didn’t take Sifax Group to its enviable position all alone.
Taiwo Afolabi
It goes without saying, Taiwo Olayinka Afolabi is a formidable man of great foresight.
And the “ability” to transform Sifax Nigeria Limited which started as a Freight Forwarding agency in Lagos in 1988 into the enviable Sifax Group, a business interest with diverse investments in Maritime, Aviation, Haulage, Logistics, Oil & Gas, and Hospitality, among others -with noticeable presence in different countries including the United States of America testifies to Afolabi’s ingenuity and foresightedness.
The lawyer – he has a law degree from the University of Lagos, was called to the Nigerian Bar (on November 4, 2009), and also has a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the same university – certainly didn’t take Sifax Group to its enviable position all alone.
Despite the vast experience he secured by starting his career at the shipping company, Nigerian Express Agencies Limited and rising to the position of Head of Operations before setting up Sifax, the lover of football relied on the complementary support from those who shared his dream – and still those, including from his children presently.
SocietyNow.Ng gathered that among the children helping the Fellow different professional bodies including the Nigerian Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Institute of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (IFFN), and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of Nigeria to run Sifax Group is the first son, Olayinka Afolabi.
Yinka Afolabi
The younger Afolabi named after his father is the Deputy Managing Director at SIFAX Marine Limited.
Sifax Marine is a subsidiary of SIFAX Group along with Ports and Cargo Handling Services Limited, concessionaire and operator of Terminal C, Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa Lagos; SIFAX Off Dock Nigeria Limited, a bonded terminal operator; SIFAX Logistics Company Limited; Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc, an aviation ground handling company and SIFAX Shipping Company Limited.The information at hand revealed that before he joined Sifax Group Olayinka had stints at other places plus Chevron Graphic where he was Compliance Analyst.
A Bachelor’s degree holder in Business Administration from Valley View University, Ghana, and a Master’s degree in International Business Administration from Coventry University, United Kingdom, he is also a Member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), U.K.
The checks made by SocietyNow.Ng revealed that the Deputy Managing Director held various management positions over a 9years period at Sifax Group before attaining his present status.
Also providing expertise in a top management position to help her father run the mega-business-Sifax-Group is the billionaire’s daughter, Mariam Afolabi.
Mariam Afolabi
She holds the position of Group Executive Director, Compliance.
Identified as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court, SocietyNow.Ng’s checks revealed that Mariam is a graduate of Law from the University of Warwick, Coventry, England, and also obtained a Post Graduate degree (LLM with distinction) in International Maritime Law from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute, Malta.
She garnered experience across legal firms, maritime and aviation companies such as Kayode Sofola & Co, Wole Olanipekun & Co, Kunle Ogunba & Co, Aluko & Oyebode, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc, SIFAX Shipping Company Limited and Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA) before she took up her present appointment.
Away from Sifax Group and Law, Mariam is said to own “The Style Cafe” which comprises a fashion label, Mademoiselle Aglaia, a unisex salon, a beauty parlor, a spa, and an eatery that caters to local and intercontinental foods at Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Tobi Afolabi
Not left out of Billionaire Afolabi’s children providing help hand at Sifax Group is Tobi Afolabi, the Executive Director, Planning, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited.
A graduate of Business Marketing from the University of Ottawa, Canada, Tobi worked with the commercial department of SIFAX Shipping Company Limited where his responsibilities included agency formalities, prospects profiling, and exchanging sales leads before his present portfolio SocietyNow.Ng learned.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Maritime Management from Southampton Solent University, United Kingdom.