Ola Oyetayo, CEO of Verto
Full Name: Ola Oyetayo
Position and Company Name: CEO of Verto
Main Activity of the Company: Verto, which has offices in the UK, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and India, delivers enhanced cross-border payments for businesses all over the world. The firm helps power money movement in and out of emerging markets, such as Africa, with a range of solutions to receive and pay out, manage treasury, and convert up to 50 currencies
Date and place of birth: October 1981, Lagos, Nigeria
Schools and Tertiary Education: I attended Kings College Lagos, and then continued my higher education at Oxford Brookes University, in the UK
First Job: My first job was in mobile phone telesales
Size of First Pay Packet: £500 a month
Career Path to Date: I began my career by qualifying as a chartered accountant. From there, I spent a few years working in the banking industry, before becoming an entrepreneur. I then cofounded Verto in 2018 and currently serve as the CEO
Number of People under Your Leadership: Verto has 95 employees based all over the world – from the headquarters in London to India, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria
Management Style: Radical transparency, candour and allowing the best ideas to win
Personal Best Achievement: Becoming a father
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My father
Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Warren Buffett
Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Barack Obama
Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Jeff Bezos – his rise to becoming one of the most influential businesspeople in the world is remarkable and the dedication and determination that went into accomplishing his dream is inspiring
Philosophy of Life: Be inquisitive, keep an open mind, and always be learning
Biggest Ever Opportunity: The current opportunity we are addressing at Verto – that is, solving cross-border payment pain points for businesses in places like Africa
Biggest Ever Disappointment: The lack of convertibility between African currencies and the fact that we need to price most international trade in US dollars
Hope for the Future: That Africa is able to fulfil its immense potential as a continent in the not-too-distant future
Favourite Reading: Nonfiction business books
Favourite TV Programme: Succession
Favourite Food/Drink: Steak and red wine
Favourite Music: Hip-hop
Favourite Sport: Golf
Favourite Hobbies: Golf, reading and travelling
Car: I currently drive a Range Rover
Pets: We currently don’t have any pets, but I like dogs
Miscellaneous Dislikes: Not taking responsibility for one’s regress and blaming others
Married: To Femi
Children: Nathaniel, 3; Naomi, 1
Clubs: None