MOTIVATIONAL PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK – OPUNIMI AKINKUGBE
Opunimi Akinkugbe is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bestman Games Limited, the African distributor of customized editions of Monopoly, Hasbro’s world famous game which is sold and supplied to about 48 African countries.
- Nimi (as popularly called) was born in Port Harcourt and lived in Lagos until she was 7 years old when her family moved to East Africa where her late father Mr. F.I. Ajumogobia was UNESCO’s Chief of Mission.
- She grew up in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and attended the International School of Tanganyika, and later Limuru Girls School, Limuru, Kenya before returning to Nigeria for her O’ Levels at the International School, Ibadan. She holds a bachelor’s degree from The London School of Economics (LSE) and an MBA from Lagos Business School (IESE).
- She also formalized her interest in Music by obtaining a Piano Teaching Diploma (ARCM) from the Royal College of Music in London before returning to Nigeria to participate in the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
- Opunimi Akinkugbe enjoyed a distinguished banking career spanning over 2 decades first at Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc where she rose to the position of General Manager and Head Private Banking with responsibility for the bank’s high net worth business and Director of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Ltd. Subsequently she joined Barclays Bank Plc as Regional Director (West Africa) for the Wealth & Investment Management Division and Chief Country Officer for Nigeria.
- In December 2012, the former Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola launched the first ever African City Edition of Monopoly, the popular board game, tagged “The City of Lagos Edition of Monopoly”. Subsequently, the Nigeria Centenary Edition was launched in February 2014 and the City of Accra, Ghana Edition of Monopoly, launched 25 March 2015.
- Bestman Games has hosted two annual Monopoly Inter-School Competitions, had its first Monopoly City of Lagos Bus Tour in November 2014, and hosts regular Monopoly games nights on the last Thursday of each month.
- Achieving financial security ranks as a major source of anxiety and Nimi seeks to empower people regarding their finances. Under the auspices of the brand “Money Matters with Nimi,” through speaking engagements, television and radio appearances and social media, the Monopoly Board Games and her new book, “A – Z of Personal Finance”, Nimi provides frank, practical insights to create a greater awareness and understanding of personal finance and wealth management issues. Through these platforms, she has been able to empower people to take responsibility for this most important aspect of their lives.
- Nimi contributes articles to several leading publications including Genevieve Magazine, a leading Nigerian women’s lifestyle magazine, Business Day, the Punch Newspapers, and the Guardian Newspapers. Her articles are also featured in a host of other publications, websites and blogs including, Bella Naija, Lagos Mums, Eden Lifestyle and The Edition, a Kenyan publication.
- Nimi is a Director of The Play Pen (Child Development Centre). Other Directorships include, The Daisy Management Centre, House of Tara International, Promo Print Ventures, and Financial Derivatives Company.
- She has a proven track record in banking and servers as a mentor / influencer of Nigeria’s women in the banking sector.
- Nimi is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ajumogobia Science Foundation, which seeks to support the teaching and learning of science, and a member of the Board of Trustees of The Play Pen, Child Development Centre and the Artistes Committee of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON). She is also on the Selection Committee of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP).
- In her spare time, she is a keen gardener (Nimi’s garden), loves boating, writing, playing the piano and travel.
- She is married and blessed with children.
Photo credit – https://bestmangames.com/directors/nimi-akinkugbe/
corporate women, Entrepreneur of the week, women in business