she also developed and launched the Diageo Bar Academy, a bartender advocacy and training programme, successfully training over 1,500 bar staff pan Nigeria.   

Bodam also had a short stint in Sales as the Divisional Operations and Performance manager, where she was responsible for translating the overall sales operations strategy for the division into actionable and measurable plans to ensure a competitive route to consumer, market share growth and delivery of sales business targets at a divisional level. She drove the performance culture of the division, built the right culture of discipline within the sales team and was responsible for building the capability of the team. 

Just before leaving Guinness, she managed the Modern Trade segment as National Channel Manager and some of her key achievements in that role included developing the launch plans of the White Walker by Johnnie Walker limited edition campaign and the Baileys Delight launch campaign. 

Outside of work, Bodam enjoys planning events at EBB Wedding & Events Designers Ltd – the luxury, boutique planning company she runs, coordinating two prayer ministries for women, spending time writing her first book, mentoring women through her exclusive mastermind, having heart conversations over cocktails and long meals, enjoying spa sessions, reading, watching movies on Netflix or at the cinema and trying out new restaurants.   She’s also a volunteer mentor at her alma-mater: The University of Reading. 

She is passionate about women truly living their best lives and part of her purpose is motivating, supporting and encouraging women to constantly evolve to become the very best version of themselves and to strive for excellence in all they do. 

She is a former Beauty Queen – the first Miss Malaika UK 2005, and is also a strong advocate of proper etiquette at all times. 

Bodam holds a B.Eng in Electronics Engineering from the University of Reading, an M.Sc in Mobile and Satellite Communications from the University of Surrey and a certification in Luxury Spirits Marketing from a joint collaboration programme run by Insead Business School for Diageo Brands Ltd. 

Can you briefly describe yourself and what you do?

I am the Trade Marketing Manager for the Brown-Forman portfolio (Jack Daniel’s range of brands) at the Nigerian Bottling Company.  So essentially, I develop marketing strategies to ensure my brands are seen and purchased by consumers.  This is done through ensuring we are in the right channels (both on-premise and off-premise), in the right formats, in the right occasions, with the appropriate promotions, so that we are visible, stand-out and thus become our target consumers first choice at the moment of purchase.

How did you start out your career and how long have you been in the corporate world?

I’ve been in the corporate world for about 12 years now.  I first started my career with Huawei Technologies as an Assistant Commercial Engineer – my first degree was in Electronics Engineering.  I did my compulsory NYSC with them and stayed on with them for an additional 2 years after.  I moved around a few times and bagged a master’s degree as well, then in 2011, I started working with a company called FunMobile then I moved to Guinness and now NBC.

Your number one hack for dealing with difficult bosses/colleagues?

This is an interesting one.  Something I learnt, the hard way, is that wisdom is indeed profitable to direct, and you can never win a fight against your line manager.  So, there are three ways I prepare before dealing with difficult people:

• First, I remind myself that it’s not personal and it’s not really about me.  As women, sometimes we are emotional when people are difficult, but I remind myself that I’m in this in a purely professional capacity and that the person being difficult reflects their character and not mine;

• Second, I am very clear on defining the outcome I want to get from the interaction with the boss or colleague that day; yes, I take it a day at a time.  When I plan my day the night before or early in the morning, I list out all the things I need from the person for that day.  This helps reduce overwhelm and helps me have a more deliberate conversation with them.
• Finally, I pray – I ask for wisdom when speaking with the person, for the right words to use and for grace to know the right time to start the conversation with the person.

3 tips for navigating office politics?

As much as I dislike office politics, it seems to have become a norm in most organisations.  Some are worse than others, of course, but there’s a little bit of politics in almost every office. So three tips to navigate the confusing maze?

• Understand what your end game is.  Do you want a promotion? A move to a new department? To be left comfortably where you are?  In every game, there is an objective, you need to define yours very clearly.
• Understand who the major players are in the organisation – who are the gatekeepers?  Who are the major approvers?  Who are those with access to the people you need access to?  You have the general organisation chart, but there is usually a whole network underneath that – become familiar with it.
• Build connections across the entire organisation and develop your people skills.  Be polite and courteous.  Show people respect, irrespective of who they are and stay away from office gossip.  Determine that even if others are becoming nasty, you will rise above and play fair.

