Discover more Scholar Spotlights.

In this special video Scholar Spotlight, Olamide Obadina, a Laidlaw Scholar from Trinity College Dublin, delves into breaking the glass ceiling in corporate leadership.

In the latest Scholar Spotlight, the Laidlaw Foundation’s Community & Project Management Executive, Princess Agina, sits down with Olamide Obadina, a 2023 Laidlaw Scholar from Trinity College Dublin. 

Olamide’s research project centres on the pivotal role of female leaders from ethnic minorities in the business C-suite and the critical need for enhanced racial and gender diversity on executive boards worldwide. Her work underscores the importance of addressing both internal challenges, such as imposter syndrome and self-doubt, and external barriers such as discriminatory policies and cultural biases within organisations.

Through her insightful discussion, Olamide highlights the transformative impact that diverse leadership can have in empowering women of colour and enriching the corporate landscape with their unique perspectives and experiences. Her research is a clarion call to action for companies around the globe to commit to creating more inclusive environments where women from all backgrounds can thrive and ascend to leadership roles. This conversation not only sheds light on the systemic issues at play but also celebrates the potential for significant change through increased diversity in the highest echelons of business.

Quick-fire Answers

🎥 Currently Binging: L’Agence

📚 My top book recommendation: 

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

🎶 My anthem: Travis Greene - Intentional

🎵 Podcast obsession: The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

🌈 Something that made me feel joy recently: 

I recently launched a coaching business Azendina! You can find us at www.azendina.com and follow us on IG at @Azendina!

Olamide is a Laidlaw Scholar at Trinity College Dublin. You can find Olamide on LinkedIn and learn more about her business here.

Become a Laidlaw Scholar to conduct a research project of your choice, develop your leadership skills, and join a global community of changemakers from world-leading universities.

Find out more about the Laidlaw Scholars Undergraduate Leadership and Research Programme.

🔦 Discover more Scholar Spotlights: 

⚡️ Adebusola Adegbuyi, a Laidlaw Scholar at Saïd Business School, on facing challenges with optimism and empowering young women to begin careers in technology.

⚡️ Aya Hammad, a University of York Laidlaw Scholar, on understanding the origins of cancer, promoting equality in healthcare, and learning to be adaptable.

⚡️ Xuerui Yin, a Laidlaw Scholar at London Business School, on overcoming societal norms, creating opportunities for underrepresented groups and working with compassion.

⚡️ Areesha Imaan Siddiqui, a University of Toronto Laidlaw Scholar and Co-President of the Laidlaw Alumni Society, on combatting homelessness and leading with open, honest communication.

⚡️ Polina Foteva, a University of St Andrews Laidlaw Scholar and STEM Subject Co-Lead, on working with a recently-discovered enzyme and making scientific knowledge more accessible.