Adefunke is a lawyer and advocate, focused on global and regional strategic, policy and developmental, issues. She is also a global air transport and trade facilitation expert, focused on driving value, policy reform, best practices and international standards to air transport and related sectors, businesses and government. She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the prestigious University of Cambridge, United Kingdom and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Nanyang Business School, Singapore in collaboration with Wharton Business School, Philadelphia and Berkeley Hass Business School, California.

With an international career spanning over 20 years, Adefunke is recognized as one of the 50 Most Inspirational Nigerian Women. She was recently honoured as one of the 200 globally Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) in affiliation with the United Nations Decade for People of African Descent. She is also the 2021 Recipient of the Ato Girma Wake Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to African Air Transport and Trade development.

In her current role as Regional Director, External Affairs and Sustainability for Africa at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Adefunke advocates for the sustainability of air transport, trade, tourism and business across the region, highlighting its positive socio-economic impact and value as strategic enablers and accelerators of development and growth across Africa and beyond.

Adefunke is the IATA focal point for the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and a Private Sector Champion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), two strategic policy initiatives of the African Union designed to promote intra-African connectivity and trade to secure Africa’s integration and prosperity.

She is passionate about Leadership, Innovation, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; having been involved in many leadership and innovative initiatives at national, regional and global level. She is also an experienced resource person on Policy and Regulation, Advocacy and Gender. She is a visionary catalyst for change, a transformative leader and influencer, combining excellent advocacy and communication skills with a unique ability to motivate and inspire.

She has held several positions of responsibility through her education and career, and positively led or contributed to many key industry, organizational, sectoral or social initiatives at local, regional and global levels.

Adefunke is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Council for Sustainable Tourism, a Policy member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, a member of the African Leadership Network (ALN), an Associate of the worldwide Institute of Directors (IoD), member of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) and an avid supporter of the African Philanthropy Foundation. She is also co-founder of Female Initiatives for Impact (FIFI), a non-for-profit organization focused on impacting the lives of women and children in deprived communities.

She enjoys travelling, running, creative writing and volunteer work. She is a published author and an accomplished public speaker, taking crucial messages across Africa and the world for impact and action.    

Contact aaa@africaadvocacyalliance.com; fungbe602012@gmail.com; +2348035354953 +2347087201893 LinkedIn – Adefunke Adeyemi