About

Leadership, to me, has always been about stewardship.

It is the responsibility to care for what has been entrusted to you, to build in a way that outlives you, and to ensure that opportunities extend beyond the individual who holds them.

My understanding of this has been shaped strongly by my faith. When I think about leadership, I often reflect on the example of Christ, His humility, His sense of responsibility, and His commitment to service. It reminds me that leadership is not simply about position, but about how we serve, how we carry responsibility, and how we show up for others.

I began my career as a lawyer, drawn to the role governance plays in shaping organisations and influencing outcomes over time. That interest led me into work across corporate governance, compliance, risk management and sustainability, particularly within the energy sector. Over the years, I have worked in environments that require careful thinking, sound judgment, and an understanding that decisions carry weight beyond the moment.

I currently serve as Executive Director and Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at Oando Plc, where I oversee governance, compliance, corporate services and sustainability strategy, with a focus on aligning systems and decisions for long-term value.

Alongside this, I remain committed to mentorship and the development of future leaders. I believe leadership is not only measured by what we achieve, but also by the people we support, the opportunities we create, and the legacy we leave behind.

At its core, my work is about stewardship. Of responsibility, of influence, and of the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to institutions, systems and people.

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Ayotola Jagun
AJ
Ayotola Jagun
AJ
Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.
Matthew 20:26
Board profile

Ayotola Olubunmi Jagun

LLB, BL, MSc, FCGI, FCIoD. A governance, risk and sustainability executive with more than thirty years of international experience across the energy, financial services, professional services and multinational corporate sectors. She brings to the boardroom deep expertise in governance oversight, ESG strategy, regulatory environments, stakeholder management and strategic risk foresight, with a record of guiding organisations through complex transactions, regulatory challenges and sustainability transformation.

Where she serves

Executive Director, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer
Oando Plc
Executive oversight of governance, compliance, corporate services, risk, procurement and the group sustainability and ESG agenda.
Vice-Chair, Africa
ICC Global Commission on Business Integrity
Shaping the standards that govern how businesses trade with integrity across more than 170 countries.
Chairperson
Scrap Art Foundation
Governing a social impact institution that turns reclaimed materials into art and opportunities for young Nigerians.
Chairperson
Indie Finance Limited
Institutional leadership and governance at board level within the financial services sector.
Director & Trustee
Mirabel Centre
Supporting the governance of Nigeria's first sexual assault referral centre, providing free care and justice to survivors.
Co-Chair
Governance Code Technical Working Group (NPO)
Co-leading the development of governance standards for Nigeria's non-profit sector.
Director
Clean Business Practice Initiative
Advancing ethical business conduct and anti-corruption practice across the Nigerian private sector.
Founder
Governance & Compliance Professionals Nigeria
Building a professional community of over 12,000 governance and compliance practitioners across multiple countries.

Board & governance expertise

  • Corporate governance and board effectiveness
  • Enterprise risk management and strategic risk oversight
  • Sustainability and ESG governance
  • Ethics, compliance and regulatory frameworks
  • Energy sector governance and energy transition
  • Strategic procurement and supply chain oversight
  • Stakeholder engagement and reputation management
  • Mergers, acquisitions and complex transactions

Board & committee suitability

  • Audit and Risk Committee
  • Governance and Nominations Committee
  • Sustainability / ESG Committee
  • Ethics and Compliance Committee
  • Strategy Committee

Career history

Chief Compliance Officer & Company Secretary
Oando Plc · 2011 to 2025
Advised the Board on governance, regulatory compliance and enterprise risk across multiple exchanges and jurisdictions. Governance leadership included the acquisition of ConocoPhillips' Nigerian upstream assets, regulatory processes for the Toronto Stock Exchange listing, the governance of a reverse takeover, and a complex multi-year regulatory dispute resolution.
General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Capital G Limited, Bermuda · 2008 to 2011
Governance, fiduciary and legal advisory across banking, asset management and insurance entities.
VP, Senior Corporate, Risk & Control Manager
Citigroup Fund Services, Bermuda · 2007 to 2008
Corporate governance, risk management and compliance frameworks across multi-jurisdictional investment funds.
Legal Counsel & Company Secretary
Sara Lee UK Holdings Limited · 2002 to 2007
Corporate transactions, governance frameworks and regulatory compliance across international subsidiaries.

Education

  • MSc, Corporate Governance & Business Ethics, Birkbeck, University of London
  • Solicitor, BPP Law School
  • Barrister at Law, Nigerian Law School
  • LLM studies, University of Cambridge (Taxation & Securities Regulation)
  • LLB, Birmingham City University

Qualifications & certifications

  • Barrister & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Nigeria
  • Solicitor, England & Wales
  • Fellow, Chartered Governance Institute (UK)
  • Fellow, Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria
  • Fellow, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria
  • Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist
  • Certified Ethics Officer, Ethics Institute of South Africa
  • ESG Competent Boards Certification, Competent Boards, Canada
  • Executive Programme, Women's Leadership Forum, Harvard Business School

Board value

  • Independent judgement and ethical leadership
  • Deep governance and compliance expertise
  • Strategic risk and ESG oversight capability
  • Experience navigating complex regulatory environments
  • Global perspective across Africa, Europe and offshore financial centres