When you’re creatively stuck, you…?

Stop what I’m trying to crack, listen to some music and allow myself “day-dream” a little.  I also go on Pinterest – I find it provides such a burst of creative energy for me.  Then I go through my Flipboard.  I indulge in good food with dessert (if I’m in the office, I order from Casper and Gambini and they have this really yummy red velvet concoction that I usually have, and it practically melts in your mouth – it’s just soo good!)… Okay, let me focus now! So yes, yummy food helps!  I love things of beauty, so looking at beautiful things – whether it’s food, place settings, artistic nails or event décor helps stimulate my creativity.

What’s your take on mentorship? Important or nah?

I think it’s important to define what we call mentorship, as it’s a word that’s been thrown around quite a bit recently.  I have a life coach, and she described a mentor as someone who provides a pathway for us to walk into a future we desire by showing us in a vulnerable and open way, the behind the scenes of where they’ve come from with the aim of shortening our learning curve.  In this sense, I think a mentor is important, but please be deliberate about the relationship.  Does it have a start and end date? It should – you can’t mentor with someone indefinitely.  What are your objectives for the relationship – what tangible things do you want to achieve at the end of the mentorship cycle?  How often will you check in or meet up with your mentor?  When you define exactly what the relationship is, it’s easier to get value from it.

The reason some of us don’t get value from these types of relationships is that we’re not deliberate about how we use the access we have been given or we take offence over things that aren’t important – like “my mentor forgot my birthday”.  That’s not her role.  It’s not to remember your birthday or buy you a birthday card.  If she does, that’s great but that’s not the purpose of that relationship.  She should be able, through wisdom acquired from her journey, guide you in your journey and you should be willing to put in the work and actually put her advice into practice in your life.  Nothing has a “magic wand” approach, so just having a mentor alone isn’t the trick.  The trick is in distilling the strategies they used and putting in the work.

How can women harness opportunities in a male-dominated field?

Be excellent in whatever it is you do.  That’s the first step – be known for excellence.  When you are given an opportunity, do it well, do it on time and finish it well.  Be consistent.  Expand the things you’re knowledgeable about.  Own your voice and speak up with confidence.  Ask for the opportunities you want – volunteer for things as a way of demonstrating your competence.  Work hard, don’t play the woman card and make excuses for yourself if you want to be perceived as a professional.  

Tips for diversity and inclusion in the workplace (esp. for women)?

At the recently concluded IWD celebrations at work, our HR Director made a statement that stuck with me – he said that in a scenario where he has two candidates that are equally competent, he tends to think woman. That’s the first thing we all need to think about, we need to think about all those who are under-represented in our respective industries (in engineering, that may be women; but in nursing, that may be men). For me, it’s in the little things that we can do every day:

• What kinds of jokes are we making and laughing to in the office?
• If we’re chairing a meeting, do we call on the other women in the room to speak up;
• Do we support women who are having children when they go on maternity leave and do we support their transition back into the work force?  In one of my previous companies, this was a big problem – a number of women were choosing not to come back to work at the organisation after they had children, and then they had to deep-dive to find out why, and it was this lack of support while they were transitioning into a new role as a mother and a career professional;
• Recognize bias and speak up about it. It’s our responsibility to educate people about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour;
• Modelling diversity and inclusion by our conscious and unconscious behaviour – leading by example, especially if we are a senior member of our organisation.

If you could have a lunch date with one woman you admire – who would that be and what would you ask her?

One woman – wow, this is hard because I currently have about three women on my radar. *chuckles* If I really had to pick one woman, I’d pick Mrs. Jumoke Adenowo.  I’d ask her for advice on positioning yourself to become relevant on the global stage in terms of career and how one can begin to set standards for business and charity organisations here in Nigeria that are commensurate with what obtains internationally, potential pitfalls to look out for and driving excellence in a society that doesn’t always appreciate it.  I will also ask her how she utilises her inner circle, who her coaches and mentors are and how those relationships have been instrumental to her growth. I will ask her how she stays motivated, especially when things aren’t going according to plan.  Finally, I’d ask her what content she consumes regularly and how she applies that to her everyday life.

Top 3 tips you’ve used that career women in our community should implement.

