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Our Team

Our Team

VKAV Team Group Photo
Ory Okolloh

Partner, IC, PRC

Ryosuke Yamawaki

Partner, IC, PRC

Satoshi Shinada

Partner, IC, PRC

Olivia Gao

Principal

Kingsley Ehima

Associate

Dolapo Olayoriju

Analyst

Asuka Uesaka

Associate, Investor Relations & Communications

Chigozie Ejimogu

Senior Manager, Sustainability and Impact

Danladi Verheijen

PRC

Dipo Okuribido

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Commercial

Nieros Oyegun Soerensen

IC, PRC

Omolara Ojo

Chief Financial Officer

Jeremy Cleaver

Independent IC

*IC = Investment Committee
*PRC = Portfolio Review Committee

Ory Okolloh

Partner, IC, PRC

Ory was the Managing Director, Omidyar Network and Luminate Group in Africa, both part of The Omidyar Group. She serves on the Board of Directors of several organisations including the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company, East African Breweries Limited, and Deloitte Africa, and is the Chair of the Stanbic Bank Kenya Foundation. She is also an Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) Fellow. Prior to this, Ory was Google’s policy and strategy manager for Africa. She was at the forefront of developing technology innovation as a founding member of Ushahidi. She was the organization’s Executive Director from inception until December 2010. Ory is also the co-founder of Mzalendo, a website that tracks the performance of Kenyan MPs. In 2011 Ory was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and one of Africa’s most Powerful Women by Forbes Magazine. In 2014 she was named Time 100’s most influential people in the world. Ory earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A in political science (summa cum laude) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Ryosuke Yamawaki

Partner, IC, PRC

Ryosuke Yamawaki is a Co-founder and Director of Kepple Africa Ventures Inc. Since 2018, he led investment in ~45 startups across East and Southern Africa. Prior to Kepple, Ryosuke was Investment Officer at Mitsui Corporation in charge of investment in mining and metal processing projects. Prior to that, he served Embassy of Japan in Botswana as one of the first staff members of the embassy. Ryosuke holds an MBA from University of California, Berkely, and a B.A. in African Studies from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

Satoshi Shinada

Partner, IC, PRC

Satoshi Shinada is a Co-founder and Director of Kepple Africa Ventures Inc. Since 2019, he led investment in ~50 startups across West and North Africa. Prior to Kepple, Satoshi was Investment Manger at Sojitz Corporation in charge of investment in infrastructure and energy projects. He also served as Director of Sojitz Corporation Nigeria from 2010 to 2014 in Lagos, Nigeria. Satoshi holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a B.Sc. in Regional Economics and Resources Science from The University of Tokyo.

Olivia Gao

Principal

Olivia Gao is currently a Principal at Verod Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV). Prior to VKAV, Olivia was based in Rwanda and worked as an Analyst with SouthBridge Investments, the asset management arm of the pan-African investment bank SouthBridge Group. Previously, she worked for Future Hub Africa which was focusing on early stage venture investment in Africa. Olivia holds a Master’s degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and received her Bachelor degree from Fudan University.

Kingsley Ehima

Associate

Kingsley Ehima is an Associate at Verod Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV). Prior to joining VKAV, Kingsley worked as an Investment Associate at Techstars and Chrysalis Advisors, where he advised early-stage and growth-stage technology companies on a range of engagements, including strategic investments, fundraising preparation, and investor relations. He holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Sheffield.

Dolapo Olayoriju

Analyst

Dolapo is an Analyst at Verod Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV). Prior to joining VKAV, she worked as the Chief of Staff with Kickoff Africa, a startup advisory and consultancy firm in Lagos. Previously, she worked as an IT Lead and operator with Sifax Sahco, an aviation ground services provider in Nigeria. Dolapo holds a B.Sc in Information Technology from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, a post graduate certification in Technology, Entrepreneurship and Design from the Nigerian University of Technology and Management and an EMBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Asuka Uesaka

Associate, Investor Relations & Communications

Asuka Uesaka is currently an Associate, Investor Relations & Communications at Verod and Verod Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV). Prior to Verod, she was in charge of business development, strategic acquisition, and Chief of Staff mostly at FinTech and web3 venture companies in Japan and Southeast Asia. She received BS in Development Studies from Lund University, Sweden.

