Founded as far back as 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the US. Today, it has consistently ranked at the top of all universities in the world, and its influence, wealth, and research capabilities has made it about the most prestigious  university in the world.

A pre-eminent residential research institution, the university offers 50 undergraduate courses, 134 graduate degrees and 32 professional courses. It has 10 academic faculties, as well as 16,000 staff and faculty, including 2,400 professors, lecturers and instructors. There are also 21,648 students comprising 7,153undergraduates and14,495post graduate students. A highly selective school, the current rate of acceptance of freshmen is just 5%. These underscore the fact that the university is only out to admit the brightest and best students who must have a passion for learning, and that its programmes lean more towards post graduate and professional academics which is more of research.

Harvard’s endowment is valued at $50.9bn making it the wealthiest academic institution in the world. And being a school totally devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, research and developing leaders who make a difference globally, it has become the dream university for many students around the world. Parents are equally not left out: they dance for joy when their children gain admission into the university as it is a dream come true. Such is the aura and influence of the university. 

Certainly, dreaming to have one’s education at Harvard can never be misplaced; studying in the institution means following in the footsteps of great men and women who have shaped humanity all around the world. These include 188 living billionaires, the most by any university in the world, 8 US Presidents, 49 Nobel Laureates, 48 Pulitzer Prize Winners, many Fulbright Scholars, MacArthur Fellows and the likes. This explains why a certificate of the university is well sought after by employers.

And when talking of educational pursuit, of course, Nigerians have never ever been behind, thus, it has a number of its citizenry in the university, even as many of her nationals had also passed through her four walls in the past. Needless saying these Nigerian alumni of the institution are assets today in various fields within Nigeria and the Diaspora and contributing immensely towards evolving a new narrative in their native country and elsewhere.

In this edition, The Guardian showcases two of such distinctive alumni of this great ivory tower, viz: Engr. Funsho Oluwagbenro, Chief Executive Officer, Hydroserve Oil Services Nigeria Limited  and Dr. Tunde Ayeye, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, IFS Group.

FUNSHO OLUWAGBENRO: Astute, Well-Rounded Professional, Distinctive Harvard Alumnus, With Impactful Contributions to Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Services Industry

An opportunity to attend the prestigious Harvard University – one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world – is a dream come true for many. Thus, studying at the institution means following in the footsteps in the league of great men and women, who have shaped humanity all around the world for many centuries. In Nigeria, one of the few privileged individuals who have such golden opportunity and passed through this worthy ivory tower is Engr. Funsho Oluwagbenro, Chief Executive Officer of Hydroserve Group, comprising of Hydroserve Oil Services Limited (HOS), Dominion Pipeline and Process Ltd (DPPL), Hydroserve Projects Management Ltd (HPML) and Dominion Exploration and Production Ltd. 

With a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Petroleum Engineering from the Petroleum Training Institute, Effunrun Warri and an Executive Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University, United States of America, Oluwagbenro is a versatile engineer with specialities in Oil and Gas Well Cementing Techniques, Cementing and  High Pressure Pumping Equipment Design, Coiled Tubing and Nitrogen Equipment  Design, Petroleum Engineering Consultancy, Commissioning of Pipelines, amongst others.

Within his result-oriented career, the highly skilled and experienced professional was once a Trainee, Engineer, Service Supervisor, Cementing Coordinator, Coiled Tubing Supervisor, Coiled Tubing Coordinator, Projects Coordinator with Dowell Schulmberger. He was also Projects Manager, Projects President, General Manager Projects, Chief Operating Officer, before becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Hydroserve Oil Services in 2011.

No wonder, the positioning of Hydroserve Oil Services Limited under Engr. Oluwagbenro’s watch to the path of phenomenal growth and significant strength speaks volume of his pragmatic and visionary disposition. Hydroserve Oil Services Limited began operations as an indigenous company in 2000 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and he identified a demand in the market for a nimble and innovative service provider, capable of quality and superior service delivery to the Oil and Gas Industry. With a team of highly trained professionals and quality equipment, Hydroserve has grown from being a local indigenous company into an international company with subsidiaries in countries in the West African region.

True to its vision, “To be a West African Conglomerate Leading by Product and Services” and in consonance with one of the strategic pillars of the Federal Government’s Strategic Roadmap in development and sustaining the Nigerian content, which is “Sectorial and Regional Markets Linkages”, many of the company’s projects, especially, Well integrity and interventions on-going, has shown resilience and has steadily making its mark in the provision of top-notch well services to diverse clientele in the Oil and Gas Industry.

Speaking on his personal background and what inspired him to study at Harvard, the Hydroserve boss said “Harvard has consistently ranked at the top of many universities in the world, and its influence, wealth, and research capabilities made it about the most prestigious university globally”. After my NYSC in 1990 with Dowell Schlumberger, I was retained to work with them, first as a laboratory technician before becoming a Field supervisor. I worked in various departments before exiting in 1999 to form Hydroserve Oil Services Limited in 2000. Therefore, my first reason to seek admission to Harvard was to grow my leadership potential as the business was growing, because such is required for one to lead a successful transformation of any business.” 