Very early on, I developed a culture of excellence. I made sure that my work was done well, consistently, and that I could be counted upon to deliver.  I wasn’t always perfect, but I brought my heart to work and I gave my work my all and it showed in what I delivered each day.  Agency partners that I worked with also came to recognise that there was a standard I would not accept in their execution, so they stepped up their own game when they were working on my projects.  So top tip is this: be known for the quality of your work.

I have a morning routine and I strongly recommend that every woman has a morning routine that she sticks to every day.  In this particular season, I am up quite early as I’m currently writing a book.  So I spend about 2.5 hours writing most mornings, I spend some time in meditative prayer every morning, I spend a few minutes visualising, I review my plan for my day and spend some time with my parents.  I listen to a podcast or to upbeat music as I’m getting ready for work and while I’m in transit to my office, I catch up with my sister, read a book, watch a TED talk or connect with a few people.  So, create your own morning routine and unapologetically guard that time, as it sets the tone for your entire day.  Also, be kind to yourself – recognise the season you are in and create a routine that fits into that season.  So, if you are married, have children or aged parents you need to take care of, take that reality into account.  Build a routine that fits where you currently are.

Be honourable and treat others with respect:  This is a personal value of mine, but I try and treat everyone I come across with, with dignity and respect.  I work with a lot of agency partners and treat them with respect and watch the type of language I use on them, even when they’ve truly done something I don’t approve of.  I watch my language and I don’t use abusive or derogatory terms when speaking with my peers, subordinates or agency partners.

Listen, sometimes I make mistakes too and I react in a way I’m not very proud of, but at the end of the day, when I’m reflecting on my day and on what went right or didn’t go so well, I remember those moments and sometimes, (I’m still a work in progress, so it’s not all the time ?), I apologise.  The bottom line for me is, I try to treat everyone with the dignity that they deserve as a human being while demanding for them to become better versions of themselves.  I personally think this is just being a good person, and in some organisations where the atmosphere is toxic, competitive and full of negative energy, you stand out for all the right reasons; and even if no-one notices, you can rest in the fact that everyone who dealt with you, left feeling better about themselves.

The Leading Ladies Africa weekly Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.

Adedoyin Jaiyesimi is the Chief Communications Consultant at The Comms Avenue, a capacity building platform for leading and innovative communications professionals across the world The Comms Avenue offers high-level knowledge sharing meetings and training programs for communications professionals and corporate organizations. 

She has vast experience consulting for international organizations and top corporate executives and specializing in providing strategic communications consulting for development, philanthropic and corporate organizations, helping them to develop and implement a robust communications strategy.

Adedoyin has successfully executed projects for the W Community, Women in Business, Management and Public Service (WIMBIZ), Leading Ladies Africa, African Philanthropy Forum amongst others. She has been profiled on She Leads Africa, Leadership Newspaper and Lionesses of Africa. She was also featured as one of The Spark by BusinessDay’s Visionary Women in 2019. In this interview hosted by PUNCH, as the Chief Executive Officer of Comms Avenue, Adedoyin takes TOLUWALOPE KAREEM through the journey of her career. It is such an authentic read.

Tell me about your childhood and educational background?

I come from a family of four and I grew up in a home filled with aunties and uncles for several years. My childhood was regular. There were many highs and significant lows but I was provided with everything a child could ever ask for. My dad gave me room to be inquisitive by answering my numerous questions which helped to fuel my love for information. He also fanned the flames of my love for reading by filling my library with books and I could finish reading a new book in one day.

I had my elementary and secondary education at CTC International School, A-Levels at Oxbridge Tutorial College. I then studied Law at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

Give me some insights into your career trajectory?

My journey into communications began with an internship at a media company. At the time, I wanted to explore what more I could do with my writing gift and that firm provided the right platform to nurture both my writing and creative ability. I eventually became a full-time staff and was the team lead for a youth focused magazine published by the company. In 2015, after completing NYSC, I took a job as the Brand Communications Manager at Victor Adeyemi Ministries and that role exposed me fully to the world of communications. After a year in this role, I started a brand communications agency called Content Craft where we executed communications briefs for corporate and philanthropic organisations such as The W Community, The Fountain of Life Church, Leading Ladies Africa, African Philanthropy Forum, Women in Business and Public Service, Heritage Bank amongst many other clients. I shut the agency down in 2019 and launched The Comms Avenue in 2020.

