Rachael Popoola

A vastly experienced research, analytics and strategy development expert, Rachael Popoola holds the position of Senior Manager (Insights for Africa Innovation) in Diageo Company, UK. Her prior contributions at Guinness Nigeria (a Diageo subsidiary) have led to significant improvements especially in re-engineering business strategy to focus on markets with high “SoP” for enhanced profitability. This has earned her more than 5 notable recognitions in less than 5 years. Prior to this, she had successfully led projects at local and international levels (African and European countries) with notable results. With her outstanding analytical and interpersonal skills, and a drive for success, she was able to uncover great opportunities for organizations, deploying analytics and consumer insights on a bedrock of integrity and excellence.

With a robust background in Business Administration and a Master of Science degree in Business Economics from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, she began her career at SIAO Consulting Firm in Lagos Nigeria, as a Business Analyst. There she was able to acquire Business Analysis, Project Management and Research Skills with notable achievements of successfully managing due diligence project for the National Identity Management Commission and Credit Awareness (Financial Inclusion) project for the Federal Government of Nigeria in the early 2000s. She then proceeded to ABN AMRO Bank (Formerly Royal Bank Scotland) in Amsterdam as a Business Advisor. She attained tremendous results, one of which was the successful launch of 3V Prepaid Virtual Card, the first virtual prepaid card innovation in the Dutch market.

In 2001, she joined Procter & Gamble’s Strategy & Country Insights for West Africa as the CMK Manager. Her enthusiastic approach in producing professional results with her proven capabilities in data analytics and translating market insights into viable strategies made a toothpaste brand dominate market profitably in year two of launch. In 2014, she was recognized with a Platinum Award: Turning insights into winning strategy (Activation of New Segments/Life stages) for premium portfolio launches. That followed the Platinum Award 2013: Delivery of “Insight-To-Action” on the launch of Oral B (delivered at lx. 250% vs. Target), Global Starship Team Award for y-o-y profitability of Oral B Paste post 3 years launch – 2013. She was enlisted in the Top-5 Talent in CMK CEEMEA region after achieving 1 Rating at Band 1 level – 2013. A year earlier, she won the ACE Silver Award for successfully developing and optimizing West Africa’s strategy for first time profitability.

The profundity and diversity of Rachael’s experience in Business management is evident in the varied nature of the assignments that she has had to undertake across the broad spectrum of private enterprise. She joined Etisalat Telecommunication in 2014 as the Research and Market Insights Lead. There she also made notable achievements that drove the sales of the company to remarkable peaks. She conducted strategic projects that resulted in successful product launches with revenue of lx.170% vs. target; successfully activated and launched a new campaign strategy through a million dollar-segmentation study with an ROI of 2.0; successfully drove cost-saving strategy through Automation and Migration of Retail Experience Study to Mobile methodology (saving 60% cost yearly); amongst others.

Rachael’s interest transcends Business Analysis. She has also passionately sought to contribute to Research and Analytics Development by delivering insightful papers and presentations at international conferences. She belongs to reputable research associations locally (NiMRA) and Internationally (ESOMAR), and recently served as the Country Representative for ESOMAR (an association of Market Researchers in the world) in Nigeria.

Beyond her professional career, Rachael is passionate about rendering services to humanity, especially in the areas of education and youth development. She is currently the Non-Executive Director of E-School, https://www.eschool-ng.com/ an all-in-one cloud based, easy to use learning and management solution for schools. It is an initiative that makes learning and managing educational institutions very easy and efficient. Her passion for education also cuts across other facets like providing food and school materials for kids through such projects as: Back2School, FACT (Feed A Child Today) and Hope Field Network. Her passion for youth development is nurtured through volunteering programmes that she delivers to NGOs. She is a past DTA facilitator for the World Bank on SDGs in Nigeria, and currently a Youth Mentor for Westminister Befriendafamily in the UK.

Rachael is also passionate about Christ and continues to display godly principles of diligence and integrity in her career. She believes in the principle that, ‘The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.’ She is a member of West London Toastmasters, UK. She is happily married and blessed with two children.