Benjamin Akande

DIR. & VP, STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
Prof Benjamin Ola. Akande is listed on Africa Speakers Group

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A renowned economist, leadership mentor, and global consultant to Fortune 500 companies and institutions in the higher education space. Dr Akande has served as a Director of organizations with a combined value of over USD 10 billion.

Senior Vice President, Director Human Resources, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Stifel Financial. He serves as the key advisor to Stifel on executing a companywide ESG strategy. He leads the talent organization with over 10,000 employees in over 400 global offices.

Dr. Akande was named the ninth President of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. He led the institution from April 2020 – May 2021. From April 2018 to April 2020, Dr. Akande served as Assistant Vice Chancellor of International Programs-Africa, Director of the African Initiative, and Associate Director of the Global Health Center at Washington University in St. Louis. He also chaired Washington University’s International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC).

Dr. Akande, a Nigerian-American citizen is a respected economist, scholar, and global consultant to Fortune 500 companies and institutions in the higher education space in the areas of strategy, leadership development, corporate responsibility and market positioning. He served as a director of Ralcorp Holdings, Inc., a $5 billion publicly traded manufacturer of high-quality private food labels, including Post, and has consulted for corporations such as Anheuser-Busch, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Voith, SeaWorld, and other global corporations.

A results-oriented leader, he consistently demonstrates the ability to establish rapport and connect with diverse constituencies at all levels in public, private and non-profit sectors.  He possesses refined business skills honed by working in entrepreneurial, mission-driven environments, brings confidence to implementing strategy and knows how to balance business goals with mission.

An engaging and compelling communicator, Dr. Akande is regularly sought out as a commentator by national media. He has appeared on Anderson Cooper 360, CBS Evening News and St. Louis affiliates of FOX, ABC and NBC. His commentaries have appeared in USA TODAY, Financial Times and on public radio’s Marketplace.

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