Margaret Olele speaks on leading with intent, lifting other women, building beyond boardroom

Margaret Olele, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Secretary of the American Business Council, sees leadership not just as a title, but as a responsibility to empower others, especially women.

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In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Olele reflects on her professional journey, the challenges of being a woman in leadership, and what it truly means to accelerate action in today’s world.

PT: Can you tell us about your professional journey and how you became a CEO?
Mrs Olele: I started my professional career in advertising and moved quickly to work in the marketing and strategy department of the first private TV company in Nigeria – Clapperboard Television.
A big break in my career happened when a prospective client, Ajinomoto, invited me to set up their advertising and public Relations Manager.
I became General Manager, and worked in various roles – marketing, business development, Quality management system, regulatory and Corporate Affairs. I worked in this organisation for over 16 years before moving to Pfizer.
I worked in various leadership roles in Pfizer for seven years across most of the SSA, including public affairs and communication director, tenders and institutions director, health and value director, and access and key account director. I represented Pfizer on the Board of the American Business Council.
I retired from Pfizer at the age of 50, and there was a job opportunity for a CEO to steer the strategic growth of the Council. I got the job and have been in this position since 2017.

PT: In your opinion, how do women leaders inspire and empower others around them, especially other women?

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Mrs Olele: By what you do, not only what you say; by providing opportunities for people around you to grow and not feel threatened by those who show the ability to excel even better than you.
Mentoring is helpful in empowerment, but it should not be for show or ad hoc. It should be purposive and should have direction. Women leaders should also not feel burdened to apply the stick when necessary.
Pruning helps growth. Those around you may thank you in the future. Try to listen more and talk less. You may like the sound of your voice, but listening to others, can help you help them.

PT: What do you think is unique about women in leadership roles compared to men?

Mrs Olele: One phrase – Emotional Intelligence.

PT: What challenges did you face as a woman in your industry, and how did you overcome them?
Mrs Olele: Being more qualified than the owner of the Company I worked for. He consistently had a chip on his shoulder and always referred to my double Masters anytime we discussed work as he had an OND. He was working hard to create self-doubt about my abilities and whittle my confidence.
Having to prove and overcome the stereotypes that I could still get my job effectively after marriage and having children in a male-dominated leadership company. Being the only female in leadership at some point in my career made me work twice as hard and push for better results.

PT: Can you share one of the most rewarding moments in your career that solidified your passion for leadership?

Mrs Olele: Led a team that worked and produced a product that became the big break for the food seasoning company I worked for. I tested new models of engagement that transformed the key accounts management strategy and growth in the pharma company where I worked.
The time I broke the boundaries of my work and led to a successful sale (even when not working in sales), unprecedented in the history of the company, working with my team during COVID to create a vibrant organisation. Overall, My rewarding moments often come with creating success out of crisis.

PT: What advice would you give to young Nigerian women aspiring to become leaders in their fields?

Mrs Olele: Be professional; hold your ground. Be competitive, not comparative. Think Humankind, not womankind. Be versatile and flexible. Avoid the entitlement mentality.

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PT: How do you balance the demands of being a CEO with other aspects of your personal life?

Mrs Olele: Being a CEO and mother, wife, and daughter means you have to create time for each aspect of your life. You need to be there for the important milestones of your children’s existence.
When your spouse and children see you as a friend and to a large extent confidant, you know you have won half of the battle.
Always hold on to your spiritual existence – that should be what keeps you going. If you do not balance these other aspects of your life, you can not be fulfilled or happy.

PT: This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action.” What does this theme mean to you and how does it reflect your leadership approach?
Mrs Olele: For me, accelerating action means ramping up efforts with a sense of urgency, driving progress at all levels, and pushing beyond boundaries.
To achieve this, I must prioritise what truly matters – the high-impact, high-value initiatives and partnerships that will propel what matters to me, my work, my family, women, and society forward.
My expectations from my team will be precisely that—fewer mistakes, more successes, increased hunger to impact and excel, and humility to learn from the ashes of error. This also means less handholding and, more than ever, a readiness for them to conquer the world.

This interview was conducted in partnership with Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian non-profit organisation committed to advancing and empowering women in leadership.