Oluwasolape Akinde

Oluwasolape Akinde is a Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Professional with experience spanning more than a decade across various industries in Africa. His expertise cuts across CyberSecurity, Business Continuity, Risk Management, IT Governance, and Data Protection.

He started his career with Total E&P, before moving to MTN and subsequently Digital Jewels Limited where he cut his teeth as a GRC leader, Certified Implementer and Auditor having delivered several Management System Standard projects for over 85 organisations in Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, and the Gambia.

As a certified trainer facilitating numerous notable standards, Solape has successfully trained over 700 professionals across Africa in several Management System standards.

At Digital Jewels Ltd, he was the Head, Process Consulting (IT Standards) responsible for East, West, and Central Africa and it was during his tenure the organisation won PECB’s Best Training Partner in Africa for 2 consecutive years- 2019 and 2020.

After a long stint at Digital Jewels, he joined IHS Towers as the Manager, Third-Party Risk Management. After which he became the Head of IT Governance, Risk and Compliance at Seven-Up Bottling Company Limited (Pepsi-Co Bottlers).

Solape is the Managing Partner at SLP Consulting Ltd, where he provides consultancy and advisory services to organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa, specializing in Cybersecurity, Business Continuity, Privacy, and Risk Management.

Solape is the founder of GRCAfriq, which is on a mission to raise the next generation Governance, Risk and Compliance Professionals. They have successfully graduated over 200 professionals from two sets of the cohort form over 35 countries.

Solape holds certifications across several standards some of which include: ISO 22301 Lead Implementer and Auditor, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer and Auditor, ISO 21500 Lead Project Manager, (PRINCE 2), IT service management (ITIL V3), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) Lead Implementer and Internal Auditor, ISO 27032 Lead Cyber Security Manager, ISO 3100 Lead Risk Manager and Certified Data Protection Officer (CDPO), Certified Management Systems Auditor (CMSA), Chief Artificial

Intelligence Officer (CAIO).

He is passionate about seeing and driving African businesses to become formidable institutions built to last through the implementation and maintenance of International Best Practice Standards.

He enjoys football, traveling and is an ardent propagator of good governance.