What motivated you to start the new company?

When I shut down Content Craft, I felt God was leading me to learn and operate within another field. Since I was aware of the numerous benefits of personal branding, I didn’t want my brand to be on hold. I still wanted to share useful content with the people who are connected with me online. I decided to share stories about my experience as a communications professional on LinkedIn. I shared the high and low points and it was interesting to see how those stories resonated with people. I began to get questions from other professionals who wanted advice or my opinion on something they were working on. It was at this point I noticed a gap. Where do communications professionals go to upskill? What forum is available for them to interact and exchange knowledge with other professionals in the industry? Since I couldn’t keep up with the questions I got, I decided to put together an event for communications professionals where we could hang out and learn from one another. Plans for this were underway when the coronavirus pandemic hit Lagos. Going back to the drawing board, God dropped the idea of a community and essentially gave me the blueprint which is a capacity building, knowledge exchange and networking platform for communications professionals across the world.

As a CEO, how do you choose the priorities that will guide the company?

We are driven by impact. The question for us is, “What can we do to positively impact our community members”? This provides the lens through which we create programmes, content and engagement plans for the community. Our goal is to see the growth and development of every community member. We also want to provide a means for them to be exposed to global opportunities. This drives our priorities on social media and how we engage with organisations. Anything that will help us to achieve our vision of building the capacity of communications professionals will always be a priority for us.

What type of corporate culture do you aim to promote?

We believe strongly in collaboration— everyone working together to achieve a goal. The sky is truly big enough for everyone to thrive. We have community members from different organisations within and outside Africa. However, by sharing their knowledge and expertise, we have seen how they have become better skilled professionals. Aside from collaboration, we also have a culture of mutual respect and honour. No one is too small to share their opinion and no one is too big to learn. We have been able to successfully create this culture by building a platform that allows people to speak up and contribute to discussions, and share their experience/knowledge with others. Also, we celebrate the work that all our professionals do within and outside the community.

How do you think an efficient communications industry can contribute to the growth of the country?

Nigeria has a great and powerful story that is waiting to be told. Proper communications will allow us tell our story and spark a change in narrative in the areas where we are in dire need of change. When we are in charge of our narrative as a nation, we can begin to have control of our national image and also shape the future that we want to see. Communications is a strategic tool in the delivery of public policy which can lead to more intentional and effective engagement of citizens and building of trust in the government.

What sets you apart from your competitors?

Since we are focused mainly on capacity building, we do not dwell on competition. If we find others doing what we do, our approach will be to see how we can work together to bring extra benefits to our community members. It is all about collaboration for us.

How do you aim to contribute to developing the communications industry in Nigeria?

I believe I have already started doing that. When we have professionals who are highly skilled in the field, it will lead to the standards within the industry being raised across the board. Our community is not just for Nigerians alone. We have members from Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom, United States and Canada, and we are still growing. This allows our members to learn global best practice and gain insights from professionals across the world which in turn will have an impact on the quality of work that they deliver. Not only do they learn from their peers, they also learn from senior professionals in the field who work in top organisations across the world. We also put together training programmes to develop the specific skill set that communications professionals need to thrive in the industry. Lastly, we have positioned ourselves as a platform where organisations can recruit the best communications professionals.

What are the current challenges in Nigeria’s communications industry?

One major challenge is that many people have yet to understand the role and importance of communications in an organisation and even in government. Communications often comes as an add-on, whereas, it should be at the core of every strategic move an organisation and government want to make.

What are some of the qualities that have helped you to become successful?

The number one quality is my faith in God. This drives everything that I do and also ensures that I do not go off a tangent. Another quality is my passion for excellence. I believe that anything that is worth doing at all is worth doing well. This means that I go the extra mile for excellence. I am also resourceful and dependable. I don’t believe in focusing on problems for too long. There must always be a solution, no matter how tedious or taxing it may be. By focusing my mind on the solutions, I am able to get results when others find themselves giving up. Being dependable means that people can always go to bed and trust that I will deliver the work as we have agreed.

What are your long-term goals?

I don’t develop long-terms goals anymore because we really do not have control over the future. When we started this year, we had no idea that three months into it, the status quo we had been accustomed to would be disrupted beyond recognition. Instead of setting long-term goals, I simply follow God’s agenda and purpose.

