By Adedapo Adesanya

Cascador, a Nigeria-based initiative supporting growth-stage, mission-driven founders building scalable and impactful businesses, has appointed Ms Oyin Solebo as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).

According to a statement, Ms Solebo’s appointment signals a strategic shift toward strengthening the systems, discipline, and infrastructure required to help growth-stage companies scale sustainably.

The ex-Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator is regarded as a seasoned investor and ecosystem builder with deep experience across venture capital, startup acceleration, and corporate innovation in Africa. Her appointment underscores Cascador’s ambition to become a central engine for entrepreneurial scale in Africa, where leadership, capital, and execution come together to unlock lasting impact.

At ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, she led investments in and supported high-growth startups across multiple sectors. Across her career, she has built a reputation for translating bold vision into disciplined execution, helping companies move from traction to true scale.

Cascador, in the statement shared with Business Post, noted that her appointment marks a critical step in Cascador’s evolution as it moves from a leadership-focused programme into a platform designed to scale high-impact companies systematically.

“Oyin is a force multiplier,” said Ms Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador. “She understands what it takes to build and run organisations that endure. As we expand our focus from developing founders to scaling companies, her operational expertise will be instrumental in helping us deliver on that vision.”

She fits perfectly into Cascador’s model, which backs founders who can multiply the value they receive, turning education into execution and capital into lasting economic and social impact.

Through its ScaleUp Program, Cascador equips growth-stage entrepreneurs with the leadership skills, strategic clarity, and access to catalytic capital required to scale sustainably.

The programme is designed for founders with proven traction—those capable of absorbing significant investment and deploying it effectively to drive growth, job creation, and long-term resilience.

Speaking on this, Ms Solebo noted that, “In Africa, we don’t have a shortage of founders, we have a shortage of companies that successfully scale.

“The difference lies in systems, discipline, and the ability to deploy capital effectively. Cascador has built a powerful foundation by investing in people. The opportunity now is to extend that into building stronger companies that can absorb capital, institutionalise operations, and grow sustainably,” she added.

Ms Solebo, as COO, will focus on strengthening Cascador’s operational infrastructure and scaling its platform capabilities. This includes optimising programme delivery, deepening alumni support, and building systems that enable founders to transition from learning to execution and from execution to scale.

Her role will be particularly critical in advancing Cascador’s ScaleUp Program and Catalytic Fund, which deploys $2–$5 million annually in tailored financing to high-performing alumni. The fund is designed not simply to extend their runway, but to back ventures that can transform capital into durable financial performance and measurable impact.

“What makes Cascador different is its focus on multipliers—founders who can take what they learn and amplify it across their companies, teams, and markets,” she said. “If we can consistently support those founders with the right combination of education, networks, and capital, the ripple effects are enormous—more jobs, stronger industries, and a more resilient economy.”

On his part, Mr Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador, emphasised the strategic importance of the appointment.

“Cascador has always been about multiplying impact through entrepreneurship. With Oyin, we are strengthening our ability to ensure that the hard work of our team and the deployment of capital ultimately translates into scaled, enduring businesses. She brings the operational discipline and ecosystem insight needed to take us to the next level.”

Looking ahead, Ms Solebo aims to position Cascador as a long-term scaling partner for its entrepreneurs. “We are building more than a program. We are building a platform,” she said.

“A platform that identifies high-potential founders, equips them to lead, and then supports them with the financial and non-financial resources required to scale. If we do this well, we won’t just transform individual companies—we’ll shape the future of the African economy.”

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A globally respected expert in commodity markets, structured commodity finance, and exchange development, Mr Lamon Rutten, has been appointed as the new chairman of the board of Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc.

Mr Rutten’s appointment is to further strengthen Deap Capital’s leadership as the company advances its mission of mobilising capital and building financial solutions to unlock Africa’s critical minerals potential, positioning it as a strategic bridge between global investors and Africa’s emerging resource economy.

The Dutch national brings to the board over three decades of international experience across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Mr Rutten described his appointment as a “new dawn for the African metals and minerals financing space,” applauding the decision to make him the chairman of the board, which was newly reconstituted.

The president of Deap Capital, Mr Israel Ovirih, welcomed the new chairman to the fold, noting that his extensive global experience in commodity markets and financial infrastructure development will be instrumental in guiding the company as it builds a world-class platform to finance and support the growth of the critical minerals sector across continental Africa.

“The new chairman and his global experience should enable the unleashing of new possibilities in the African metals and minerals space, including bringing new thoughts on how to modernise and formalise artisanal mining, specifically in Nigeria,” he stated.

Mr Rutten is widely reputed as a pioneer in the development of modern commodity trading and financing infrastructure worldwide, having served at Chie of Energy at the United Nations.

He previously served as the pioneering chief executive of the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), also known as the Mumbai Commodity Exchange, where he led the exchange through a period of significant growth and quantum leap, establishing it as the world’s second-largest commodity exchange. Under his leadership, MCX achieved a landmark public listing valued at approximately $1.5 billion and a revenue of over $2.5 trillion by 2012.

He has also held several high-profile leadership and advisory roles globally, including serving as the founding CEO of the Indonesia Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (ICDX) and playing a key role in the development of the Saudi Mining Exchange initiative.

Earlier in his career, he worked with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), where he led an international programme focused on commodity risk management and structured trade finance.

Mr Rutten is also a prolific author and policy expert, having published numerous research papers and policy works on commodity markets, trade finance, and risk management, and has advised governments, multilateral institutions, and financial organisations on commodity market development.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Mouka Limited has announced a significant leadership transition, with the appointment of Mr Oladimeji Osingunwa as its new managing director, effective March 17, 2026.

This follows the resignation of Mr Femi Fapohunda, whose exit became effective on March 16, 2026, after a period of mutual agreement with the board of the mattress maker.

The board expressed deep appreciation for Mr Fapohunda’s impactful leadership and unwavering commitment to the organisation.

During his tenure, Mouka successfully navigated one of the most challenging economic periods in Nigeria’s recent history, demonstrating resilience, operational excellence, and sustained growth.

Under his guidance, the company strengthened its market leadership, expanded its market share, and reinforced its reputation as a trusted household brand.

“Femi’s steady and strategic leadership ensured that Mouka not only weathered economic headwinds but emerged stronger and more competitive,” the board noted, thanking “him for his invaluable contributions and wish him continued success in his future endeavours.”

Mr Osingunwa, a seasoned commercial leader and a respected figure within Nigeria’s manufacturing and FMCG landscape, has since stepped into the role for the next phase of the mattress maker.

He joined Mouka in 2016 as Chief Commercial Officer, where Mr Osingunwa has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s growth trajectory and strengthening its market dominance.

Mr Osingunwa brings to his new role a wealth of experience spanning leading multinational organisations, including Cadbury Nigeria Plc (now Mondelez), SC Johnson, and Twinning Ovaltine.

His expertise cuts across commercial strategy, route-to-market development, brand building, and sales leadership, consistently delivering strong business performance and sustainable growth.

Mouka Limited traces its origins to 1959, when the Faiz Moukarim family established the Moukarim Metalwood factory in Kano, focusing on the production of furniture and iron beds. As part of a broader strategy to achieve backward integration and supply raw materials to the furniture and bedding industry, Mouka Limited was later founded in Lagos in 1972, specialising in the manufacture of flexible foam products.