Beneath The Smile: MTN Benin CEO Reveals How to Build Unbreakable Leadership Infrastructure

In this powerful and deeply honest GIBS Podcast conversation, Janine Jealous sits down with the dynamic CEO of MTN Benin and Chairperson of MoMo Benin. A trailblazing leader with experience across Ghana, DRC, Liberia, and Benin, she shares the untold realities behind high-level leadership in Africa’s most challenging markets. From the emotional weight leaders carry to the myths of “just smile and push through,” this episode dives into what it truly takes to sustain success without burning out. Her groundbreaking book Beneath the Smile: Leadership Infrastructure reveals a practical framework for building the inner foundations every leader needs — support systems, personal restoration, continuous learning, and confronting the “basement” of unresolved pain. This episode is a must-watch for aspiring and current leaders, especially women navigating executive roles. Discover why performing leadership is exhausting, how to build authentic presence instead, the life-changing impact of her CEO of the Day program, and practical strategies for long-term sustainability. Raw, vulnerable, and packed with wisdom, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership and equip you with tools to lead with strength and intention. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome & Introduction 02:29 - The Golden Thread Behind Her Work 03:40 - The Story Behind “Beneath The Smile” 06:44 - What is Leadership Infrastructure? 10:30 - Why Success Alone is Not Sustainable 19:13 - The Basement: Grief, Loss & Unresolved Pain 24:56 - Building Your Real Support System 31:40 - The Readiness Trap & Lifelong Learning 36:57 - CEO of the Day Program Explained 42:36 - Her Current Leadership Infrastructure Assessment 📘 Get the book: Beneath the Smile – Leadership Infrastructure #WomenInLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #AfricanLeadership #BeneathTheSmile #CEO #ExecutiveLeadership #PersonalGrowth #WomenLeaders #MTNBenin