Demilade Jemilugba

Leading investments and Finance for an early-stage venture studio and fund dedicated to backing African tech founders and fostering prosperity through technology.

• Directed comprehensive fund operations, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting to internal and external stakeholders, including investors and regulators.
• Managed fund allocation and transaction execution, ensuring strict adherence to investment guidelines and policies.
• Involved across the investment lifecycle from contributing to deal sourcing to leading screening, evaluation, and due diligence, culminating in 10 successful deals totaling $1.2M. Leading portfolio management, support, and monitoring post-investment.
• Developed and maintained robust financial models, projections, and reports to inform strategic investment decisions and enhance portfolio management.
• Provided fractional CFO leadership to two pre-seed portfolio companies (with annual revenues of $500K and $2M), establishing financial operations, preparing for fundraising, and building core teams.
• Collaborated closely with portfolio companies, providing strategic oversight and reporting on financial and operational performance.
• Cultivated strong investor relationships through consistent communication and transparent reporting, enhancing trust and engagement.
• Partnered with the management team to develop and implement operational policies and procedures, significantly improving fund efficiency and effectiveness.
• Secured a €300K grant from the German development agency (GIZ) SAIS, significantly contributing to fund resources.

Led comprehensive operational strategies and execution for a US-based Fintech startup, overseeing finance, operations, and business development.

• Orchestrated the acquisition and maintenance of 4 money transmitter licenses across the US and Canada, co-developing the company's comprehensive compliance manual.
• Contributed to successful fundraising efforts, securing over $600K in Pre-Seed funding.
• Spearheaded B2B customer acquisition, growing the base from inception to over 50 clients.
• Drove a significant increase in transaction volume, reaching an average of $1M monthly.
• Collaborated cross-functionally with engineering and product teams to successfully launch a digital banking app and B2B cross-border payment platform.
• Managed strategic partnerships, onboarding, and operations with 7 key partners, including banks and fintech companies, across the US, Nigeria, and South Africa.
• Managed company treasury, ensuring 95% cash availability and effective mitigation of financial risks.
• Conducted extensive screening and due diligence on over 100 Nigerian asset management firms, selecting four top-tier partners that met stringent investment criteria.
• Mitigated a potential 75% loss on investment by identifying and avoiding a high-risk opportunity.
• Conducted thorough review of partnership agreements, saving the firm an estimated 1% of $250K in annual revenue during the first year.

Directed financial, operational, and business development initiatives for a growing Fintech startup.

• Oversaw timely preparation and filing of financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinated compliance efforts to secure and maintain 4 money transmitter licenses in the US and Canada.
• Provided key support in securing over $600K in Pre-Seed funding.
• Contributed to the growth of the B2B customer base, increasing transaction volume to $1M monthly.
• Collaborated with product and engineering teams to deliver the company’s digital banking app and B2B cross-border payment platform.
• Managed engagement and operations with 7 strategic partners across US, Nigeria, and South Africa.
• Ensured treasury management maintained 95% cash availability and mitigated financial risks.

Conducted in-depth investment research and due diligence for a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) fintech company.

• Screened over 100 asset management firms in Nigeria, performing comprehensive due diligence to select four firms meeting strict investment criteria.
• Prevented a potential 75% loss on investment by identifying and advising against a high-risk opportunity.

Contributed to impact investing and frontier market private equity/venture capital initiatives across Francophone Africa.

• Evaluated a $500K equity investment opportunity in a Francophone West African educational institution, producing comprehensive Go/No-Go memos, financial models, and due diligence reports.
• Designed and implemented a formal portfolio company monitoring and reporting framework, including a 100-day plan, to enhance oversight.

Led a commercial banking team, driving sales, managing client relationships, and overseeing branch operations for a leading African Commercial Bank.

• Led a 4-member sales and business development team, providing oversight and joint responsibility for a branch with over 50 staff.
• Achieved 60% growth in customer deposits, increasing liabilities from $6.6M to $10.5M.
• Achieved 87.5% of budgeted revenue, contributing $1.4M towards a $1.6M target.
• Successfully resolved three delinquent high-value accounts, recovering approximately $12M in bad loans.
• Spearheaded relationship management and business development, driving sales of banking services to new and existing clients with annual sales ranging from $1.5M to $30M, and significantly grew both Local Currency (LCY) and Foreign Currency (FCY) balance sheets and income statements.
• Structured and managed diverse loan portfolios (Working Capital and CAPEX) for manufacturing, general commerce, trading, and educational institutions, totaling over $30M, and secured management approval; facilitated the restructuring and recovery of approximately $7M in delinquent risk assets.
• Managed the processing of international trade transactions.
• Presented and reviewed corporate reports with middle and executive management, providing insights for strategic decision-making.

Pioneered and chaired the student branch of IEEE at Federal University of Technology, Akure.

• Pioneered and chaired the IEEE FUTA student branch, a 40-member society advancing technology.

Served on the Student Representative Council.

• Served as a Member of the Student Representative Council.

Managed treasury and served as Sergeant at Arms for a communication and leadership club.

• Managed treasury and served as Sergeant at Arms for a 100-member communication and leadership club.

Led sponsorship and fundraising efforts for an annual music festival. (~$20k raised)

• Led sponsorship and fundraising for an annual music festival involving 27+ volunteers across Lagos & Nigeria.