DAO

Biography

An entrepreneur who chose public service

Dr. Ayodele “Ayo” Ogunsan was born in Lagos on 6 October 1976. He built the Executive Group from a single Peugeot dealership, and today leads the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.
Dr. Ogunsan in a patterned agbada with his arms open

Early life

Ayodele Ogunsan grew up in Agege, Lagos, in what he calls an extremely poor background. From his first year of senior secondary school he organised tutorials for classmates and used the money to pay his own way.

His father, Engr. Akinola Ogunsan, served as an engineer in the Nigerian Air Force and later as a flight engineer with Nigeria Airways, and cared deeply about education. His mother, Madam Emiola Ogunsan, was a trader. Education and enterprise run through everything he has built since.

His first job was as pioneer sales and marketing manager for a bottled-water company. Peugeot Automobile Nigeria then picked him from more than 6,000 applicants, trained him in France and promoted him to Regional Sales Manager and National Sales Consultant. In 2005 he left to start his own company.

“My parents helped us by simply teaching us values even when we had nothing. They managed and struggled to train us. My parents were the best gift God gave me.”

Education

Formal study in Lagos and Ekiti, followed by executive programmes abroad.

  1. 1982 to 1988Ibido Primary School, Agege
  2. 1989 to 1994St. Joseph Secondary School, Agege
  3. 1995 to 1996Federal Polytechnic, Ado-EkitiBusiness Administration and Management
  4. 1997 to 1999Yaba College of Technology, LagosBusiness Administration
  5. 2000 to 2001Peugeot Automobile Nigeria training college, KadunaCorporate and technical training, with time in France

Executive education

  • Lagos Business School
  • Harvard Business School
  • Oxford Brookes University
  • Brunel University London
  • Georgetown University
  • University of Stellenbosch Business School
  • Management Development Institute, Singapore
  • University of Wolverhampton
  • University of Houston
  • GIMPA, Ghana
Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, his wife Dr. (Mrs) Ajoke Ogunsan and their daughters in a marble archway

Family and faith

He married Dr. (Mrs) Ajoke Ogunsan, who leads Executive Trainers Ltd, on 10 June 2006, and they have three daughters. He is the firstborn of four siblings who together run the AKEM Foundation in their parents’ memory.

A member of Deeper Life Bible Church, he has described himself as a preacher of righteousness since his teens. Since 2021 he has marked each birthday with a gospel hymns and songs concert. He relaxes with table tennis, swimming, travel and gospel music.

Memberships

  • Institute of Directors of Nigeria
  • Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce
  • Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce
  • Nigerian Institute of Management (Associate)
  • Institute of Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (Fellow and Patron)