London Business School’s Class Of 2018

Adesoji Solanke

London Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Someone who leads by doing, thinks positively and is driven by a culture of excellence and service.

Hometown: Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: Don’t be surprised if you find me dancing with my eyes closed!

Undergraduate School and Major: Babcock University (Nigeria); B.Sc. (First Class Honors), Economics

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation:

1. Vetiva Capital Management (Boutique investment bank) – Lead Financials Analyst
2. Renaissance Capital (Emerging markets focused investment bank) – Head of Research (Nigeria) and Lead Sub-Saharan Africa Banks Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Winner of best equity analyst in Africa (ex-South Africa) in the 2015 and 2016 Financial Mail Top Analyst Awards. The Financial Mail award is probably the most respected recognition that sell-side analysts in Africa can aspire to, voted for independently by the South African investment management industry.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? Who are you? Why do you want an MBA at the point in time? What role could each school could play in helping you achieve your longer-term life objectives? These are probably the most important questions you have to answer, in my view. I had a job I was passionate about and I needed solid justifications to leave it and become a student again. The criteria I set for myself included: 1) if I was to leave the job, it had to be for a highly rated institution with a distinct global culture and mindset; 2) I needed to see a clear path through which the school and its offerings could propel me towards my longer term life ambitions; and 3) I needed to see myself thriving as a member of the student community and also be in love with the host city. I think applicants with these at the back of their minds from early on, will increase their chances of not only succeeding in the application process but also choosing the right school.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA?  I considered few of the “top” schools in the US and Europe but London Business School won me over for a few reasons, including the community spirit and genuine support I received from ex and current students. I fell in love with London during several visits for work and holiday and it really feels like my second home now. Many of my dream employers run their international operations out of London; the time zone and distance are ideal for keeping in touch with my family and friends back in Nigeria; I can also easily maintain a lot of the business relationships I have made over the years (top management of African corporates are often in London for business or pleasure); and lastly, London is ideal for making short stay travels around Europe and elsewhere. For me, no other school ticked as many boxes as London Business School.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? I intend to transition into investment management after my MBA with a focus on emerging markets, expanding on my background in frontier markets. I believe the best growth opportunities in our lifetime will come from some of these markets and I want to be at the heart and center of the action. Therefore, my dream job is one that gives me a solid platform to achieve this objective, with the support of the best professionals who have shown superior returns performance in these markets over time. I also care about building a great family and my dream job should allow me achieve good work-life balance.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? I am a globally-minded professional with strong African roots, and I would like my business school peers to say Soji helped them facilitate deep first-hand experiences of Africa and African business. I would like my peers and current students to attest that through my leadership of the Africa Club, London Business School hosted undoubtedly the best ever Africa Business Summit in its history.