Ifeoluwa Esther Obafemi

Ifeoluwa Esther Obafemi is an accomplished business leader with 18+ years of experience in driving commercial excellence, strategic execution and business results. Her expertise spans Sales, Marketing, Digital Transformation, Mexja Communications & PR, Strategic Planning & Commercial Execution, Leadership, and People Capability Development. 


She began her career in academia and had a brief stint in aviation before embarking on a long and fruitful journey in FMCG, starting with Nestle Nigeria PLC and then Frieslandcampina, the foremost Dairy Company. Before business evolution to Middle East Pakistan & Africa (MEPA), she successfully led, directed and delivered tangible transformational results for the Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster in her role as Head of Digital, Media & Insights, where she oversaw advertising operations and digital transformation in 44 countries for 14 brands across 5 categories. 


She is dedicated to using her skills to deliver substantial results through driving enterprise-wide digital transformation, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and driving organizational change that delivers a tangible impact on revenue growth to the business. She has received numerous awards and recognitions both inside and outside her organization, including being recognized top 45 Most Influential Women in Digital Transformation in Africa by CIO Magazine (2021-2022) and Top 50 Women in Marketing & Communications in Nigeria.


 She is also a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants (CIMC). Ifeoluwa has a B.Sc in Biochemistry (Hons) from the University of Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University- Edinburgh Business School, Scotland UK. Her academic and professional certifications span across 4 continents at institutions, including the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and IMD Business School, Switzerland. 


She is passionate about supporting early to mid-career professionals in better managing their career journey and accelerating their growth and development as they learn the ropes and navigate the bends in fulfilling their purpose and achieving their ambition in the corporate and business world. She is the founder and convener of the Business & Leadership Series, a professional networking and learning platform since 2019, with members from 5 continents. She is an advocate for women’s and children's health and education. 


She is also the Deputy Chair on the Board of Motherhood Nigeria Initiative - an NGO centred on improving maternal and child health outcomes in rural communities in Nigeria. She is on the board of companies in consulting, education and tourism industry and faith-based organizations. Ifeoluwa has authored 3 books - a professional book (Polished Gem) and 2 faith-based book series (Ponder on These Vol 1 & 2). She is married to a super awesome man - Ayobami Obafemi and is blessed with children.