MEET AGNES OPALEYE – THE DRIVEN YOUNG BANKER AND TALK-SHOW HOST STRAIGHT OUTTA LAGOS, NIGERIA
She banks hard, she hosts harder! Meet the
driven young banker and talk-show host straight outta Lagos, Nigeria. Her
positive outlook on life proves a strong example of several female go-getters,
as she turns her passion into a profession.
Hannah: What was the transition like from
Lagos life to London?
Agnes: I grew up in Lagos, born in Lagos and
lived there all my life. I moved over to the UK 6 years ago and must say it’s
been a fantastic experience.
H: What are most of
your days like?
Agnes: Crazy and fun – I work in investment
banking 9-5 Monday to Friday. Also on Saturdays I am on the radio – East London
Radio’s all-female show called ‘The Talk’ where we talk about common trends and
hot-topics worldwide.
H: When did you
realise radio is your passion?
Agnes: The more I did radio presenting, the more
I gained a deep passion for it. We get to talk about any and everything and
that’s one of the things I love the most about it! I see it as an outlets to
share my views with the world and to also give people a voice. It’s so
much fun interacting with all the other ladies. The moment I put those
headphones on and speak to the public, I realise that this is exactly what I
was born to do!
H: What do you love so
much about radio, in comparison to investment banking?
Agnes: Whilst I am thoroughly enjoying my career
as a banker, I am also in love with producing and presenting. Talking on the
radio is something I can do all day! Don’t get me wrong; investment banking is
very fun too and teaches me so much about the financial sector.
H: Were you stunned
when you got the opportunity to work in one of the biggest investment banks in
the world?
Agnes: I was ecstatic! I had to go through many
stages to get there. I didn’t doubt myself or anything, it was just a shocker
knowing that this happened so early in my career. I took a bold step of faith
and thought ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’ – when I got the role, I was
pleasantly surprised!
H: What’s your role
and what’s so stressful about it?
Agnes: I am a liquidity risk management
professional. We oversee several other departments, create reports, ensure
no-one gets in trouble with regulators, and we monitor what key money-making
departments of the bank are doing and ensure that they don’t step out of line!
H: Sounds challenging!
Agnes: Oh yes, nothing good comes easy. I
believe that challenges are there to be overcome – as long as you persevere,
you’ll be fine.
H: Do you believe that
many other people could follow in your footsteps in terms of being brought up
in Nigeria, coming here and beginning such a successful career path?
Agnes: Absolutely – I believe that if I can,
anyone can! I don’t believe I’ve even started yet; I have such big dreams for
myself and my career and can’t wait to grow.
H: What are another
one of your dreams?
Agnes: I also do motivational speaking on the
side when I can – not professionally – but I think it’s important to empower
people to get to where they want to be. It’s one of the many things that keeps
me alive and reminds me of my purpose. I mentor a lot of people that want to
pursue a career path in my field of work also. Motivating people is something
that comes naturally to me.
My sister, for example, is one of the
beneficiaries of this skill I have. I believe that I’ve successfully motivated
her by the grace of God, and now, she works with a top multi-national oil &
gas company in Nigeria.
H: Do you feel free?
Agnes: I definitely feel free. I believe that
I’m maximising my potential to the fullest at this stage of my life and
I’m excited to see what the future holds.
You can listen to Agnes every other Saturday at
East London Radio show ‘The Talk’, here: www.mixcloud.com/EastLondonRadio
