Jibikeoluwa Faborode

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

“Nigeria-to-the-World: Creative strategist, transforming challenges into ventures and catalyzing firms as a force for good.”

Hometown: Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Fun fact about yourself: I’m a self-taught creative artist who won a global competition and ran a beauty business for five years while working full-time in international development.

Undergraduate School and Degree:

Masters in International Development Policy; Duke University ‘23

Bachelors in Electronic & Electrical Engineering; Obafemi Awolowo University ’14 (Nigeria)

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Project Coordination Specialist; African Development Bank

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? EY-Parthenon; Houston

Where will you be working after graduation? EY-Parthenon; Consultant (Strategy & Transactions)

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

VP of Global Affairs, Kellogg Student Association (KSA) – Designing and implementing initiatives that expand students’ access to global learning opportunities, global community building and cross-cultural integration).

Forté MBA Fellow and Student Ambassador – Actively supporting the growth of women leaders in business through mentorship.

External Partnerships Director, Social Impact Club  – Facilitating partnerships to bring new social impact learning and networking initiatives to campus.

Alumni Relations Director, Africa Business Club – Facilitating alumni-student engagements and events for professional development and impact back home in Africa.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of spearheading innovative initiatives through the Kellogg Student Association (KSA), developing my social venture (AjoCARE) and providing 18-month advisory services to an impact investing fund in Nigeria (through an MBA fellowship).

KSA initiatives led include:

• International Careers Pathways: We created a panel series and collaborated with the Career Management Center to enhance recruitment processes for non-US markets, providing vital information and networking opportunities.
• Global Festival: I led the creation of a new festival that celebrates global cultures, fostering greater community integration at Kellogg.
• Culture Passports: This fun project promoted active participation across different cultural and affinity groups, enhancing cultural integration.
• Global Cases: I worked with faculty and students to develop and publish globally-relevant case studies that augmented the educational offerings at Kellogg.
• Kellogg Kitchen: This cultural integration platform blended culinary activities with diverse cultural narratives.
• International Student Companion: We developed a ChatGPT model tailored to support international students’ needs throughout their Kellogg journey.

New venture building – AjoCARE: I am proud of leveraging Kellogg’s resources to develop AjoCARE, a social health tech venture focusing on remote elder care in Africa (a spin off from my existing non-profit). Using what I learned in courses like New Venture Discovery, I immersed myself in problem and customer discovery, developed and refined the business model, and prototyped solutions, supported by market research and solution-testing grants from the one-time Levy Inspiration Grant and quarterly Social Entrepreneurship Fund. This initiative not only allowed me to apply my learning in a real-world setting but also to capture insights from field visits across several countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam and China).

Impact Investing Advisory in home country (Nigeria): I had the privilege of participating in an 18-month paid fellowship with the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), where I played a leading role in designing a peace impact strategy and measurement framework within a new impact investing vehicle focused on energy, agriculture, and youth development initiatives across Nigeria’s nine fragile oil-producing states. Through this fellowship, I contributed to PIND’s mission of promoting peace and equitable economic growth in the Niger Delta region, aligning with their broader goals of reducing poverty and conflict while fostering sustainable development. Kellogg classes like Professor Andrew Dillon’s Quantifying Social Return: Tools for Impact, Corporate and Nonprofit Investments provided essential frameworks to support the effective delivery of my fellowship assignment.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of having the courage to step out of my comfort zone and launch a non-profit, Include Me Africa Initiative (IMAI), a disability-focused social venture, as a compliment to my 9-to-5 job in international development. This journey began with a professional curiosity about scholarships for young talents with disabilities while I led the UK government’s Chevening Scholarships Portfolio in Nigeria. This exploration inspired me to volunteer with Disabled People’s Organizations, where I provided capacity building support, and eventually co-founded IMAI with a polio survivor. IMAI aims to foster disability inclusion by providing organizations with the technical and financial support needed to adequately serve persons with disabilities. Our most critical achievement was the pre-COVID launch of the STEM-Ability Project in Nigeria that trained 30 teachers across the Country’s Abuja capital on disability-responsive STEM education, refurbished critical educational infrastructure, and delivered a STEM summer camp for 30 students with varied impairments. This pilot was instrumental in testing disability-responsive STEM education models and persuading the Ministry of Education to mandate the acceptance of disabled students at public high schools, previously excluded from science classes, to enroll, with additional funding commitments for scaling our pilot’s success. At Kellogg, I’ve been able to relaunch IMAI and introduce a new venture-building platform for disability inclusion solutions, including AjoCARE.

