Business Events

WimBiz Annual Conference: 18 Years of Disrupting the Old Boys Club

The Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) celebrated its 18th annual conference on November 7th and 8th at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The conference themed “Shaping the Future: Strategizing to Win”, featured 7 panel discussions including Navigating the Old Boys Club and Swimming with The Sharks that explored difficulties talented women face in winning the places that they serve at the top in business and politics. High profile entrepreneurs and business managers from multinational and big Nigerian corporations shared insights on various aspects of running a business such as Understanding Consumer Behaviour with the audience during Deep Dive Sessions.

The 18th annual conference was also the occasion for the change of leadership batons in WIMBIZ. Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo and Ifeyinwa Ighodalo were welcomed as Chairperson, Executive Council and Chairman, Board of Trustees respectively.

During her welcome address, Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi, former Chairperson, Executive Council, said the WIMBIZ conference was about encouraging women to go beyond setting goals to achieving the goals they set.

L-R: 2019 WIMBIZ Conference Chairperson, Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria (2001 – 2008), Hon. Justice Rose Ukeje, OFR; Chairman, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Funmi Roberts (2016 – 2019)

The event was chaired by former Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Rose Ukeje, OFR. Justice Ukeje. She commended WIMBIZ for putting together the conference and their consistency over the past 18 years in empowering and inspiring women.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Funmi Roberts; Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, First Lady, Ekiti State; Chairperson, Executive Council, WIMBIZ, Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi

 

Mrs Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, First Lady, Ekiti State, who delivered the first keynote address at the conference, urged women to be the change they want to see in others. She admonished them to shield and support one another, rise and set their sights on all the great things women can accomplish together.

Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi; Chairperson, Executive Council, WIMBIZ, Fred Swaniker; Founder & CEO, Africa Leadership Group, Bola Adesola;  Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ.

 

Fred Swaniker, founder and CEO, Africa Leadership University, gave the second keynote address. He charged the women to be more confident in themselves and their capabilities.

Abimbola Ogunbanjo; Chairman, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Danladi Verheijen; Co-Founder & CEO, Verod Capital, Dr.  Celestina  Nkechi  Eke; Head,  Technical  Federal  Integrated  Staff  Housing, Olubunmi   Aboderin-Talabi; Chairperson,   Executive   Council,   WIMBIZ, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo; current Chairman, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Asue Ighodalo; Founding Partner Banwo & Ighodalo, Uju Ifejika; CEO, Brittania-U Nigeria Limited. Speakers of the panel session “Collaborating to Win: Navigating the Old Boys Club”
Claire Pierangelo; Consul General, United States Consulate, Oyeyimika Adeboye; Nigeria, Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria Plc  & Cluster Director, Mondelez International West Africa, Yewande Zaccheaus; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Bola Adesola; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Gill  Atkinson; British Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Abuja, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello; Former Acting Vice Chancellor and former Deputy Vice Chancellor, LASU, Olubunmi   Aboderin-Talabi; Chairperson, Executive   Council,   WIMBIZ. Speakers of the panel session “Our Seat at the Table”
Ibukun Awosika; Chairman First Bank of Nigeria Limited and member of WimBiz Board of Trustees, Sanyade Okoli; CEO Alpha African Advisory Limited, Kai Orga; MD ARM Investment Managers, Samke Mhlongo; Founder & Chief Executive, The Next Chapter Wealth Partners, Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi; Chairperson, Executive Council, WIMBIZ, Funmi Oyetunji; Chief Executive, AbiTos Financial Services Limited and Ronke Sokefun; Chairman of the board, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). Speakers of the panel session “Developing a Wealthy Mindset”
Hauwa Ojiefo; Exceutive Director, She Writes Woman (SWW), Edujie Macaulay; Gas Operations Analyst, Seplat Petroleum, Ngozi Okonkwo; Chief Legal Officer, Oando Plc, Dr. Kemi Dasilva-Ibru; Founder, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), Kiki Mordi; Journalist for WFM, BBC Africa Eye. Speakers of the panel session, “Silencing the Shame”
Dr. Adeoye Adefulu; Partner, Odujinrin & Adefulu, Olufunke Adekoya SAN, Partner, ALEX, Theophilus Emuwa, Partner, ALEX, Akinola & Oluwatoyin Olatunji-Daniel; Founders, Eventecture Group. Speakers of the panel session, “Par5tnerships That Struck Gold”

 

Speakers of the panel session, “Swimming with the Sharks”

Barr. Ebere Ifendu; President, Woken in Politics Forum, WIPF
Hon. (Dr.) Aishatu Jibril Dukku; 3rd Term serving Hon. Memvber & Former Minister of Education
Dayo Adeneye, former Commissioner of Information, Ogun State

 

 Debaters on the topic, Nigeria: Stay or Leave

Oyeyemi Aderibigbe; Senior Associate, Templars
Kemi Onabanjo-Joseph; Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company
Dr. Sade Adeyi MD, MPH; Physician Partner, Brookside Medical Practice
Nyma Akashat-Zibiri; Founding Partner, Cynosure Practice Barristers and Solicitors.

 

Engr. Ebele Okeke, OON, CFR, Chairman/CEO Chantaly Engineering Services presented with the 2019 Female Achievers Award by Bamidele Abiodun; First Lady, Ogun State.
Amal Inyingiala Pepple; CFR, Board Member, SunTrust Bank Nigeria Ltd presented with the 2019 Female Achievers Award by Bamidele Abiodun; First Lady, Ogun State.
Bola Adesola; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Ibukun Awosika; Member Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Olubunmi  Aboderin-Talabi; Chairperson,  Executive  Council,  WIMBIZ  (2017  –  2019), Engr. Ebele Okeke, OON, CFR, FNSE, FICE, FAEng, C.Engr WIMBIZ 2019 Female Achiever Award recipient, Amal Inyingiala Pepple, CFR; WIMBIZ 2019 Female Achiever Award recipient WIMBIZ 2019, Hon. Justice Rose Ukeje, OFR; Conference Chairperson, Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria (2001 – 2008), Bamidele Abiodun; First Lady, Ogun State, Omobola Johnson; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Adeola Azeez; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Yewande Zaccheaus; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo; Member, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ at the presentation of the 2019 Female Achievers’ Award.

The highlight of the conference was the 2019 Female Achievers Award. The award recognises and rewards hard work and trail blazing women in the civil service who have contributed to the growth and sustainability of the public sector. The recipients this year were Engr. Ebele Okeke, OON, CFR, Chairman/CEO Chantaly Engineering Services and Amal Inyingiala Pepple, CFR, Board Member, SunTrust Bank Nigeria Ltd.

The Networking Breakfast Session

The winners of the WIMBIZ 2019 Impact Investment Competition, sponsored by ACT Foundation, were also announced at the conference. The Grant recipients include Augustina Emele, CEO Chais Initiative; Adeike Ogunsade, CEO Crowncare Couture; and Peggy Ovat, CEO Peggies Kitchen.

The gathering, which takes place November every year, is the flagship event of WIMBIZ. This year, for the first time, it attracted more than 2,000 attendees.

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