He noted that his experience in Harvard has shaped his worldview and journey in life, as well as the impact on his day-to-day activities, especially as a Chief Executive Officer, in his words, “My stay in Harvard actually changed my mindset, and with that transformation I was able to improve our results, reduce our costs and enhanced our service quality. Furthermore, it made me realize better, that when you pay attention to your service quality, your clients will pay attention to your organization.”  

Concerning what he considered as recipe in tackling the obvious myriads of problems in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry and the implication for national growth, he explained that the problems confronting the Sector are enormous but prominent amongst them is pipeline vandalism leading to oil theft. According to him, Nigeria is losing well over 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) as a result of crude oil pipeline vandalism, which runs into billions of dollars in losses. 

He said as a key stakeholder in the sector, he believes part of the solutions to this challenge is the engagement of surveillance technology like drones to constantly transverse the entire pipeline length, because it is a national asset. When there is a problem due to a breach and there is a red alert flashed by the deployed technology, the security agencies will intervene immediately. In addition, the country can do better by building and burying oil and gas pipelines with codes. Noting that vandalism is rampant because a few unscrupulous people know the codes, thus, these codes must be kept a secret. He also canvassed for, as a matter of utmost importance, the engagement of stakeholders such as government, community and every one that has direct impact on the pipeline.

He added that the nation’s downstream sector became dysfunctional starting from the non functional four refineries due to mismanagement which has made the country end up relying on expensive gasoline imports to meet local consumption. This development, he said triggered the deregulation of the cost of gasoline which now sold at a high cost especially with the removal of the fuel subsidy. In his view, the cost at which the industry presently operates on are not costs that would make the private sector thrive, Nigeria should have definite regulatory mechanisms put in place to check these price issues.

He stressed that corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of the country is part of the reasons why the refineries are not working and the solution to this is for the government to earn people’s trust by keeping the public sector honest, transparent and accountable. While the citizenry should also be intolerant to dishonest practices, there is the need to strengthen the nation’s code of conduct to enforce the Civil Service employees to act for overall public interest.

Sharing his experience on what he considered as the most pleasant and trying moment in his days in Harvard, he recalled that “I think the most pleasant and trying aspect of my stay in Harvard was when I had a  personal discussion with one of my professors concerning my business. He asked me how is the business being funded and I responded that we plough back into the company 80% of the profit. So, by this policy we have never had a reason to borrow.  He told me no business thrives that way but I informed him that we have been doing this for 23 years and running. He then asked who is behind it and I told him God.  I could see his shock and amazement. And then, he asked me if I could make this presentation to three other colleagues of his and if I would be able to remove “Jesus” from it because Harvard is a secular school and every religion is represented. Briskly, I said to him “I don’t have any story if the main actor is removed!” There and then, the professor got tired of me”

As regards his opinion on the qualities required or needed for a young entrepreneur to make it to the top in Nigeria, the astute Oil and Gas services expert pointed out that “Entrepreneurial education is to develop the students’ ability to create social, cultural, or economic value. This education is introduced to simulate real business conditions. Like thinking critically and creatively, undertaking complex problem solving, negotiation skills, and communication skills – all these skills in the bucket prepare the student’s entrepreneurial mind-set.

 On a personal note, I will recommend that the character of integrity is introduced in the entrepreneurial education and this must be so, because the best skill is capable of doing in the life of a man, is to give him a reputation, but it is Character that establishes a man. While Reputation is after image making, Character is after integrity building.  Hence, the Arithmetic of Skill plus Character is what takes one to the top.

As part of our growth plan, we are setting up a training school in Hydroserve, which eventually will feed the industry when it is thrown open to the public, one of the courses to be taken in that school will be titled Power of Character, because the salt you add to make your business or career sweet, is Integrity.” 

While commenting on his company’s growth trajectory and quality service delivery, the visionary business leader noted that “based on the foregoing, Hydroserve Group, continues to prove that Nigerian-grown businesses, when supported can contribute significantly to the growth of the Nigerian Oil & Gas sector while constantly exceeding her clients’ expectations.” 

“The desire to create lasting impact on people, society, motivated my career trajectory” – Ayeye

Dr. Tunde Ayeye, founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of IFS Group is a trained medical doctor, serial entrepreneur, business strategists of international repute and a firm believer in the future prosperity of Nigeria based on free market enterprise and good democratic governance. Committed to building a world class proudly Nigeria brand supporting businesses and institutions on the African continent and beyond, IFS Group comprises International Facilities Services Limited (currently operating in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa); IFS Healthcare Limited; Draiklinas Limited; Drycleaners Pty Ltd; IFS Projects Limited; Klinserv Solutions Limited. 