I am proud of this journey because it underscores the transformative power of collaboration and phased implementation in achieving incremental yet profound impacts, despite having limited technical expertise in the disability or healthcare fields.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Kellogg for its uniquely intentional programming and deeply collaborative culture, which stood out even before I enrolled. My decision was solidified during Day at Kellogg (DAK), an on-campus experiential weekend for prospective students in Evanston. At that time, I was considering another top business school that had offered me an appealing scholarship. However, my experience at DAK highlighted Kellogg’s commitment to purposeful and inclusive leadership, which resonated deeply with me. Compared to a similar event at the other b-school, DAK was meticulously designed and delivered to meet the needs of admitted students—from the calming views of Lake Michigan at the White Auditorium to the sophisticated DAK mobile app, lightning talks from faculty and the enthusiastic student ambassadors. Each element was crafted to offer a genuine glimpse into life at Kellogg. The small group dinners, vibrant nightlife, and the proactive follow-up support from student clubs for early recruiting preparation (consulting) all contributed to a feeling of finding a new home equipped with a supportive family network. This sense of belonging and the promise of being part of a community focused on meaningful leadership made Kellogg the clear choice for me.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Meghan Busse is my favorite professor, because she embodies the Kellogg spirit of academic excellence, collaboration, and leadership with empathy. As an MBA student interested in post-MBA career opportunities in Strategy consulting and energy development/finance, Megan shaped my Kellogg experience from my first day on campus, during Social Impact Days (a 2-day bootcamp for new students that kickstarts orientation week). I was immediately captivated by her remarkable breakdown of the climate crisis and how every MBA student can take action. Following her constructive feedback to my team’s social impact competition pitch for a renewable energy venture, I knew I had to take her class, The Economics of Energy Markets and the Environment (STRT 258). It quickly earned a spot as one of best classes at Kellogg – a very unusual feat for an 8:30 am class! Meghan led very insightful class discussions that expertly combined her extensive knowledge with student insights. Her ability to recall every student’s name and background in both class sections (approx. 70 students each) made her classroom uniquely engaging! On a more individual level, her support during my father’s illness provided not just academic guidance but genuine faculty care, greatly impacting my Kellogg experience.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course at Kellogg was “Global Initiatives in Management (GIM)”, an experiential class that combined global field research with in-country visits. I focused on Technology and Innovation in South Korea and Japan, traveling alongside faculty and students across both countries over Spring Break. The icing on the cake was that I received a full scholarship that covered all my travel expenses (all students receive $1,000, and all are eligible to apply for limited full scholarship awards). My team’s research explored technology trends in the gaming and creative industries from a U.S. company’s perspective, equipping me for global business leadership. This experience was enriched by a broad range of company visits, alumni networking receptions, and cultural tours. A key outcome was that this course positions me to play a role in contributing to future Asia-Africa business partnerships – I gained a lasting connection with an alumnus, a Vice President at a Japanese telecom holding giant who provided valuable industry insights and signaled future collaborations around business expansion in African markets.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event and traditional at Kellogg was the Kellogg Global Women’s Summit, a biennial gathering that brought together influential female leaders from various fields for two days of inspiring discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. As a gender inclusion specialist pre-MBA, this event was well-tailored to my needs. It was a testament to Kellogg’s commitment to empowering women in business and fostering a supportive community that extends beyond the classroom. Listening to speakers like Oprah Winfrey and numerous accomplished alumni was incredibly motivating. Their stories reinforced my decision to pursue an MBA at Kellogg, a school that not only provides essential business skills but also cultivates a network tailored to individual career goals. For me, the Summit highlighted the importance of aligning professional pursuits with personal purpose. Especially in times of deep market uncertainties and a daunting job market, the Summit emphasized the the idea that one’s life’s purpose should not just be about securing a job, but about living a life that is true to oneself and fulfilling one’s potential every day. This message encapsulates Kellogg’s focus on developing leaders who are both successful and purpose-driven.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back, I would plan my courses more strategically from the start to align with my b-school interests and the requirements for my preferred courses. Initially, I came to Kellogg eager to deepen my knowledge in finance and investing. While I successfully completed a finance major, I didn’t effectively prioritize my electives. As a result, I missed out on two critical courses: Mergers and Acquisitions, LBOs and Corporate Restructuring and Impact Investing and Sustainable Finance. The former required a prerequisite I hadn’t completed, and the latter was only offered during the Winter quarter, and I was away on global exchange during that period of my second year. I advise incoming students interested in finance to take Accelerated Corporate Finance in their first semester to ensure flexibility for subsequent specialized finance courses.

