Rolayo Lasebikan

IESE Business School

“Dentist-turned-strategist and entrepreneur, anchored by faith and family, shaping brands that connect with people.”

Hometown: Ibadan, Nigeria

Fun Fact About Yourself: I built and ran a fashion brand, The Ankara Dentist, for nine years, turning a single idea into a six-figure business serving customers across Africa, Europe, America and Australia.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Ibadan, Dental Surgery Major.

Where Was the Last Place You Worked Before Enrolling in Business School? Strategy Lead (Research and Insights), Nitro 121

Where Did You Intern During the Summer of 2025? KLARO Impact in Barcelona. I developed a go-to-market strategy, refined audience segmentation, strengthened brand positioning, and led a website redesign that improved how the company communicated its value to clients. I also got to work with EntryMapper, a go-to-market consultancy firm that supports organizations across sectors and geographies with decision-grade market intelligence.

Where Will You Be Working After Graduation? I aim to work in brand or product management within FMCG, retail or healthcare, building consumer centric products.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Vice president (marketing) in Women in Business
• Vice president (events), Africa Business Club
• TY Danjuma Scholar

Which Academic or Extracurricular Achievement Are You Most Proud Of During Business School? On a personal level, I am proud of my ability to balance my extracurricular and academic activities with being a new mother. The experience taught me a new level of focus, discipline, and clarity about what truly matters. In terms of academics, I am most proud of winning the EXSIM as CMO, which was a defining moment. In a fast-paced, data-driven situation, I led pricing, product and market decisions, and our team placed first with the highest market share and strongest financial performance. It validated that I could combine analytic rigor with strategic intuition and deliver results.

In terms of extracurricular activities, as VP of marketing for the Women in Business Club, I led branding for the annual conference of 500+ attendees, managing a team of three and shaping everything from visual identity to messaging and event coverage. I also launched the WiB newsletter, which became a key touchpoint for engagement and community building. As VP of marketing for the Africa Business Club, I planned Afrofest, the African stand at Multiculti, and crated dinners with leaders such as Tunde Onakoya.

What Achievement Are You Most Proud of in Your Professional Career? I am most proud of being able to switch from dentistry to marketing strategy and being recognised as a “Top 35 marketing communication professional under 35 in Nigeria” within 5 years of my transition. I rose to Strategy Lead at a top marketing and advertising agency, developing strategy for Arla Dano Milk, Lurpak Butter, Bajaj Automobile, Multichoice, and British Council. As an entrepreneur, I built The Ankara Dentist from scratch into an international brand. I experimented constantly, launching new product lines, pivoting during COVID to cotton face masks, and collaborating with Netflix Nigeria. This journey proved that careers don’t have to be linear to be impactful; hey only need to be intentional.

Why Did You Choose This Business School? I chose IESE for its case method, which I first experienced through my husband’s MBA journey. It challenges you to think critically, engage diverse perspectives, and apply theory to real practice. The combination of rigor, reflection and global exposure made IESE the right environment for my growth.

Who Was Your Favorite MBA Professor? Elena Reutskaja. Her marketing class reshaped how I think about customer behavior and decision-making and confirmed my decision to attend IESE. Her clarity and curiosity turned every case discussion into a lesion in strategic thinking.

What Was Your Favorite Course as an MBA? Omnichannel Retailing with Professor Nueno felt like a masterclass in modern marketing. He connected traditional principals with evolving retail realities and brough in industry leaders whose insights bridges strategy and execution.

What Was Your Favorite MBA Event or Tradition at Your Business School? The international modules, especially the Shenzhen Module, showed IESE’s commitment to immersive global learning. Experiencing new markets, navigating foreign cultures, and deepening class bonds reinforced that understanding business means understanding context.

Looking Back Over Your MBA Experience, What Is the One Thing You’d Do Differently and Why? I would have trusted myself earlier. In the beginning, surrounded by high achieving peers, I sometimes questioned my abilities. Balancing the MBA with motherhood helped me rediscover confidence and reminded me that capacity grows when purpose is clear.

What Was the Most Impactful Case Study You Had in Business School and What Was the Biggest Lesson You Learned From It? The Pirelli case in Operational Finance stayed with me. The numbers showed the investment was too risky, yet the entrepreneur’s deep customer understanding told a different story. It reminded me that sound decisions blend data with judgment. Numbers frame risk, but people and purpose drive outcomes.

What Did You Love Most About Your Business School’s Town? Barcelona has become home — vibrant, diverse and full of energy. The city’s balance of creativity, culture, and lifestyle creates the perfect environment for personal and professional growth.

What Business Leader Do You Admire Most and Why? Aishetu Fatima Dozie. Her career spans global finance and entrepreneurship, yet she leads with faith and humility. She embodies success that is ambitious but grounded, expansive yet authentic: the same balance I strive for as I build across markets and industries.

What Is One Way Your Business School Has Integrated AI Into Its Programming and What Insights Did You Gain? At IESE, AI was integrated into courses like Customer Analytics, Negotiation, and Innovation, where we used simulations to test decisions and scenarios. I learned that while AI can accelerate analysis, it cannot replace human insight, creativity or empathy. Skills that matter even more in an AI-driven world.

Which MBA Classmate Do You Most Admire and Why? Renda Putri. As a fellow mother, I deeply admire her resilience, discipline, and generosity. She balances family life and a demanding MBA while consistently lifting others an example of quiet strength and grace.

What Are the Top Two Items on Your Professional Bucket List? First, I want to build a sustainable fashion brand for Africa that produces high quality, affordable everyday wear designed and made locally. Second, I want to create a consultancy that helps African businesses build strong, scalable consumer brands by combining strategy, storytelling, and execution.

What made this student such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Rolayo during her MBA at IESE, and she stands out as one of those students who strengthens both the intellectual and human fabric of the classroom and the program.

Rolayo brings a distinctive perspective shaped by an unusually professional journey. Originally trained and practicing as a dentist in Nigeria, she later transitioned into marketing strategy and entrepreneurship before pursuing her MBA. Levering her experience and class preparation, Rolayo brought to the classroom thoughtful and grounded perspectives to discussions about consumers, markets and business strategy.

What makes Rolayo particularly impactful is the way she connects ideas, people and experiences. Her contributions are often informed by her understanding of emerging markets and consumer behavior, allowing her to challenge assumptions and broaden the perspective of those around her. Equally impressive is the way Rolayo has navigated the demands of the MBA while being a mother and an active contributor to the community.

Rolayo approaches leadership with humility and generosity, investing her time in initiatives that strengthen the MBA community and support those around her.

Rolayo embodies the curiosity, resilience and collaborative spirit that define the best MBA students. She not only succeeds individually but elevates those around her, making her an outstanding representative of the IESE community.”

Albert Valenti
Associate Professor of Marketing
IESE Business School

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