The award ceremony, held recently at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, celebrated the achievements of outstanding HR professionals across Nigeria who have contributed significantly to organizational success and workplace culture.

Speaking on the recognition, Carl Cruz, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, expressed immense pride in Ayo-Elias’s achievement, describing it as a milestone not only for her but also for the company.

“Adebimpe’s impact, dedication, and leadership extend well beyond Airtel, and this award is a well-deserved recognition of her influence in the HR field. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and look forward to her continued contributions to the industry,” he said.

Receiving the award, Adebimpe expressed gratitude for the honour, reiterating her commitment to advancing world-class HR practices within her organisation.

 “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of those we serve within and beyond the organization. Airtel Nigeria creates an environment that nurtures growth, encourages innovation, and prioritizes the well-being of every employee and as such, this award motivates me to continue championing these values,” she said.

This award reaffirms Airtel Nigeria’s commitment to developing and empowering talent, further establishing the company as a leading force in creating an impactful, forward-thinking workplace.

In her new role, Ms. Ay0-Elias will be responsible for driving Airtel Nigeria’s people agenda with keen focus on ensuring an inspired, happy, and highly engaged workforce.

Prior to this elevation, Ms. Adebimpe Ayo-Elias held the position of Head, HR Business Partnering and she brings on board 25+ years cognate experience garnered across several industries including telecommunications, software and fintech, and human resource consulting. 

Commenting on the occasion, Surendran Chemmenkotil, the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, said Airtel is committed to growing and empowering its internal talent pool as well as reinforcing its drive towards gender diversity, at every level starting with leadership.

“At Airtel, our employees are our competitive advantage, and we are committed to creating opportunities for all our talented people to succeed, grow, achieve their full potentials and fulfil their personal and professional aspirations.

“Adebimpe Ayo-Elias has proven to be a transformational leader who is passionate about people, and we are very confident that she will deliver on our people agenda as we position as employer of first choice for talented Nigerians,” he said.

Ms. Ayo Elias is an alumnus of Cranfield University – UK and UPGRAD-University of Cambridge. She is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (FCIPM).

She has worked meritoriously in several organisations, namely: Human Edge (an indigenous HR consulting company); MTN Nigeria; Alcatel-Lucent Nigeria & Ghana, NOKIA Nigeria, and SystemSpecs.