Personality Corner

Belinda "Bella" Disu, the daughter of Nigerian trillionaire and CEO of the foremost multinational telecommunications company (Globacom) can be likened to the apple that didn’t fall too far from the family tree. In her case, the apple didn’t fall at all!

In this maiden issue of Chuksofficial Personality, we bring to you more about this amazing woman, her drive and some other things you probably didn’t know about her.

Biography

Belinda "Bella" Ajoke Olubunmi Disu (nee Adenuga, born 29th May 1986) is a business executive who knows her onions. She sits pretty on the board as the Executive Vice Chairman of Globacom, a non-executive director of Julius Berger Nigeria and as a director at Abumet Plc, a glass and aluminium manufacturing company. 

 

Early life and Education

Bella was born 29th May 1986 to Emelia Adefolake Marquis and Mike Adenuga.

She schooled in Lagos. Her primary education was at Corona School, Victoria Island and her secondary education at Queen’s College. In 1998, she left Queen’s College for the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, where she graduated in 2000.

She obtained her first degree (Bachelor’s) in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, US and An M.Sc. in Leadership from Northeastern University, Boston. 

Career

In 2004, Bella started her career at Globacom Ltd, a multinational telecommunications company operating in Ghana and Nigeria at the age of 18. Contrary to popular belief, she says working in a company founded by her father was no easy ride. 

Bella joined Globacom Limited as a staff in the Treasury and Finance Department. She has steadily risen through the ranks, becoming the group executive director.

In 2011, she took on an additional lead role as the CEO of Cobblestone Properties and Estates Limited, a leading property development company and the brain behind the multi-million naira high-rise apartment complex, Sisi Paris.

A high value contract negotiation and project management expert, she has successfully led notable projects such as new customer experience Gloworld outlets, the inauguration of the Mike Adenuga Alliance Francoise Centre by Emmanuel Macron on July 4 in Ikoyi, Lagos state.

Bella assumed the role of the executive vice chairman of Globacom in January 2019. She also attended the Africa CEO Forum that year, where she had a private meeting with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. She was a keynote speaker at the Women in Business Initiative of the Africa CEO Forum.

Bella is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and the Nigerian Institute of Directors.

Personal Life

She got married to Jameel Disu, a venture capitalist in April 2010.  The couple have two children.

Mrs. Disu is a family oriented person. She plays musical instruments at the family's annual Christmas gathering.

Philantropy

Outside the corporate world, Bella Disu as fondly called by many, is the founder and president of Bella Disu Foundation-- a nonprofit organization that was established to improve the lives of the less privileged children by providing access to quality education and employment skills.

She is an avid sponsor of the arts, a promoter of the French language and culture through the Alliance Francaise Project at the Mike Adenuga Alliance Francaise Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos State.

A music lover herself, she plays the piano and saxophone. Encouraging a better environment for musical learning, she also has been a benefactor at the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON), and she is listed in the society’s Wall of Fame.

Belinda says her desire is to see the return of well-illustrated and richly narrated folk-tales she read as a child. This is her motivation for writing her folktale. Although yet to be published, it looks promising as it reflects the richness of the Nigerian culture for children aged 5-7.

Awards

In 2019, Bella Disu was awarded the prestigious Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Award by the French Government in recognition of her efforts at promoting the French culture.