DEBORAH OJENGBEDE

DEBORAH OJENGBEDE

Blockchain and Web3 Expert
Lagos, NG.

About

A highly accomplished operational leader with a decade of experience in setting up and scaling mission-driven organizations across the Global South. As a proven Operator, Architect, and Ecosystem Builder, I excel at transforming strategic vision into execution, building robust developer ecosystems and redesigning financial inclusion. I thrive in dynamic environments, leveraging decentralized monetary systems like Bitcoin to drive global inclusion and scale impactful ventures.

Work

Abba
|

Director

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Part-time

Summary

Director at Abba, a strategy agency specializing in redemptive storytelling for visionary founders and advising high-net-worth individuals.

Highlights

Empowering visionary founders to articulate future visions through impactful redemptive storytelling.

Provide strategic advisory services to High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs) and Ultra-HNIs, guiding their investment and legacy planning.

HackerX Africa
|

Co-founder

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Seasonal

Summary

Co-created HackerX Africa, a launchpad for emerging tech builders focused on education, hackathons, and future incubation.

Highlights

Co-founded and launched HackerX Africa, a pivotal platform fostering emerging tech talent through education, hackathons, and incubation initiatives.

Pouch Finance Limited
|

Director

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Contract

Summary

Spearhead product and service development for Pouch Finance, providing strategic advisory and managing cross-functional teams to drive blockchain initiatives.

Highlights

Spearheaded the end-to-end development of Pouch Finance's core blockchain products and services.

Provide critical data-driven advisory services to the management team, informing strategic blockchain initiatives and product roadmaps.

Manage and align cross-functional teams, optimizing collaboration to achieve organizational goals and project milestones.

Contributed to securing $200,000 in funding for infrastructure development, enhancing operational capabilities.

AFEN Blockchain Group
|

Co-founder

Malta, Malta, Malta

Summary

Led strategic direction and operations for AFEN Blockchain Network, building one of the first community-led Web3 platforms in Africa and driving significant innovation and fundraising.

Highlights

Secured over $1M in funding through successful seed and tokenized offerings, significantly accelerating platform development and market entry.

Architected and launched one of Africa's first community-led Web3 platforms, driving early adoption and engagement across the continent.

Developed comprehensive product pipelines, robust community frameworks, and strategic partnerships from scratch, enabling rapid scaling of operations.

Drove significant blockchain innovation by leading a diverse portfolio of projects, converting high-potential ideas into viable products.

Union Bank HQ
|

Business Analyst, Alpher Women Banking

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Summary

Led the Alpher Women Banking initiative from inception, driving research, value proposition design, and implementation across multiple states.

Highlights

Led the Alpher Women Banking initiative from the ground up and my work helped Union Bank to raise $200million in Debt.

Executed nationwide in-depth research and focus sessions, directly informing the successful development and launch of the program.

Designed and delivered a compelling value proposition with tailored, segmented solutions, effectively addressing the unique needs of women customers.

Developed comprehensive implementation frameworks, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and multi-state rollout plans, ensuring program scalability.

Orchestrated numerous activations, events, and training sessions for frontline staff, enhancing effective implementation and customer engagement.

My work helped Union Bank to raise $200million in Debt

Union Bank HQ
|

Project Manager, Elite Banking

Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

Summary

Managed the nationwide fit-out and activation of Union Bank Elite Lounges, fostering business relationships and organizing events to drive growth.

Highlights

Directed the nationwide fit-out and activation of Union Bank Elite Lounges, enhancing client experience and brand presence.

Cultivated strategic business relationships across the country, significantly contributing to partnership development and business growth.

Orchestrated monthly events and lifestyle activations, boosting awareness for Union Bank Elite & HNI Banking propositions.

Delivered targeted training sessions, improving the skills and knowledge of frontline staff for enhanced service delivery.

Education

McKinsey & Company
N/A, N/A, N/A

Program

Problem Solving

Babcock University
Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria

Bachelor

Accounting

Grade: Second Class Honors – Upper Division

Awards & Achievements

Women Shaping Africa's Web3 Space

Awarded By

NEAR Foundation, Essence, BusinessDay, Emurgo Africa, and others

Recognized for significant contributions and influence in shaping the Web3 landscape across Africa.

Women in Web3 Changemaker Award

Awarded By

NEAR Foundation

Awarded for pioneering efforts and impact as a changemaker within the Web3 ecosystem.

Delegate at Jumpstarter Hong Kong

Awarded By

Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund

Selected as a delegate for a prestigious startup and entrepreneurship event, highlighting entrepreneurial potential.

Recognition for Trusted Industry Relationships

Awarded By

Industry Peers and Organizations

Acknowledged for cultivating trusted relationships across founders, developers, VCs, and policy circles, and for building a strong portfolio of top-tier talent.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Direction, Team Management, Ecosystem Building, Visionary Leadership, Mentorship.

Blockchain & Web3

Blockchain Technology, Web3 Platforms, Decentralized Monetary Systems, Crypto Industry, NFTs, DeFi.

Startup Operations

Early-Stage Ventures, Scaling Operations, Product Pipeline Development, Community Building, Partnership Development, Go-to-Market Strategy.

Financial Inclusion

Underserved Communities, Financial Services Redesign, Global Inclusion, Impact-driven Initiatives.

Business Development & Strategy

Fundraising, Strategic Partnerships, Market Research, Value Proposition Design, Implementation Frameworks, KPI Development, Business Engagements, Corporate Strategy.

Project Management

Project Delivery, Cross-functional Team Management, Program Management, Rollout Planning, Process Optimization.

Communication & Advocacy

Stakeholder Management, Thought Leadership, Public Speaking, Policy Advocacy, Redemptive Storytelling.

Advisory Services

Data-driven Insights, Strategic Recommendations, HNI/UHNI Advisory.

Publications

Meet 8 women shaping Nigeria’s blockchain/crypto industry

Published by

BusinessDay NG

Power-Packed Speaker Lineup Announced for AOT Lagos 6.0

Published by

BellaNaija

25 Influential Women to Shape Africa’s Web3

Published by

Emurgo Africa

NEAR Foundation and Forkast unveil winners of Women in Web3 Changemakers 2022

Published by

NEAR Foundation

Metaverse Mavens: These Women Launched Their Own Web3 Companies

Published by

Essence

Binance Announces AFEN as Winner of the Africa Hackathon

Published by

CryptoTV Plus

Union Bank Secures US$200m in OPIC Funding for SMEs and Women's Initiatives

Published by

Proshare

Drummer for Rudeboy (Psquare) for 3 years

Published by

Instagram