Adesola Oladipupo

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

“I am passionate about Finance and I love experiencing the peculiarities of different cultures.”

Hometown: Ogun State, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I can drink steaming hot tea in an oven and I start to shiver at below 26 degrees. Toronto’s winter will be my biggest challenge!

Undergraduate School and Major: Babcock University, Nigeria; Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Investment Analyst, Sigma Pensions, Nigeria

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My most impactful achievement was when I worked in a retail bank, determining appropriate credit structures for small and medium scale business. The bank I worked for was risk averse and opposed to granting any financial assistance to non-traditional oil & gas businesses. At my junior level, I was able to convince the management of my bank (which had over $1billion in AUM) to grant a credit facility worth $100,000, at the time, to a start-up company with interest in Agriculture. The business currently employs about 200 indigenous staff and has generated over $120,000 in revenue within the first year five years of business.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Bright, diverse and Friendly: We have this group chat on all social media platforms with members from all over the world and you will find chats ranging from football, to trade wars, to Indian movies. I feel like I have already made friends for life without even meeting them.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Diversity. I believe personal culture and society may influence – but also limit – creative and innovative thinking as well as the ability to proffer lasting solution to legacy problems. More so, I think the gap between developed countries and third worlds can be bridged by creative and integrated thinking. The Rotman MBA spools from all continents and provides an opportunity to interact with people from all over the world and tap into their wealth of experience and background. This will undoubtedly broaden my perspective and improve my creative and innovative thinking, and analytical skills. To my pleasant surprise, I also noticed the great diversity even amongst the students admitted from my country – there are no two people with the same background and experience.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The list is endless! First, I have a lot to fix at the Rotman Self-development lab which provides an opportunity to improve my communicative, interactive and interpersonal skills. Next stop is the Active/Sport Club, because I am a sports enthusiast.  I can’t wait to see what these activities have in stall for me.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Having just completed my CFA exams, it is important, especially now while I am transitioning from accounting to core finance, to enroll in an MBA program so I can leverage the core technical curriculum of the CFA program with the academic rigors of a top MBA program. More so, my country, Nigeria, is going through structural changes and I believe my skill set and experience post-MBA will be a benefit at home.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I don’t believe I will be the same person mentally and psychologically after my problem and this is my biggest return on investment. Rotman’s robust curriculum includes activities in various spheres of business management that will make me a proactive program solver.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? None!!!, Rotman is my one and only! I wanted an MBA program in a country that provide a stable environment for learning. Canada is and was my first choice for international experience and Rotman is the top School in Canada. After speaking to various alumni, I was more than sold!

How did you determine your fit at various schools?

What factors did you prioritize: Cultural diversity – half the people in Toronto are not originally from Canada.

What tools did you use to evaluate schools: Mostly LinkedIn, FT times, Quora, GMAT Club, and a lot of Google searches!

How did you research culture?  I spoke to Rotman Alumni and friends living in Toronto. My interview with the school (Leigh Gauthier) strengthened my decision to enroll at Rotman.

How did you know it fit your career goals: I really can’t overemphasize the importance of a diverse, global network as it relates to my career. Further, the rigor of the curriculum will equip me with qualitative and analytical skills I require in pursuit of a career in investment.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? The global financial crisis of 2008. My family lost it all, and my interest in investment was born. This was when I decided to pursue a career in investment management.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?  Portfolio management

Where do you see yourself in five years? A Vice-President at a top global asset management firm. I am also hoping my time at Rotman will help me to frame my five year outlook.