Advisory Board
Chairman: Mr. Bayo Adeleke
Bayo Adeleke is a seasoned banking and financial services executive with extensive experience in multinational corporate environments and the Nigerian market. Since 2012, he has served as the Managing Director & CEO of Opticom Finance Limited, overseeing the firm’s strategic and operational leadership. His notable career includes roles such as Executive Vice President of Institutional Banking at First Bank of Nigeria Plc., where he managed top-tier corporate relationships and major investments, and Pioneer Managing Director & CEO of FBN Capital Limited, where he successfully launched and grew the investment banking subsidiary of FirstBank Group. Bayo has a proven track record in corporate, commercial, and investment banking, fund management, and business development. He notably turned around FBN Merchant Bankers Limited from loss to profitability.
His educational credentials include an MBA in International Business Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and Advanced Management Programmes at Harvard Business School and INSEAD. Known for his high integrity and diverse industry expertise, Bayo is committed to driving revenue, market share, and business growth. He is active on several boards and enjoys tennis, gym workouts, traveling, economics, and finance.
Vice Chairman: Engr Maxwell Olusegun Fashola
Is the Chairman and CEO of Bolamax Nigeria Ltd. Bolamax Nig. Ltd is a construction company which specializes in mass housing and road construction.
Prior to Bolamax, Engr Fashola retired from the United States Department of Defense at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. After 25 years of service. At the Pentagon, Engr Fashola, designed and developed munitions and weapon system for the United States Army at the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.
Yejide Oluwayomi Ogundipe
Is a distinguished public leader and private entrepreneur, renowned for her commitment to performance, integrity, and loyalty. With a career spanning both public and private sectors, she has demonstrated expertise in contact and mobilization, communications, board stewardship, and resource management. Currently a partner at D.I. Kekemeke & Co. in Akure, Yejide’s professional journey includes pivotal roles such as Director at the News Agency of Nigeria, Lagos Airport Hotel, and Owena Motel. She also served as General Manager at Quarry Group Holdings and as Principal Partner at Yejide Ogundipe & Co. In the political arena, Yejide has held several significant positions, including APC Advisory Council Member and Chairman of the Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government Council. She was also a candidate for the Federal House of Representatives and has served as a Woman Leader for the Ondo State PDP. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s in Law from the Nigerian Law School and an LL.B. from Brunel University.
Yejide is an advocate for women’s empowerment and has been recognized for her contributions to public service and legal practice. She enjoys reading, traveling, and engaging in intellectual discourse.
Adekunle Olusile
Adekunle worked as the National Advisor in Nigeria for UNIDO ITPO Germany, supporting the acceleration of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, his approach is focused on developing and establishing mutually beneficial international, cross-industry alliances and partnerships between the private sectors in developed countries, developing and economies in transition. At the same time, he was engaging and consulting for business and economic growth, with investment and technology transfer towards poverty reduction, inclusive globalization, and environmental sustainability.
Adekunle Olusile has over 23 years of experience; he obtained a master’s degree in international business (Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK), an MBA degree in business management (Hanze UAS Groningen, the Netherlands), and a B.Sc. Chemical Engineering (OAU IFE, 1999). His experience covers several Industrial sectors including Chemicals Manufacturing, Consumer goods, packaging, logistics, supply chain, Agribusiness and Agro-processing, Waste Management, renewable energy, and Circular Economy, with wide expertise in business analysis, manufacturing operations management, business development, technology management, business growth strategy development and implementation. He has studied and worked extensively in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, West Africa, and Nigeria.
Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou
Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou is a Member of the Hellenic Parliament and Chair of the Environment Committee of the Parliament. She has served as the Vice-Chair of the Global Water Partnership Organization in Stockholm, Sweden, and the Chair of the Energy and Environment Commission of the ICC Hellas. She is also the Executive Director of the European Institute of Law, Science & Technology. She is an expert attorney in Environmental Law and Policy, European Law and International Law and runs her own law offices in Athens, Greece. Previously, Dionysia also served as the Chair of the Special Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection of the Hellenic Parliament and the Subcommittee of the Watercourse, as well as the Chair of the Mediterranean Parliamentarians for Sustainable Development. She was also elected three times as a Member of the Parliament in Greece. Dr. Avgerinopoulou has been presented with the Green Star Award by the UNEP/OCHA/Green Cross International, and she has been elected as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and one of the 40Under40 Young European Leaders. She holds a J.S.D. (Ph.D.) in International Environmental Law from Columbia University School of Law and an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from Georgetown Law Center. She is an international lawyer and the Director of the European Institute of Law, Science & Technology