Africa is the right place to look at when in dire need to catch a sight of wonder. From their enchanting cultures to diverse sumptuous cuisines and ever warm and welcoming people among numerous other things. Featuring this month on Duke Magazine are two men from Southwestern region of Nigeria who show a mapped gap intelligence and professionalism in their career paths. Each of course doing it for himself with great success.
Tosin Olatunji: Group Head Corporate Operations/Deputy General Manager, Access Bank Plc, Lagos, Nigeria
Tosin Olatunji is an experienced Operations and Sales personnel with a demonstrated history of working in the banking industry.
Olatunji is also quite skillful in Enterprise Risk Management, Business Planning, Asset Management, Management, and Payments.
He currently works as the Group Head Corporate Operations/Deputy General Manager in Access Bank Plc, Lagos, Nigeria. He resumed the office in Nov 2021 and has been nothing short of exceptional ever since.
Olatunji is responsible for overseeing Nigeria Operations for Fixed income and Money Markets, Payments, Collections and Loans, Foreign Exchange which includes Global Trade and FX Funds Transfer.
Concurrently, he is also in charge of Management and Career development of over 200 workers. Prior his role at Access Bank, Olatunji worked at Merchant Bank, Nigeria for a little over 8-years as Head Trade Sales, Corporates, Global Markets (Aug 2013 – Nov 2021).
He was also a senior transactor, trade and working capital, corporate banking between Aug 2016 – Oct 2021.
At First City Monument Bank Plc, Lagos between Jul 2013 – Aug 2013, Olatunji was in charge of all Head Office operations departments of 200 people comprising of domestic operations, funds transfer and payment systems, clearing, trade services, loan operations, among others.
Olatunji worked briefly with the UK chapter of FCMB in 2009. He also worked as a trade finance manager at Vee Networks between 2002-2006.
Notably, he was the Head International Trade at Diamond Bank Plc between 1992 – 2002.
Olatunji bagged his MBA in business Administration at the University of Lagos (1999 – 2002) and he had his secondary school education at Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Oto-Awori district of Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria.
Speaking about Olatunji’s in-dept knowledge in the banking system, Kene Okoye, his one-time junior colleague stated, “Tosin is a bankers’ banker. An expert in international trade with a strong Customer orientation, Tosin’s vast knowledge and rich experience makes him an asset to any Organization. A core professional and humane Leader, Tosin is a hands-on Manager and a role model.”
Alasa Momodu also attested that “Tosin is not only a trade service technocrat, but he is extremely customer-centric and a people-oriented leader. He is a great asset to any organization anywhere and any day.”
Sola Fanawapo: Nigerian Entrepreneur and CEO eMaginations Limited
Sola Fanawapo is the co-founder and CEO of eMaginations Limited. The Nigerian Fintech Award, established in 2012, was also launched by him. The Nigerian Fintech Award which is intended to recognize outstanding financial technology and service providers, businesses, and good also provide the accomplishments of FinTech businesses and products in numerous areas official acknowledgment.
Fanawapo began his professional life as a technology journalist and analyst at Financial Standard Publications.
He bagged his first degree in public administration at the University of Ilorin (1990-1995).
In April 2021, Fanawapo was appointed president of the Igbajo Development Association (IDA) in recognition of his outstanding leadership abilities and dedication. An office he continues to run today. The umbrella organisation for all the social clubs in Igbajoland that focus on development is the Igbajo Development Association (IDA).
Fanawapo also serves as Editor-in-Chief of govTechnology, a national journal covering the use of information technology by governments (Lagos, Nigeria).
He started a blog called Value-confliCT in 2012 where he writes about the abuse of technology for financial services.
According to Stephen John Leonard, founder of ADEPT Decisions, “I have had the pleasure of working with Sola, in his role as editor of Financial Technology Africa, and highly recommend both the publication and the man! Sola is a true professional, is always helpful and is doing a great job of up-skilling, educating and developing the financial services industry in Africa. It is through such dedicated entrepreneurs such as Sola, that Africa will reach its true potential this century. I have had the pleasure of working with Sola, in his role as editor of Financial Technology Africa, and highly recommend both the publication and the man! Sola is a true professional, is always helpful and is doing a great job of upskilling, educating and developing the financial services industry in Africa. It is through such dedicated entrepreneurs such as Sola, that Africa will reach its true potential this century.”