What are some of the challenges you face?

The coronavirus pandemic has brought about a disruption in the way we work and live. Every day, we have to figure out the best way to achieve our objectives in light of the current global situation. There’s also the issue of time management. Working remotely has come with an increased workload and virtual meetings, which means working round the clock. It takes a level of deliberateness to ensure that work doesn’t consume the entirety of one’s life. There’s also the challenge of ensuring that one’s message does not get drowned by the flood of information and activities we have witnessed in the digital space. It takes creativity, empathy and focus to ensure that one’s message gets to one’s target audience.

Copyright PUNCH, Click here for the full interview.

Oluwatayo Okorie is an astute Supply Chain Professional currently working within the Electricals Division of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc where she heads the Planning & Logistics Department, with the main objective of balancing supply and demand in a manner than achieves the financial and sales objectives of the Business.  

She has an extensive background in Supply Chain Planning and has worked for reputable companies, including Procter & Gamble UK and SABMiller (now ABInBev) prior to joining PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc to further her career. 

Tayo is a Professional Member of the Association for Supply Chain Management (formerly APICS). She holds a 1^st Class Degree in Chemical & Bio-Systems Engineering and an MSc Distinction Degree in Process Systems Engineering from the University of Surrey UK and is a Certified SCOR® Professional – hence, you can expect 100% commitment towards measuring, managing and improving supply chain performance when working with her. 

Tayo believes that education is a right, and not a privilege, hence she has dedicated a lot of her time towards STEM volunteering with young people, and supporting NGOs to provide quality education for children in need.

Can you briefly describe yourself and what you do?

I would refer to myself as what experts will call the “Industry 4.0” professional, because I am all about doing things differently! I thrive on challenge and I am constantly motivated to set new outcome goals for myself – outcome goals because I don’t necessarily know all the time how I will reach the goal [laughs] – I have accepted that results cannot always be under my control.

I have a career in Supply Chain (SC); this is a heavily male-dominated career path in Nigeria, probably even globally.

I’m currently the Head of Planning & Logistics within the Electricals Division of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. The majority of people are familiar with Haier-Thermocool, a trusted Electrical Appliances brand in Nigeria for over 40 years.

To put it in simple terms, I always say my job is to balance supply and demand. Sounds easy, right? Being a SC Professional, I am involved in almost every aspect of the Business – Supply Chain really is only an “umbrella” term. Somehow, I manage to touch everything and this is what makes my job very exciting.

In my current job, I have to determine everyday how to fulfil the requirements created from the commercial sales forecast considering resources, manufacturing capacity, inventory and of course, cash flow. I have an extended role which includes managing a 11,000 square meter warehouse and a team of twenty permanent & non-permanent staff.

Whilst my core role is Head of Planning & Logistics, I am also double-hatting as a Project Manager & Continuous Improvement Facilitator.

How did you start out your career and how long have you been in the corporate world?

What most people don’t know about me is that my first job right out of University in 2009 was with William Hill – the world’s biggest bookmakers. This was my first entry into the corporate world. I worked there for a few months in Customer Service Retail prior to starting out my supply chain career with Procter & Gamble UK in 2010 as a Supply Network Operations Planner. I was initially hired through a recruitment agency and in no time, they were pleased with my performance and hired me as a permanent staff.

My first glimpse into Supply Chain Management (SCM) was whilst I was studying for my postgraduate degree at the University. I was taking a compulsory module on SCM and we had this project on Supply Network Optimisation – I chose to look at the Sony PlayStation® supply chain. I remember being amazed when I came across an article about a major Supply crisis they had in 2001 where it was recorded that Sony spent 18 months investigating 6,000 factories to identify the source of the issue!

It was at this point I knew I wanted a career in SCM. I looked up Supply Chain Optimisation as a job description and the rest as they say, is history. I could not understand then why they had such a large supply base so, I started digging further and the more I dug, the more complex and web-like the network became.

Tips for diversity and inclusion in the workplace (esp. for women)?

A very HOT topic!

But first, organisations need to understand that this agenda is not for the Human Resources Department only – it is a business strategy. Research has already shown that diverse teams in the workplace can improve the organisation’s ability to innovate. Hence, we can argue that these sort of practices are obviously desired by the business as a whole, not just the employees.

