This year’s edition of the “Meet the CEO” forum and business lunch, an annual event organised by the student-led SME Logic Club of Lagos Business School, featured indigenous entrepreneurs and leaders across 12 sectors – finance, branding, technology, fashion, hospitality, oil and gas, social media, tourism, real estate, consulting, entertainment and new media.
The 12 CEOs in attendance were: Mr Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Limited; Mr Foluso Phillips, CEO, Phillips Consulting Limited; Leke Alder, Founder and Principal, Alder Consulting; Mrs Shade Ogunleye, Co-founder, The Ice Cream Factory; Mrs Uche Pedro, CEO, Bellanaija; Mr Obinna Ekezie, CEO, Wakanow; Elo Umeh MD/CEO, Terragon Group Ltd; Ohimai Atafo, CEO, Mai Atafo; Ruth Obih, CEO, 3Invest Limited; Niyi Oguntoyinbo, CEO, Metro Taxi; Akinwunmi Odumakinde, MD, DeltaAfrik Engineering Ltd and Efe Omorogbe, CEO, Now Muzik
The conference commenced with a warm welcome given by the Dean of Lagos Business School, Dr Enase Okonedo. She congratulated the MBA students on taking an active interest in shaping and enriching their learning experience. She also expressed her delight in the choice of speakers and topic – ‘Building a Successful Business Ethically in Nigeria’. “I am a firm believer that the Nigerian factor is not an excuse to act questionably” she said.
Keynote speaker, Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, noted the relevance of the conference topic, today, in what he termed “an open season for corruption”. He emphasised the importance of the event stating that corruption mixed with inefficiency is lethal to any developing country. He encouraged the students to be audacious in confronting challenges, adaptable to situations and to be appreciative of our society.
During the panel sessions, anchored by LBS faculty, Henrietta Onwugbuzie, the selected CEOs – Mr Foluso Phillips, CEO, Phillips Consulting Limited; Leke Alder, Founder and Principal, Alder Consulting; Mrs Shade Ogunleye, Co-founder, The Ice Cream Factory; Mrs Uche Pedro, CEO, Bellanaija and Mr Obinna Ekezie, CEO, Wakanow – took turns to share their challenges and perspectives on doing business ethically and successfully in the Nigerian environment.
The conference came to a close with a business lunch; where the MBA students had the opportunity to interact further with the CEOs.
The event was sponsored by Terragon Group Ltd.
