Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, the CEO of Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, has joined the prestigious Wall Street Journal (WSJ) CEO Council. This recognition, which follows the recent acceptance of Flutterwave’s CFO Oneal Bhambani into the Wall Street Journal’s CFO Network, establishes GB as a global thought leader in fintech.

Comprising 350 CEOs from various industries, the WSJ CEO Council commands a strong global presence, with a collective workforce exceeding 11 million employees and generating about $4.48 trillion in annual revenue. It serves as an influential platform, facilitating growth conversations and fostering the exchange of ideas among leaders of the world’s most renowned companies.

With an academic footprint that cuts across institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Wharton School of Management, and the University of Westminster, GB brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role at Flutterwave. In 2020, he was named the African Leadership Magazine’s Young Business Leader of The Year.

GB’s inclusion in Fortune Magazine’s 40 under 40 list and a subsequent acknowledgement on Time Magazine’s 2021 Next 100 list further solidify his status as an influential tech leader. Also, in October 2022, he was conferred with the National Honor, Officer of the Order of the Niger, by President Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Under GB’s leadership, Flutterwave’s payment infrastructure has transformed transactional experiences across the African continent, becoming the fourth company to gain unicorn status (one billion dollar valuation) after raising a $170m Series C round in 2021.

In his new role within the WSJ CEO Council, GB will have a unique platform to share his perspectives and engage in conversations about emerging economies, payments, and global fintech with some of the world’s most influential CEOs. 

“As Flutterwave continues to innovate and provide payments infrastructure in Africa and beyond, it is an honour to join the ranks of WSJ’s esteemed CEO Council, an important platform for thought leadership and the exchange of ideas,” said Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola. “Flutterwave’s work is an example of the transformative power of financial technology, and I look forward to bringing my perspective as the company’s CEO to the Council.”

Other members of the Council include Ebenezer Onyeagwu, group managing director and CEO, Zenith Bank; Allan Thygesen, CEO, Docusign; Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft; Börje Ekholm, president and CEO at Ericsson; Todd Boehly, chairman and CEO at Eldridge; and Arvind Krishna, CEO at IBM.