If we look at the more male-dominated industries or career paths (like Supply Chain Management), attracting female talent has continued to be an issue. One thing we need to do more of (at least in Nigeria), is to start the recruitment process from source i.e. working with universities and even secondary schools to encourage women to pursue these sort of careers.

However, in my opinion, the actual issue is inclusivity in the workplace. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for this and this is why a lot of companies are not getting this part of the strategy right. We can hire and attract diverse talent, but are we really being inclusive? It’s in the little things and not just reward or recognition – for example, having a Crèche on site for new mums would not be such a bad idea!

If you could have a lunch date with one woman you admire – who would that be and what would you ask her?

I admire a lot of women, but I will really love to have a lunch date with Folorunso Alakija.

I will like to ask her how she has managed to balance being a mother to four boys, and a professional involved with diverse businesses. I don’t believe a woman can have it all (personally and professionally) without making a sacrifice at some stage in her career.

I have attended a number of events and read articles which have tried to address this particular issue, but I am still not convinced. The millennial woman like I, has not fully understood the challenges associated with balancing these two. It will be great to hear from wiser [older] women from previous generations.

What’s your take on cliques or “you can’t sit with us groups” at work? How does one navigate such?

I wonder, do these things really exist in the workplace?

I guess some people might join a clique in the workplace to have some form of identity. In particular, when you are new to an organisation it becomes important to have a group of friends to hang out with. I see this trend majorly with Recent Graduate hires. The disadvantage here is you could end up being in someone’s shadows and missing out on what some other colleagues might have to offer. More often than not, some people within the clique have stronger personalities so you just stop noticing the other people with weaker personalities.

To be honest, I tell anyone who cares to listen that I did not come to work to make friends. Hence, I generally do not have time for cliques or groups. My colleagues will tell you that I am very friendly but also very demanding in the workplace – when it comes to getting the job done, I don’t play!

One of my bosses always spoke about the need for “healthy arguments” and I am all for that.

A mini 101 course on how to become a Supply Chain Professional?

I am of the opinion that anyone can pursue a career in Supply Chain Management. The only requirement is to be resilient. Supply Chain involves taking a lot of risks. If you are not emotionally or mentally flexible, then a career in SC is not for you.

Most young professionals will start out their SC career in manufacturing because you get to see the full life-cycle of the product. Though, what is most important is having a solid understanding of the company, its operating regions, its information and material flows.

Once you’ve narrowed down your career choices and you are sure this is for you, there is a lot of data available online (ASCM, APICS SCC, CIPS) as well as networking forums/groups where you can connect with experienced professionals to provide a full picture of the sort of work involved, and also help you find your niche – honestly, this can be tricky but knowing the kind of problems you enjoy solving is a good starting point.

The next big step is getting hired: as with all other strategy-driven industries, you must be able to demonstrate that you have what it takes to get things done fast!  

When you’re creatively stuck, you…?

I feel very unproductive in such situations.

Due to the kind of role I have, I spend a lot of my time working with Excel Worksheets, hence, there is a tendency to get creatively stuck when I have to work without my good friend, Excel.

What I tend to do when this happens is to pick up a notebook & pen and then I start writing whatever comes to mind – I learnt this from my boss. I don’t know how it happens, but the minute I start jotting things down the dots just seem to connect!

What’s your take on mentorship? Important or nah?

Very important and it also does not cost you anything!

I will encourage everyone to have a mentor – even if your organisation does not assign one to you please find one that aligns with your longer term career and developmental plans.

Sometimes you might have a thousand and one ideas and bouncing them off your boss might not necessarily be a good idea if he/she does not have an open mind. This is where a mentor comes in, a mentor will see potential and provide the necessary encouragement and guidance.

Three strategies you’ve used that other career women should implement? 

• “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty” – Henry Ford said this, and he was very correct.
• Be confident! Don’t be afraid to let people within or outside your place of work know about your achievements.
• Forget about gender barriers or bias, acquire as much education and training as you can, whilst you still can.

The Leading Ladies Africa weekly Career Conversation series focuses on women of African descent, showcases their experiences across all socio-economic sectors, highlights their personal and professional achievements and offers useful advice on how to make life more satisfying for women.

Do you know any woman of African descent doing phenomenal things? Send an email to lead@leadingladiesafrica.org and we just might feature her.