Adeolu Adewumi-Zer

Founder & Managing Director of ZER Consulting Africa

Seasoned strategist and accomplished business leader with nearly 25 years of experience on four continents, driving sustainable growth in Africa. Passionate about empowering the continent’s next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. Led the turnaround of Allianz Nigeria as MD/CEO, achieving a technical profit for the first time in three years. As Founder & Managing Director of ZER Consulting Africa, now leverages expertise in executive leadership, business strategy, and corporate governance to empower startups, scale-ups, and social enterprises.

As a global Nigerian and lifelong Afro-optimist, Adeolu Adewumi-Zer is dedicated to shaping a brighter future for Africa. Equipped with dual honors degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, Adeolu’s stellar academic foundation set the stage for her transformative tenure at two different multinationals, culminating as the CEO of Allianz Nigeria. During her time at Allianz, Adeolu played a pivotal role in the growth of their African region, building a strategic portfolio valued at close to half a billion Euros across Africa within four years.

At ZER Consulting Africa (ZER), she now leverages her nearly 25 years of experience on four continents into driving sustainable growth across Africa, collaborating with development agencies, investment funds, and social ventures to provide strategic guidance in areas critical for growth. Adeolu is a champion for financial inclusion, gender equality, and quality education. Her leadership extends beyond ZER, with influential positions on boards and advisory committees focused on social impact in Africa, and she is a member of various esteemed professional bodies, while also generously volunteering her time to mentor and advise.

Accolades:

• Top 50 Women in Insurance in Africa (2022)
• Top 100 Women Impacting Africa (2023)

Beyond ZER:

A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Adeolu frequently addresses international audiences, sharing her unique insights on topics like corporate governance, executive leadership, gender empowerment, and social impact, all with the aim of shaping the new Africa. In her free time, Adeolu enjoys running, reading, and exploring new cultures.