Furthermore, Tunde is the founder and founding Chairman of Treasures Microfinance Bank Limited until its acquisition by Emerging Africa Group, where he continues to serve on the board. He currently sits on the board of multiple other organisations both local and international such as Cumbamed Associates Limited, Medihealth International South Africa, Carmel Court Limited, Manchester-UK, Flying Doctors Nigeria, Tamdem UK Ltd, amongst others

As CEO of Draiklinas, he is the Current National President of the Cleaning Practitioners Association of Nigeria where he is leading a transformation in the whole of the cleaning and hygiene sector.

An alumnus of the University of Ilorin Medical School, Dr. Ayeye was the Graduating Prize Winner in Community Health and in 1998, he earned a Masters’ degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos where he was the best graduating student in General Management specialty. Similarly, he was the Best Graduating student in the Class of 1999 Masters’ degree in Public Health (MPH) of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos.

In 2004, he attended the Owner Manager Program (OMP 4) at the Lagos Business School. He also in 2004 got a Certificate in Leadership Competencies at one of Europe’s leading business schools IESE Barcelona Spain. At Harvard Business School, Boston, USA, he was a student in the highest executive programme – the Owner/President Management Programme and a Member of (OPM 41) cohort.

He is the host of the National Policy Dialogue on Maintenance of Public Infrastructure usually held every May to observe the World Facility Management Day, where he engages the private sector and policy makers on maintenance of public infrastructure with special emphasis on health, education and public utilities. This National Policy Dialogue has featured leading functionaries including the Vice President, Governors, Ministers, leading business leaders at home and abroad to contribute to the development of strong facility management and maintenance industry in Nigeria.

Speaking on what inspired him to study at Harvard, Tunde said “Brain drain or the Japa syndrome is not a new phenomena as it was expected that the average graduate from medical school at the time he graduated would naturally emigrate to UK, USA or SA. It is an anomaly that is now almost of epidemic proportions,

However the desire to create lasting impact on people and society where God has planted me motivated me to consider a different career trajectory. I remember visiting an imposing and intimidating multi-level commercial building in Ikeja during my final year in Medical School and was totally shocked at the poor state of hygiene and generally tardiness of the maintenance of the building which was totally at variance with aesthetic appeal and attractiveness of the building exterior. That set me thinking that clearly, there must be value in providing professional building support services to such mega facilities and similar institutions, This coupled with the great foundation laid by my parents who started a commercial laundry business – Draiklinas Ltd, which is now in its forty-third year having grown into one the leading integrated industrial cleaning and hygiene companies in the soft services segment of the FM Industry.

The desire to support sustainable and profitable enterprise performance through the whole life management of physical assets, productive workplace for businesses and institutions, coupled with a burning desire to raise, inspire and nurture a local idea to global relevance birthed International Facilities Services Limited fourteen years ago. And we are poised to attain our vision of becoming the leading African FM company by our 20th year of operation!

Therefore, when I turned 40, I thought of the best gift to myself was to expand my worldview by attending a world-class institution such as Harvard and I enrolled in the very competitive OPM programme where I gained valuable insights and network.”

Concerning his experience in Harvard and how it has shaped his worldview and journey in life, Dr. Ayeye noted that “Harvard was eye opening, humbling and inspiring. The environment was first rate and made learning attractive. The use of case studies and practical business situations was exceptional. I was stunned to have been taught Balanced Score Card by the person who created the concept – the CEO of Dell was in class when we did the case study. My Set was particularly fortunate as they did the first case on Nigeria when we were there. I saw how the intersection of the ‘gown and town’ can impact economic transformation. 

At IFS, we have an unending commitment to excellence; always go the extra mile to deliver exceptional services in an excellent manner, and to always exceed the expectations of our numerous clients. We ensure the deployment of experienced and highly skilled talents, best in class technology and processes that always stand us out in delivering exceptional value. We call it the X revolution!

Although the economic climate can sometimes be harsh, however our paradigm is always seeking opportunities in every problem making us very agile and responsive creating new products and services; constantly re-inventing ourselves and profitably serving our clients.  In our short existence, we have employed a cumulative number of staff in excess of 10,000 and our dream is to profitably engage 10,000 full time employees by our 20th year anniversary. This is our modest contribution to national economic growth. We believe IFS and similar companies should be incentivized to emerge in this manner. This definitely will lead Nigeria on the path of job creation, wealth creation, economic growth.

HBS taught me what was possible when you conceive it and ready to put in the work. One other remarkable learning was seeing many transgenerational businesses particularly from India. The three highest nationalities in my class were from the US, India and Nigeria. However, instructively almost all business from Nigeria were first generation while almost all Indian-led businesses were second, third and fourth generation businesses. For us to build lasting economic value, we must invest in businesses that will last and outlast the promoters.”