Chigozie Ejimogu

Senior Manager, Sustainability and Impact

Chigozie is a Senior Manager on the Sustainability team. He leads ESG efforts in VKAV and partner companies. Prior to joining Verod, he was the Country Environment Manager at Coca-Cola Hellenic (CCH) Nigeria. He had previously worked within the Oil & Gas servicing sector – Laser Engineering, Fugro Nigeria Limited and Tilone Subsea Limited; where he held various Environmetal roles. Chigozie obtained his first degree in Environmental Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri and has a post-graduate Diploma in International Environmental Law from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. He is a Certified professional in Environment & Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) and Process Systems (ISO 14001, 45001, 5001, 9001). He is an IRCA Certified Lead Auditor and has earned the NEBOSH International Technical Certificate, NEBOSH IGC and Advanced Environmental Management Certificates.

Danladi Verheijen

PRC

Danladi Verheijen is a Co-founder and CEO of Verod Capital Management Limited. Prior to Verod, Danladi held roles at Citibank Nigeria, Ocean & Oil Holdings and at McKinsey & Company. Danladi sits on the boards of several Verod portfolio companies, as well as, the African Venture Capital Association (AVCA) and the Private Equity and Venture Capital Association of Nigeria (PEVCAN). Danladi was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Danladi received an MBA from Harvard Business School. an M.Sc. in Engineering Economic Systems & Operations Research from Stanford University and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Calvin College.

Dipo Okuribido

Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Commercial

Dipo is a Senior Vice President within the Legal Department, and the General Counsel, Commercial. Prior to joining VKAV, he was a Senior Associate at Banwo & Ighodalo, where he worked in the Energy, Tax, Capital Markets and Finance Practices. He has more than seven years experience advising a wide range of clients on M&As in breweries, oil and gas, manufacturing, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. He received an LLB from the University of Lagos, and is currently studying part-time for an MBA at Gies College, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is an Alumnus of the International Lawyers for Africa Programme.

Nieros Oyegun Soerensen

IC, PRC

Nieros Oyegun Sorensen is a Partner and the Chief Operating Officer of Verod. Prior to joining Verod, Nieros headed up The Africa List and Nigeria coverage at CDC Group. She was previously the Head of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations at LADOL and has a background in infrastructure project finance and corporate strategy from Macquarie, alternative asset management from New Holland Capital, and banking from Goldman Sachs. Nieros sits on the board of Verod’s portfolio companies, as well as the Bestseller Foundation, and the Talawa Theatre Company. She received a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Economics from Columbia University and an M.Sc. in Finance from London Business School, where she serves on the Dean’s Alumni Council.

Omolara Ojo

Chief Financial Officer

Omolara Ojo is the Chief Financial Officer at VKAV. She is a finance professional with over 20 years of varied experience in strategy, private equity, fundraising, investor relations, financial reporting & management, financial planning & analysis, project management, audit, and consulting. Prior to joining Verod, Omolara was CFO at Arnergy Solar Limited, a renewable energy company backed by foreign and local institutional investors. Prior to this, Omolara was Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Fundraising at African Capital Alliance (ACA). Prior to her Investor Relations & Fundraising role, Omolara also served as a Financial Controller at ACA. Omolara holds a Global Executive MBA from the I Business School, Madrid. She also has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Ilorin and she is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Jeremy Cleaver

Independent IC

Jeremy Cleaver is currently an independent development finance consultant, engaged with clients such as the Australian government funded Emerging Markets Impact Investment Fund and the Asian Development Bank and focusing on impact investing, private sector development, MSME finance and financing growth issues in emerging markets. Between 2011 and 2020, Jeremy was a Director of CDC’s Africa funds business. During his time at CDC, he was responsible for fund relationships across Africa in multiple sectors. Between 2018 and 2020, Jeremy was Head of CDC’s Johannesburg office, where he was responsible for managing both the office and CDC’s relationships with UK government and other stakeholders. Prior to joining CDC, Jeremy worked for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Sydney as a private sector development specialist. Prior to that he worked in investment banking for Macquarie Bank and Goldman Sachs. In the first half of his career, Jeremy lived and worked in China and Hong Kong. Jeremy holds a BSFS from Georgetown University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Our Team