Aderinola Mary OJULARI

‘ Women Thrive When They Are Empowered To Lead’

Aderinola Mary Ojulari is the Deputy Managing Director at Weststar Associates Limited, sole authorised general distributor for Mercedes- Benz in Nigeria. She also serves as the Vice President of the European Business Organisation in Nigeria. A candidate of the Executive MBA at Warwick Business School, she holds a degree in Accounting and Finance from London South Bank University and is a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 2008. She also has several Human Resources certifications from Lagos Business School. A focused and result oriented finance executive with over 22 years experience, she has worked in a range of senior and director level roles in the media and service sectors. Starting her career in audit at KPMG UK, before moving to Bass Group PLC as a management accountant in 2003 and thereafter Whitbread PLC UK as a management accountant, Ojulari joined the British Broadcasting Company ( BBC) as an analyst in 2006. She relocated to Nigeria in 2012 where she worked with CNBC and Forbes Africa as the finance director for West Africa. In this interview with TOBI AWODIPE, she talks about relocating back home to make a positive change, how SMES can find their feet in a post- pandemic recovery, how women owned businesses can better thrive now more than ever and how the AFCFTA agreement can benefit local businesses.

You have had a long and illustrious career, take us through it briefly?

ISTARTED my career in audit at KPMG UK and after three years of training, I moved to Bass Group PLC, one of the largest hospitality companies in the UK. Thereafter, Whitbread PLC UK, which is also one of the largest companies in the hospitality sector in the UK. At both companies, I worked as a management accountant, providing sound business and financial advice and analysis to operation managers.

I joined the British Broadcasting Company ( BBC) as an analyst in 2006. There, I was exposed to different divisions and was supporting each one by partnering and sharing best practices across divisions. In 2009, I was promoted to business and corporate planning manager in the corporate finance division. This role exposed me to all eighteen divisions of the BBC at the time and I learnt stakeholder management, negotiation and influencing, leadership and crisis and change management.

I joined CNBC and Forbes Africa in 2012 after relocating back home where I worked as Chief Financial Officer for West Africa. In addition, I was responsible for the administration and human resources division for West Africa for five years before joining Weststar in 2017, where I currently work. You are also the VP of European Business Organisation ( EBO) in Nigeria, what does EBO do and how does it benefit Nigeria and businesses here? The Eurocham Nigeria was launched in Lagos on October 4, 2018, during the last EU- Nigeria Business Forum as European Business Organisation ( EBO) Nigeria.

We are a private sector driven organisation founded by 19 major European companies, to represent the European business community interests in Nigeria. Today, we have over 30 members. We are also a member of the EBOWWN, connecting European business associations and Chamber of Commerce from more than 45 countries outside Europe.

Eurocham Nigeria’s main objectives are: To actively promote trade, investment and exchanges between European and Nigerian business, and to engage central and/ or local government, when necessary, to raise awareness or formulate recommendations on particular issues of interest or concern.

To advocate European quality standards, best business practices and corporate social responsibility. To advocate