Mrs Bola Adeniyi-Taiwo

Mrs. Bola Adeniyi–Taiwo is a Co-Founder and the Managing Partner of the Workplace Centre Limited (TWPC), an HR and ICT consulting company. She graduated with a second-class upper degree in Law and German from the University of Keele, England.

She is a professional member of the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria and the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario, Canada.

Bola has over 25 years cognate experience in International Banking Operations, Human Resources Management, Training & Development as well as Corporate HR Advisory Services. Prior to establishing Woodsbridge Services, a Canada – based human resource and educational consulting firm in 2007, Bola was the General Manager, Corporate Services, Intercontinental Bank Plc, where she successfully developed several strategic HR initiatives in People Management and Learning Plans, Strategic Recruitment & Selection, HR and Succession Planning, Compensation and Benefits.

She also led several Strategic Corporate HR projects and in the course of her career received several awards and recognition for her outstanding professionalism and HR ideas and services to the organization as a Strategic Business Partner.

She served a two-year term on the Board of the HR Association in Windsor, Ontario as Program Director and led study groups for the provincial HR examinations. In addition, Bola was the recipient of the 2009 Outstanding CHRP Award (Volunteer Leadership Award) for her contributions to the HR community in Ontario, Canada.

Last November, Mrs. Bola Adeniyi – Taiwo was conferred with the Woman of Merit Gold Award by PSR Magazine.

In this chat with People & Power's Ono Laurence, she talks about her career, Human Resource Advisory Services in the Nigerian environment and sundry issues.

You only recently won the PSR Woman of Merit Gold Award in the Training and Human Resource Development Category. How does this make you feel?

I feel very honoured to have won the PSR Woman of Merit Gold Award along with many notable women in our society.

Tell us about your company, The Workplace Centre Limited (TWPC).

TWPC is a skills development and HR/ICT consulting services organization. Founded jointly in 2013 by Moji Olateru-Olagbegi and I, we set out to develop in our clientele essential soft and technical skills as they prepare for the ever-demanding business world. We also offer HR and ICT intervention solutions to corporate organizations.

What is your experience like, running Corporate Human Resource Advisory Services in the Nigerian environment?

The experience has been very rewarding, as we have had the privilege of working closely with top executives in providing solutions to some of the HR challenges they face. HR is taking on an increasingly strategic position in corporate Nigeria and it is gratifying to be able to add value to our clients' businesses in this critical area.

Before you co-founded TWPC, you floated a similar company called Woodsbridge Services in Ontario, Canada. How do you compare your experiences in both settings?

Woodsbridge Consulting is primarily an educational consulting and career management company, focused on providing educational guidance services to students and career management solutions to young adults and to corporate organizations. H.R consulting services in Canada are similar to Nigeria but essentially the differences are found in the recruitment practices, which are more regulated than you find in Nigeria. The Employment Laws in Canada are hugely protective of employees and employment discrimination is often a subject of litigation.

In 2009, you won the outstanding CHRP Award for your contributions to the HR Community in Ontario. What and what would you say earned you the award?

I was privileged to have been elected as a Director on the Board of the local chapter of the Human Resource Association of Ontario in May 2007, during which period I chaired, amongst other activities, study groups for students and HR personnel in the community working towards their HR certification. My work with a not-for-profit organization. Women's Enterprises Skills Training of Windsor, that provides skills training to immigrant women enabled me to contribute towards initiatives to promote diversity and improve opportunities for immigrants within the community. In 2009, I was honored to receive the very prestigious outstanding CHRP award from the provincial HR body in Ontario.

To think that you had a degree in Law and German from the University of Keele in England. Why did you not go into legal practice or something close to that?

My career choice, I believe, was driven by an innate passion to be a solution provider to people. That probably informed my desire to pursue the legal profession. I combined it with German, because of the natural flair and love I have for languages and for the German language in particular. I have always felt that the legal profession provides a solid background to my work as an HR professional.

As an entrepreneur, what inspires you?

I have a strong desire to impact lives especially the lives of the youth in Nigeria. This primary objectives is what drives and inspires me as an entrepreneur. I am grateful to God for a team of highly committed employees, who relentlessly pursue the goals of our organization to make a difference in the lives of our clients.

As a career woman working in Nigeria, would you say there are peculiar challenges?

There are challenges working in Nigeria, as there are in any part of the world. We however haveour peculiar challenges, centred on an entitlement mentality and a culture of greed, which sometimes poses difficulties when negotiating with decision makers. Of paramount importance whether you are a man or woman is to know what you stand for and very importantly for others to recognize the values that you hold dear.

Would you say women are generally doing well in Nigeria?

Women are found more and more at the top echelon of corporate Nigeria, in the private as well as the public sector and this is a very welcome and pleasing development.

Now, what are you looking up to in the foreseeable future in your career and business?

I would like to work more actively in an international setting in the future while continuing to adapt best global practices in my role as an HR Professional in Nigeria.