Oshoke Abalu

Background

About Oshoke Abalu

OSHOKE ABALU is a seasoned executive and thought leader who has been credited by TIME Magazine with “breaking down walls” as well as rejuvenating and transforming global work cultures through her delivery of human-centered solutions. As Chief Architect for global insurance giant MetLife, Abalu oversaw $1B+ of capital improvements across 40 countries, impacting employees around the world. Abalu joined MetLife from the global design practice Perkins & Will where her award-winning projects for clients including Bloomberg LP, Goldman Sachs, Dar Al Handasah, and Hanwha (Korea) have served as catalysts for growth — resulting in increased productivity, greater employee happiness, improved talent acquisition and retention, geographic footprint reductions, lowered operating costs, and increased efficiencies. As a Licensed Architect, Abalu’s ability to execute on and manage complexity is one of her greatest assets. Her intelligence, conscientiousness, and curiosity have guided her unique career through a diverse terrain of professional experience. Abalu has consistently served as both a thoughtful design catalyst and inclusion innovator who has moved the needle, shattered glass ceilings, and enabled a broader conversation on the future of work. As Faculty at LinkedIn Learning and The Inner MBA, Abalu delivers innovative human-centered curricula as daily workplace practices and virtual learning programs for transforming workplace culture. Oshoke has also served on Advisory Boards at TEDxBroadway and MindMeet. Abalu earned a B. ARCH from Iowa State University. She has been recognized as a Crain's 40 under 40 honoree, a Designer to Know by Contract Magazine, an IIDA Design Pioneer, and is a 100 Coach. Her work is widely discoverable including Fast Company, TED, TIME, Smart Planet, Real Simple Magazine.