Conference Programme

Collins Edebiri is a fellow of many professional bodies and currently the President, Learning & Development Network International. Rev. Edebiri is a Human Resource Management Professional, Leadership and Talent Management Expert, Executive Coach, Facilitator and Certified Mentor with some 38 years work experience. After a stint in the Manufacturing & Agricultural sectors (1982 – 1991). He served in Shell in different managerial capacities, in addition to leading major transformation efforts across Africa and Europe for 21 years (1991 – 2012), before retiring to set up his HR Consultancy, Vital Solutions Consult (2012 – Date), where he currently sits as CEO.

His coaching and mentoring skills; as well as his passion for bringing out the best in people makes an encounter with him a learner’s delight. He has spent considerable time studying organizational behavior and employee engagement strategies. He is a labor and employee relations expert and also a certified relationship therapist, a team building expert, negotiator and communicator. He is also an engaging speaker at conferences and a very passionate counselor.

Jekwu has over 24 years’ experience in banking and finance, research and economic policy, consulting and in the not-for-profit / development space.

He is currently the Managing Director/CEO of the HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria (HTFN), the Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA), and a Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) Nominee Non-Executive Director on the board of Business Partners International Africa LLC, where he serves as the Chairman of the Board Audit and Risk Committee. Jekwu also serves as an Independent Director on the board of Tigray Coffee Company Limited Nigeria, a member Board of Trustees of Jalada Africa Trust and a part time faculty member (Strategy and International Business Management) of the Lagos Business School (LBS) Pan-Atlantic University.

He holds a B.A in English (University of Lagos), an MBA in Finance (University of Leicester), a Chartered Banker MBA (Bangor University), and a DBA in Banking and Finance (Binary University College Malaysia).

He has attended Executive Programmes at INSEAD Singapore and the Wharton School, as well as several Non-Executive Director Programmes at the FMO Academy.

An elected Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria (FCIB), he is also a Member Chartered Institute of Bankers Scotland (MCIBS) and a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration Nigeria.

A published poet, playwright and short story writer, he is a member of both the ‘Financial Market and Financial Inclusion Policy Commission’ and the ‘Health Policy Commission’ of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Pascal is a strategy and business consultant for over 30 years. He is an exceptional business coach/trainer and mentor and brings unique perspectives to vision alignment, leadership and business re-engagement in his now very popular Leadership and Business Recalibration Masterclass.

His strong passion for good governance, leadership in business and government has led to his project, Unleash Nigeria geared towards coalescing intelligent and fresh voices for good governance and transformational leadership in Nigeria and across Africa.

Pascal has set up a number of thriving businesses across Africa. He is a regular sought after resource person across Africa in both print and electronic media on matters of economics, leadership, and business dynamics.

Dynamism, passion, and detail orientation are three powerful expressions that sum up Elsie’s amazing personality. With 20+ years of extensive experience in consulting, HR, change management, learning & development, leadership, and strategy, she has built a successful career that effectively connects practice and theory through applied research.

Elsie holds a UI Master in Managerial Psychology, is a certified HR Professional from UNISA, Pretoria, professional member of CIPM, Nigeria, Association for Talent Development (ATD, USA), Society for Industrial & Organizational Psychology (SIOP, USA) and pioneer Secretary of the Learning & Development Network International (LDNI). She is a Ph.D. scholar at Capella University, Minneapolis, exploring the dynamics of a multi-generational workforce, leadership, and employee retention.

This session will cover essential tips for anyone struggling to maintain boundaries as a leader, those taking on a leadership role for the first time, or those hoping to be leaders.

• Develop and communicate a game-changing vision.
• How to navigate complex organizational changes and growth.
• Identify the top problems (and solutions) that fledging leaders may face along the way.
• Manage interpersonal dynamics and social networks.

'Dapo Omojola (MNIM, SCISM) is forward-looking and upward-moving! He’s a life enrichment specialist, a published author, a public speaker, a capacity builder, and a trainer with about two decades of experience. He has a deep-seated passion for making a difference by influencing and adding value to people’s lives through forward thinking.

Babatunde Bamgboye, has two decades of enabling organizations capture stakeholder expectations and turning them into employee action. This he does by employing best practices in driving organizational transformation. He is a chartered member of CIPM, NITAD, IDAN, NIM. He has a master’s degree from University of Manchester.

Idowu was previously HR Manager in Chevron San Joaquin Valley Business Unit, in the United States. She holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in Teacher Education from the University of Ibadan. Before joining Chevron, she was a consultant with Accenture, and a Lecturer at Olabisi Onabanjo University.

Stanley is a highly sought-after Human Resource professional who is highly skilled in enabling organisations through Business Strategy and Organisational Performance, Organisational Restructuring and Development, as well as Learning and Talent Management which has been sufficiently demonstrated with over 16 years’ experience.

He is certified by Deloitte, SHRM, SHL, CIPM, SDI and has consulted in Nigeria and Internationally in South Africa, London, Japan Kenya, Ghana, Guinea Bissau and Benin Republic.

Tolu is a Public Sector Reform and Strategic Management practitioner who has worked for about 20 years across continents, sectors, and industries in the pursuit of institutional strengthening. She has done deep and enduring work across the entire spectra of Public Sector Management, Strategy, Human Resources, and Change Leadership in the private, public, nonprofit, and development sectors. She also has expertise in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Corporate Governance.

