Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988, Victoria Osondu Adefala is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL. B) degree, and a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Law from the University of Houston Bates Law School, Houston, Texas.

Victoria’s career and experience has spanned the Manufacturing Sector where she spent sixteen years with the Michelin Group. She worked in diverse departments in the Company, including the Legal department at the Head Quarters in Clermont Ferrand, France. Before leaving Michelin, she attained the position of Executive Director of Michelin in Nigeria. Throughout her career at Michelin, she was responsible for Government relations and in this role, she was extensively exposed to the practice of private sector advocacy & Lobbying in France, Washington, and the European Union Head Quarters in Brussels. She actively participated in the business community of Manufacturers in Nigeria and has deep experience and knowledge of the sector.

Victoria is a founding Partner of Whitgift Law; however, she took a leave of absence from the Law firm to answer to an opportunity to be the Nigerian Country President and CEO of Alstom Group (the Leading French Power and High-Speed Train Manufacturer), a role she held for 7 years. Victoria Adefala has wide experience in the Power sector as well as good knowledge of the Rail Transport business.

A Corporate governance expert with extensive local and international Boardroom experience, Victoria currently sits as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board of several organizations and businesses including Guaranty Trust Bank PLC; The French Nigeria Chamber of Commerce (FNCCI); Societe Francaise Orange Middle East and Africa Paris (Orange Telecom). She previously served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Italian oil and gas engineering Company Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, Coronation Registrars Limited and Interswitch Holdings Ltd, United Kingdom.

Victoria Adefala is a keen Leadership Scholar and has completed Executive Leadership and Governance Programmes at the Columbia University, Graduate School of Business New York, the Stanford University, Graduate School of Business California, INSEAD Business School France, Harvard Business School, IESE Business School, Barcelona and the London Business School.