Mr. Joel Popoola is an accomplished professional with over 15 years of experience in banking and finance in Nigeria. He currently serves as the Chair of the UK Institute of Directors (IoD) Africa Group, where his work focuses on fostering strategic relationships between the UK and all 54 African countries. Through close engagement with African diplomatic missions in the UK, he identifies business and investment opportunities on the continent and designs pathways for IoD members and non-members to explore these opportunities.

In addition to his role with the IoD Africa Group, Joel is an IoD Ambassador in the North East of England, where he promotes business leadership and professional development. He holds an impressive educational background, including the Executive Leadership Programme from Oxford Saïd Business School, the Business Analytical Programme from Cambridge Judge Business School, and is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Global Business at the University of Oxford.

Joel is also an Africa advisor and consultant at E Stars, an educational e-sports company, where he applies his expertise to support the company’s initiatives across the continent.