Tolu serves on the Board of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), as the Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, and member of the Public Policy Committee, and Strategy Taskforce. She also serves on the DEI Committee of Villanova University's Public Administration Department. She is an avid writer, travel enthusiast, and devoted mentor.

Yendor Felgate is an award-winning executive coach, that improves the strategic impact of individuals, managers and teams, using a strengths based coaching approach. He is a Gallup Global Strengths Coach and Trainer, Master HRP (SABPP) and HR Lead Auditor (SABPP).

He has over 15 years senior work experience across Africa and has done coaching work in Africa, UK, Middle East and USA. He has industry expertise in financial services, IT, FMCG, Engineering, Telecoms, Fintech, Insurance, Universities and Human Resources.

Adora is a passionate and purpose-driven speaker, writer and trusted advisor in the field of Human Resources Management. She is the founder of Kendor Consulting, a Human Resources Management Consulting firm specializing in learning and organisation development solutions. She is also the author of the self-help book, Change Your Career.

Suleiman Shaibu is an author, a business consultant and leadership expert working with senior executives and businesses on their strategy, leadership, sales management, and technology challenges.

His working experience span over two decades during which he worked for leading multinational organizations like Hewlett Packard (HP), Microsoft and Temenos (Switzerland). He is a certified Clarity4D UK trainer, a Mind Mapping Coach, John Maxwell Coach, Speaker, and Trainer. He has attended management programs at Harvard & Lagos Business School.

Habiba Balogun is an organisation effectiveness and HR consultant, a transformative leader, advocate for gender equality and social justice, a dedicated mentor and executive coach, who is committed to fostering positive change and empowering others to achieve their full potential. She is multilingual with over 28 years experience working worldwide.

In an ever-evolving global business environment, organizations are confronting new challenges that compromise talent retention and productivity. The confluence of the Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, and the Japa Syndrome is not just disrupting workplaces but is critically draining invaluable talent from the developing world to the West. This presentation aims to provide effective strategies to mitigate these trends and strengthen talent management and retention.

To combat the talent drain, we'll explore four key strategic areas: Compensation, Motivation, Lifestyle Benefits, and Recognition and Rewards. Each strategy is aimed at creating a more robust, resilient, and attractive work environment that not only retains but also nurtures talent. We'll discuss what factors to consider when developing these strategies, like regional living costs, employee needs and preferences, work-life balance, and individual recognition.

Learn how to break the cycle, retain your best and brightest, and create an engaging, satisfying work environment that empowers your workforce and drives your business forward.

With over 25 years senior leadership & management experience in multi national organizations like Hewlett Packard and Microsoft, Oliver brings with him a wealth of experience helping clients to understand and navigate the intricate fields of developing effective marketing teams. His recent project across EMEA include works for Fortune 500 companies in the areas of new products development, sales & marketing strategy implementation, and marketing automation.

Mr. Nnona is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and the Kellogg School of Management (both in Executive Education) and since 1998 has been an external faculty of the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, where he teaches sales & marketing related topics as part of non-resident programs. He is also part of the Executive Education faculty of DukeCE. He serves on the board of many international organizations and is currently the Country-Lead (Nigeria) for the Society for Human Resources (SHRM), the world largest body of HR Professionals.

Bridgett McGowen is an award-winning international professional speaker, an award-winning publisher, and the award-winning author of Real Talk:  What Other Experts Won't Tell You About How to Make Presentations That Sizzle as well as Show Up and Show Out:  52 Communication Habits to Make You Even More Unforgettable.   Bridgett is a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University and currently resides with her family in Arizona.  Known to be both comical and incredibly memorable, Bridgett will inspire you to not let anyone or anything get in the way of you being the most unforgettable person in the room.

Have you ever experienced an energy that made you move to the edge of your seat or that made you stand to your feet? What about an excitement that stayed with you and had you talking about it long after an event ended? That is the best way to describe Bridgett McGowen, an award-winning author, publisher, and international professional speaker who is known to be both comical and memorable. She will not only energize you, but also she will inspire you to not let anyone or anything get in the way of making yourself the most unforgettable person in the room.

Alex is an experienced business leader with over 30years of experience across different organizations. He has held various roles such as; Chief Operating Officer Globacom, Managing Director/CEO Grand Cereals Ltd, External Affairs and Strategy Director PZ Cussons Nigeria, Managing Director PZ Cussons Consumer, Sales Director Guinness Nigeria, Head of Trade Marketing and Distribution BAT Nigeria, Country manager Senegal, Gambia & Mauritania, District manager P & G Ghana, District Mgr North & West P & G Nigeria, Customer Marketing Mgr P & G Nigeria and Fabric care Customer Marketing Mgr P & G Egypt.

He holds a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Port Harcourt and a Law degree from the University of London international programmes.

He is a non-executive director and Chairman of Tomato Jos Ltd, KKLeasing Ltd, an Advisory Board member of AMTDigital Nigeria, member advisory board of Edusko.com, Non Executive Director of Literamed Publications publishers of Lantern Books. He speaks in a number of public forums with a focus on Leadership, Commercial Strategy and Execution. Alex believes in the potential of Nigeria and Africa and is interested in helping our people and organizations achieve their true potential.