Join us as we sit down with Oyekolade, a brilliant legal mind navigating the complex world of fintech at Sycamore.
In this episode, we delve into the exciting journey of a young lawyer who traded the hallowed halls of law school for the dynamic world of fintech. Discover how curiosity and opportunity led Oyekolade to Sycamore, and learn about the unique challenges and rewards of working in a rapidly evolving industry.
How long have you worked here at Sycamore?
Six months.
How exactly did you find your way from the hallowed halls of law school to the fintech industry?
Curiosity and opportunity. I was enthusiastic about insurance and generally financial services. Opportunity and determination to try something new led me here.
What about Sycamore specifically drew you in and made you think, “Oh, this looks like a great place to work?”
Tunde and I went to a meeting before I resumed. Knowing the CEO and attending Sycamore’s 5th anniversary was my deciding factor.
Could you walk us through a typical day in your role at Sycamore?
When I wake up in the morning, I write down all my tasks for the day and start picking them up one after the other. Other unplanned things will surely come up, but I do not let them take away my priorities for the day.
A lot of unplanned to-do’s come up though, but it’s like quenching fires and still going to build your own house.
How does Sycamore navigate the complex regulatory landscape of fintech in Nigeria? What are the biggest challenges in ensuring compliance while driving innovation?
Let me start with the challenge, the biggest challenge is managing time and time is money. Regulators want to take their time and proofread a product, but innovators want to sell and go to market before their competition or before it is too late.
Sycamore has a good team navigating its compliance journey, it has the best advisors and staff members
What do you think sets Sycamore’s work culture apart from other companies in the industry? How does this culture impact your work on the legal team?
This is a serious question, I cannot say because I haven’t worked in many places. However, the people, the goal mindset and the friendliness are it for me.
Also, Sycamore is a place to learn and grow, because it is a growing company as well. So learning with other people can be exciting; it’s like a corporate school.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your time at Sycamore, both personally and professionally?
Personally, be yourself and keep learning. Professionally, never assume and document everything.
What’s one superpower you’d say you have? Could be professional or personal?
My superpower will be foresight and peace of mind.
Peace of mind as a superpower? That’s new. Care to expatiate?
I cannot, it’s a mystery. You know superheroes cannot explain how they got their powers or did not know that what they had in them was powerful. Something like that.
As the fintech industry continues to evolve, what emerging legal trends do you envision?
I would like to see this question as, “Where do you want technology in the legal world?” I will say the judiciary. We need more innovative solutions to make justice easier, cheaper, faster and more transparent.
