Why I rejected a job at Chevron to join an Insurance startup" - Bukola Ifemade

Bukola Ifemade’s leadership journey reveals how professional expertise can become a platform for social impact. In this Sustainable Leadership Series conversation, the Managing Partner of EMDI Capacity Development Ltd and the Strategic Partner of ISSP reflects on a career shaped by insurance, capacity building, service and purposeful leadership. She explores how trust, collaboration and continuous learning can strengthen institutions, expand financial understanding and equip people to manage risk with confidence. Her experience shows that sustainable leadership is not defined by position but by the ability to develop others, translate knowledge into action and create systems that endure beyond one individual. The conversation also highlights the importance of mentorship, resilience and inclusive development in building Africa’s next generation of leaders. Ultimately, Ifemade presents leadership as a responsibility to open doors, deepen competence, and use industry experience to solve practical problems, strengthen communities and create lasting value across business, education and society for future generations across Africa.