Oludotun (Dotun) Ogunlela

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

“Lawyer, consultant, advocate for women empowerment, fueled by my love for family, travel and sports.”

Hometown: Living in Toronto, Canada. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria

Fun fact about yourself: In 2020, a meme that featured a picture of my son at the age of 18 months climbing out of his crib went viral.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Lagos. Bachelor of Laws

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Gladius Commodities Limited. Vice President, Legal and General Counsel

Where did you intern during the summer of 2022? McKinsey & Company. Toronto

Where will you be working after graduation? McKinsey & Company. Associate

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Forte Fellowship and entrance scholarship.
• Institute of Gender and the Economy (GATE) Fellowship: includes receipt of an award and carrying out a project within GATE’s mandate. My project delves into the challenges faced by working mothers in Nigeria.
• Mentor to many aspiring to enroll in top MBA schools or get into consulting.

I am particularly proud of the above because the first two bullet points are in line with my passion for stemming the tide of gender inequality, and empowering women globally, one community at a time. The third bullet point also aligns with my commitment to pay it forward and inspire those coming behind me, to drive meaningful impact.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Getting into McKinsey. This was a major accomplishment for me, not only because McKinsey is an amazing company to work in and renowned for being difficult to get into (since they only take 1% of applicants), but also because McKinsey was the company I most wanted to work for. I recall telling my interviewer at my Rotman application interview that I wanted to join McKinsey, and hearing him mention it today and offer his congratulations makes me proud.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Difficult to choose one. A tie between:

• In less than a year, I was promoted to Vice President from Associate at the energy firm where I was working.
• A few months after my mother’s tragic death, I passed the Nigerian bar (law school) exams.

Why did you choose this business school? It is Canada’s number one business school and a leading school in North America, and globally. It has the standard, reputation and prestige, which I needed to inculcate a strategic business mindset on one hand, and attract top global recruiters on another hand.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Richard Powers. He teaches in a super engaging way and encourages you to immerse yourself in real life experiences that business leaders deal with regularly and in times of crisis.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Management Consulting Practicum. It reminded me so much of my internship experience at McKinsey and was another sneak peek into what is to come when I resume work full-time.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? It would be any event hosted by the Rotman African and Caribbean Business Club (RACBC), which I am a member of. Their events made me feel closer to my Nigerian roots.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Improved my time management. I underestimated the amount of time required for school and recruiting activities, especially in the early stages, when everything moved so quickly. I would have been spared a lot of anxiety and stress if I planned my time better.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I recall hearing a myth about Rotman being heavily focused on finance. While there were a few finance courses I took in my first year, I enjoyed taking amazing courses in strategy, leadership, marketing and sustainability.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Its diversity; a metropolitan melting pot of people from all corners of the globe.

What surprised you the most about business school? How intense it was, especially because I had not been in school in 10 years.

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose?  I conducted thorough research throughout the application process; from selecting it as my top school, to crafting my essay and resume, to preparing for the interview. I even researched my interviewer’s interests and found out he supports a football (soccer) team that is a rival of the football team I support.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Onyinyechi Egunjobi. I am in awe of her resilience, tenacity and grit, because she excelled at the MBA program while almost single-handedly taking care of her two children.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

• To be an Obama Foundation Fellow or a Tutu (The African Leadership Institute) Fellow
• To deliver an inspiring TEDx talk

What made Oludotun (Dotun) Ogunlela such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“What first stood out for me when I met Dotun at the beginning of the MBA program was her unwavering determination to build a better life for her and her family. She moved to Canada on her own for the first year of the program and, while it was tough at times to be away from her husband and son, she showed tremendous drive and commitment to pursue her dream of pivoting into consulting. Dotun has a mature presence about her and willingly shares her wisdom with other classmates – whether it is exploring various approaches to solve a problem, or just being there with a listening ear when a fellow student is struggling.

Dotun cares deeply about people and giving back to her community. In addition to the important research on the challenges faced by working mothers in Nigeria she is doing as a Fellow with the Institute for Gender and the Economy, Dotun exudes Rotman’s ‘Pay it forward’ culture through advising students on recruitment and helping them prepare for consulting interviews. While not holding a club executive position, she willingly takes on this extra workload while also being one of the few mothers in the program.

McKinsey has chosen In Dotun an intelligent, practical, forward-looking graduate whose pursuit for impactful work will yield exceptional results. I am so excited to watch what Dotun will achieve, both professionally and personally.”

Robyn Behlke
Career Coach, Full Time & Morning & Evening MBA Programs
Career Services
Rotman School of Management

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