Dr. Ayobami Oyedare is a seasoned executive and strategic leader with over 18 years of professional experience spanning international policy engagement, academia, governance, and institutional administration. He currently serves as Acting Managing Director, providing strategic leadership that drives institutional growth, partnership development, `and cross-sector collaboration. Throughout his career, he has built a strong reputation for connecting public policy, education, and international cooperation, with a particular focus on strengthening relationships between Africa and global institutions.
Dr. Oyedare has a diverse and distinguished academic background that reflects both leadership and cultural scholarship. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom, and a PhD from the University of Music and Theater in Hannover, Germany. In addition, he earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Church Music from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as a diploma in Church Music from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. His multidisciplinary academic training has shaped a leadership style that combines strategic management, cultural insight, and analytical depth.
Professionally, Dr. Oyedare has held several influential roles across policy, diplomacy, and higher education. He served as Director of the Africa Desk for Lord JD Waverley at the British Parliament, where he facilitated high-level engagements between UK policymakers and African leaders, including Nigerian governors, senior civil servants, and private sector stakeholders seeking stronger UK–Africa collaboration. He also worked in an advisory constituency role to the Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps, former UK Secretary of State for Energy, providing Afrocentric perspectives on policy issues. In addition, he supported strategic engagement between African institutions and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). In academia, he served as Registrar of Christ Redeemer College at Middlesex University, UK, overseeing institutional governance and administration. Dr. Oyedare also brings board-level governance experience, having served as a board member for the past two years, contributing to strategic oversight and institutional development.