What is the biggest myth about your school?  People often refer to Kellogg as a marketing school, like that was its sole area of strength. I was pleasantly surprised by Kellogg’s broad ranging domains of expertise and dedicated complimentary resources spanning consulting, entrepreneurship, social impact, and technology to name a few. There is an increasing proportion of students who successfully transition into these fields post-MBA (I’m an example!).

What movie or television show (e.g. The Big Short, The Founder, Mad Men, House of Lies) best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? The TV series Billions depicts lessons about balancing strategy and ethics through a captivating complex game of high finance and power, which my MBA journey has helped further demystify. Billions delves into the high-stakes power dynamics between smart Hedge Fund expert, Bobby Axelrod, and ruthless U.S. Attorney, Chuck Rhoades, as they use their intelligence and resources to outmaneuver each another. Set against the backdrop of the financial markets, the show digs into wealth accumulation, influence, and corruption, demonstrating how personal and professional lives intersect in the hustle for power. It emphasizes the intricacies of balancing profit strategies, strategic financial decisions and the actual human impact behind corporate decisions – as every action not only influences the bottom line but also affects all stakeholders. 

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Kellogg has integrated AI into its programming through operations classes that use large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT to improve students’ data analysis skills. For example, courses like Data Science with huge Language Models (OPNS 451) teach students how to use ChatGPT to write R scripts for manipulating and analyzing huge operational datasets. This technique enables students to move away from spreadsheet analysis and toward more efficient AI-enabled processes for automating analytical workflow chores, allowing them to focus on higher-order tasks and increase productivity. There are also several efforts to increase students’ access to AI tools like co-pilot and tailored GPT models.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire Susan Radov, a remarkable classmate who embodies exceptional leadership, dedication, and empathy. As the KSA Executive Vice President, a Kellogg Merit Scholar, and Co-President of the Jewish Student Association, Susan has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel across multiple community initiatives while maintaining academic excellence. Her commitment to fostering meaningful friendships and deep networking across the faculty and student body is truly impressive.

What sets Susan apart is her unique ability to identify and amplify the strengths of those around her, combining these talents with her own to drive impactful initiatives. Her leadership style is characterized by dependability, a passion for creating positive change, and a genuine interest in empowering others to do the same. Susan and I met during orientation week as fellow section mates (Highlanders), bonding over our shared pre-MBA experience in Women, Peace and Security policy. She took the initiative to cultivate our friendship through regular coffee chats and encouraged me to run for VP of Global Affairs on her KSA Executive leadership team—a decision that became a defining aspect of my Kellogg journey. Her exceptional memory and follow-through are traits that make her a standout dependable leader in the Kellogg community. If I could choose only one classmate to join my personal board of directors, it would undoubtedly be Susan Radov. Every person and organization would be most blessed to have Susan in their corner.

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

1. Entrepreneurship: Scale my social venture, AjoCARE, across Africa until exit via acquisition.
2. Corporate Leadership: Serve as President/Vice President at a Development Finance Institution or CEO of a fortune 500 Company.

What made Jibikeoluwa such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“I am pleased to write this recommendation for current Kellogg MBA student Jibikeoluwa Faborode. I have known Jibike since she first came to campus and have been impressed by her dedication to using her talent and time to address the needs of people and communities in developing economies.

Jibike came to Kellogg with an already outstanding impact track record. She has dedicated her professional life to development and to socially-focused work and entrepreneurship. Since arriving at Kellogg, Jibike has been conceiving and developing a social venture to address isolation and care needs of elders in Africa, starting with her own home country of Nigeria.

At the same time as she has been building her social venture concept and engaging in classes, Jibike has also earned the opportunity to intern (last summer) at EY-Parthenon and earned herself a post-graduation role there as well. This sort of pivot from working in global development to world-class consulting and finance is impressive in itself.

As a member of the Kellogg community, Jibike is a positive and engaged, bringing her global experience and insight to her classmates and learning. I wholeheartedly recommend Jibike for this feature. She serves as an example of what one person can do and how an MBA student can leverage their academic education and resources to build a legacy of impact.”

Professor Megan Kashner
Director of Social Impact & Sustainability
Kellogg School of Management

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