Adenike Sanusi

Years in Tech

1

Current Role

Finance Lead, LifeBank

Core Skills

Financial reporting, financial management, corporate/project finance, stakeholder relationship management and risk management.

Interview Date

14th December, 2018

I am a Nigerian, from Iperu Remo, in Ogun State. I come from a happy and close knit family of three children. My mum is a retired civil servant, while my late dad, was a lawyer. I attended Olusesan Adetula Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, Lagos, and then went on to Regan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Yaba, also in Lagos. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies from the University of Lagos, and affiliate membership of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Currently, I am the Finance Lead at LifeBank; a Medtech company which is on a mission to save lives in Africa by ensuring that hospitals across the continent, have faster, cheaper, and safer access to essential health care products, such as blood, blood products, oxygen, and vaccines. At LifeBank, my role includes ensuring that the business makes smart financial decisions through proper cash management and effective internal control systems, maintains a healthy run rate, and is well positioned to attract investment.

Prior to joining LifeBank, I was involved in capital raising for various indigenous retail and residential developments, in Nigeria. I love travelling and I absolutely love to cook.

What experiences led you to technology and how did you develop the skills to compete in the industry?

I am deeply passionate about finance and the manner in which financial resources can be deployed to solve entrenched social problems, especially in the areas education, housing and healthcare. Naturally, I am particularly drawn to work that toes this line. I recently lost someone very dear to me, primarily due to the technological inefficiencies of the Nigerian public health system. When I got an offer to join LifeBank’s team, I was excited about being an integral part of a team that deploys technology to save lives by addressing critical health care challenges.

My previous experience has been very useful in my current role. However, working in a Medtech startup is a different ball game. I had to quickly learn and continue to learn how social impact tech startups are managed and funded whilst ensuring the business remains profitable and can scale quickly. I also had to gain an understanding of different technology deployed by the business, to ensure that I proffer practical and useful solutions. Also, my role involves a lot of stakeholder relationship management in a manner that ensure stakeholder buy-in, goal congruence, profitability and attainment of the company’s objectives.  

All of these present a new, exciting but often challenging experience. However, knowing that my work is impacting and enriching the lives of others is greatly fulfilling.

How has your background helped/differentiated you in the tech industry?

A combination of my previous experience in various aspects of finance, including real estate development financing, my educational and professional background, and the relationships which I built along the way, continue to help me apply lateral thinking to overcome challenges and find solutions in my current role. This is definitely a differentiation point for me.

What advice would you give to women considering a career in technology? What do you wish you had known?

You have to be proactive when looking for opportunities to help move the organization forward and grow the business. Stepping up and taking action demonstrate accountability and propels one forward very quickly. The importance of not just working hard, but also working smart and strategically cannot be over-emphasized.