Kachi Ogbonna

I am so excited to introduce Adenike Ogunlesi to you. She is Africa’s foremost fashion entrepreneur who is redefining and blazing the trail in the children’s fashion niche. She has over 35 years of experience in the Fashion and Retail Business, and is the founder and Creative Director of Africa’s leading Premium children’s clothing brand- Ruff ‘n’ Tumble. Did you now remember that brand? And I guess it is your favourite for your children’s wear. Ruff ‘n’ Tumble has been sharing happiness to over a million children and families across the globe for years. And all these was made possible because Adenike dared to dream and pursue her vision fearlessly.

How She Started

Adenike started the Ruff ‘n’ Tumble brand from the boot of her car in 1998. She started with just very few people that believed in her vision.  But today she has built a reputable Pan-African brand. Her brand operates to international standards with over 300 employees and 17 retail outlets across Nigeria. Ruff ‘n’ Tumble equally boasts an impressive an online presence and expansion plans across the African continent and the international community.

Adenike is dynamic and phenomenal woman. Her quest for innovation and redefining what’s supposedly impossible on her own terms gave birth to the creation of Gatimo Apparel manufacturing. It is a state of the art garment manufacturing facility with the capacity to contract manufacture high quality garments to global standards.

She is a passionate speaker and an advocate for a more equitable society. Adenike advocates women owning their greatness by believing in the truest expression of themselves and being financially independent. Adenike is alsoan entrepreneur passionate about quality, excellence and service and that is exactly what she transmits to other ladies.

Her calling and desire for the development and growth of people led to the birth the Betti-Okuboyejo Foundation- a garment making training facility which has graduated over 200 youths; empowering them with skills in garment making and entrepreneurship. She also founded the ‘I Share Cuz I Care’ Foundation by Ruff ‘n’ Tumble. It is a community which promotes sharing and caring among children. The community has impacted thousands of children through the feed a child campaign and the dress a child campaign. The campaign provides brand new school uniforms and shoes to pupils in various schools within different communities.

What Does Adenike Bring into Lions Den as one of the Investors?

She is an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School. Adenike is also a Non-Executive Director at Lafarge Holcim Plc and the founding member and first president of the Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) at the Nigeria Employer’s Consultative Association (NECA). She is also an advisory board member and mentor at WISCAR (Women in Successful Careers). This is a structured mentoring programme for young women.

As you can see Adenike will be bringing years of corporate professional experience to Lions Den as an investor. But she will at the same time be bringing years of practical street entrepreneurship experience that young entrepreneurs could relate with.

Bolaji Balogun is Chief Executive Officer of Chapel Hill Denham, Nigeria’s leading independent investment banking firm. He is also the Chief Investment Officer of the Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund. He has over thirty years of experience in investment banking, investment management and mobile telecommunications. Chapel Hill Denham is one of Nigeria’s leading investment management firms and the leading alternatives investment manager with funds in infrastructure, Real Estate and SMEs.

Professional Career

Bolagi spent eleven years with FCMB Group, in investment banking and securities trading, leaving in January 2001. And from April 1993 to January 2001, he was Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at CSL Stockbrokers Limited. While in FCMB Bolaji was equally an Executive Director at FCMB Capital Markets from January 1996.

After leaving FCMB in 2001 he went ahead to become co-founder and Director at Econet Wireless Nigeria, now Airtel Nigeria. He led the capital raising and license bid auction process for Econet Wireless Nigeria’s $285 million GSM license. He was Chief Business Development and Strategy Officer and was appointed Chief Marketing Officer in October 2001. The $1.67 billion sale of Econet Wireless to Celtel in 2005 remains Nigeria’s single largest successfully exited private investment. Bolaji made that possible. But he left mobile communications and returned to investment banking when he founded Chapel Hill in 2005.

What is Bolaji Bringing into The Lions Den as one of the Investors?

Today, Bolaji is Chairman, Lafarge Africa, Vice Chairman of Endeavor Nigeria. He is also a Director at Trustfund Pension, one of Nigeria’s largest pension fund managers. He is equally a director at SME NG, a Nigerian impact investment platform, investing in Nigerian women and youth-owned SMEs. Bolaji was formerly Chairman on Nahco FTZ Limited, a former Director of Nahco Avaince Plc and NASD Plc. He was appointed to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Africa Advisory Board in September 2009.

Bolaji is also an Economics (Honours) graduate of the London School of Economics, University of London.

Bolaji Balogun will definitely be a great asset to the Lions Den as one of the premium investors. In like manner any entrepreneur that succeeds in convincing him to come on board as an investor in his or her business through the Lions Den will have all to gain.

How to Apply for Lions Den Season 3

Does the opportunity to pitch before these billionaire investors appeal to you? Do you consider your idea big and innovative enough with the potential to convince them? Do you equally  trust yourself to deliver when it matters most? Then you have a great opportunity here. To apply for Lions Den Season 3 simply click here. In fact it takes less than 15 minutes to complete your application if you already have an Ecobank account.