“I got my first job at 18” — Billionaire Businesswoman Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes has opened up about her journey into the world of finance, revealing that her passion for investment banking started at a young age and eventually shaped her approach to impact investing across Africa.

Speaking in a podcast that has since gone viral on social media, the billionaire businesswoman recounted how she built her career in global finance, beginning shortly after university.

 

According to Rhodes, she had always been drawn to the financial industry. She disclosed that she has spent the last 16 to 17 years working in private equity and investment banking.

 

She revealed that her first job in investment banking came when she was just 18 years old at Lehman Brothers.

 

By the age of 20, she had progressed to working at J.P. Morgan, where she gained experience in mergers and acquisitions as well as leveraged finance.

Reflecting on her career path, Rhodes explained that her time at J.P. Morgan further strengthened her interest in finance before she transitioned into private equity.

 

She said her perspective on investing changed significantly while working at a private equity firm involved in investments across Africa.

 

According to her, one particular investment in Uganda became a defining moment in her career.

 

Rhodes recalled that the investment involved a company manufacturing antiretroviral and anti-malaria drugs locally.

 

She noted that the project generated strong financial returns while also making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

 

The experience, she said, introduced her to the concept of impact investing, demonstrating that investors can achieve attractive profits while contributing to positive social outcomes.

 

Watch the video here;