At the conclusion of the Techquest International Awards Conference 2023, Rasheed Akhigbe was announced as one of the winners of the Techquest Business Growth Excellence Award 2023, an honour that recognises professionals delivering measurable business growth through people leadership, structured execution, and sustainable workforce strategy.
Selected from a field of 15 nominees, Akhigbe emerged as one of the top two recognised winners after meeting all judging criteria for the 2023 award cycle. The recognition places his work within a growing body of leadership practice that positions human capital not as a supporting function, but as a central driver of organisational performance and long term growth.
The award reflects a career shaped by disciplined people leadership, operational clarity, and a consistent focus on outcomes. Up to 2023, Akhigbe’s professional record shows a steady progression into roles where people strategy directly influenced execution quality, leadership effectiveness, and business resilience.
Building people strategy as a growth discipline
Akhigbe’s career has been defined by work in large, multi layered organisations where scale, complexity, and pace demanded more than traditional human resources administration. From early leadership responsibilities through more senior strategic roles, he operated as a partner to executive leadership, helping convert business priorities into practical workforce actions.
This work required an ability to move between strategy and execution. Business goals were translated into clear role expectations, structured capability frameworks, and performance systems that managers could apply consistently across teams. Rather than treating people initiatives as isolated programs, Akhigbe focused on alignment, ensuring that hiring, development, performance management, and rewards worked together in support of organisational objectives.
His approach recognised that growth is rarely constrained by ambition alone. It is often limited by execution capacity, leadership readiness, and workforce stability. Addressing those constraints became a central theme in his work.
Talent acquisition, development, and retention at scale
One of the most visible aspects of Akhigbe’s leadership has been his involvement in large scale hiring and onboarding efforts. Operating in environments experiencing growth, restructuring, or operational expansion, he helped design recruitment processes that prioritised role clarity, capability fit, and long term performance potential.
Beyond filling roles, his work emphasised onboarding as a performance intervention. New hires were supported through structured integration frameworks that clarified expectations early, accelerated productivity, and reduced early attrition. These efforts contributed to stronger workforce continuity and more predictable performance outcomes.
Retention was addressed through deliberate reward and recognition structures rather than ad hoc incentives. Akhigbe supported the introduction and refinement of compensation and recognition programs that aligned individual contribution with organisational priorities. The intent was consistency and fairness, reducing ambiguity and strengthening trust between employees and leadership.
Development frameworks formed another pillar of his work. Across both entry level and senior populations, he helped implement learning and growth structures that supported career progression, leadership readiness, and skill depth. These frameworks were designed to be practical, embedded in day to day work rather than detached from operational reality.
Performance management and accountability
A recurring feature of Akhigbe’s leadership record is his focus on performance clarity. In complex organisations, inconsistent expectations and unclear accountability often undermine execution. Addressing this challenge required redesigning performance management approaches to be more transparent, consistent, and manager led.
He worked with leaders to define core competencies, role responsibilities, and performance standards that could be applied across teams. This clarity enabled managers to have more constructive performance conversations and supported employees in understanding how their work contributed to broader outcomes.
Rather than relying solely on annual appraisal cycles, his approach encouraged continuous feedback and measurable objectives. This shift helped organisations move away from subjective assessments toward more evidence based performance discussions, improving both engagement and decision making.
Change leadership during transformation
Akhigbe’s experience also includes guiding organisations through periods of change, including operational redesign, integration, and broader transformation initiatives. These environments required a balance of structure and empathy, ensuring that change was implemented without eroding trust or morale.
Working closely with senior leaders and managers, he supported communication strategies that explained the rationale for change, clarified impacts, and addressed employee concerns. His involvement in employee relations helped organisations navigate sensitive transitions while maintaining compliance and workplace stability.
This aspect of his work highlights a leadership style that recognises the human dimension of transformation. Change was treated not only as a structural exercise but as a people process, requiring deliberate attention to communication, capability, and support.
Data informed people decisions
A defining strength in Akhigbe’s work up to 2023 has been his use of data and practical metrics to inform people decisions. In environments where assumptions often shape workforce strategy, he helped introduce a more evidence based approach.
By tracking indicators such as retention patterns, quality of hire, and workforce effectiveness, he supported leadership teams in understanding what was working and where adjustments were needed. These insights informed decisions on hiring focus, development investment, and organisational design.
The emphasis was not on complex analytics for their own sake, but on practical information that leaders could use. This approach strengthened the credibility of human resources as a strategic function and reinforced its role in delivering measurable business outcomes.
Repositioning human resources as a growth partner
Beyond individual initiatives, Akhigbe’s broader impact lies in helping organisations reposition human resources as a driver of sustainable growth. His work consistently challenged the notion of HR as an administrative or reactive function.
By embedding people strategy into business planning, execution reviews, and leadership discussions, he helped shift perceptions and practice. Workforce considerations were treated as integral to growth strategy, not as afterthoughts.
This repositioning had tangible effects. Leaders were better equipped to plan for capability needs, manage performance risks, and build teams that could sustain momentum. Employees experienced clearer expectations, more consistent management, and development pathways aligned with organisational direction.
Alignment with the Techquest Business Growth Excellence Award
The Techquest Business Growth Excellence Award is designed to recognise professionals whose work demonstrates that growth is built through disciplined execution, people leadership, and sustainability. Akhigbe’s selection as one of the top two winners from 15 nominees reflects strong alignment with these criteria.
His record up to 2023 shows consistent application of structured people practices to support business performance. Growth was enabled not through short term interventions, but through systems that strengthened leadership capability, workforce stability, and accountability.
The judging panel’s decision underscores the relevance of people leadership in today’s innovation and business landscape. As organisations across Africa scale and adapt, the ability to build resilient teams and effective leaders is increasingly recognised as a competitive advantage.
Professional recognition within a pan African context
Being named a recipient of the Techquest Business Growth Excellence Award places Akhigbe within a broader community of professionals contributing to Africa’s innovation and business ecosystem. The recognition is not tied to a single organisation or sector, but to a leadership approach that can be applied across contexts.
For executive audiences, founders, and policymakers, his profile offers a case study in how people strategy can be operationalised to support growth without sacrificing stability or trust. It reinforces the idea that sustainable progress is achieved when leadership systems and workforce practices evolve together.
Looking ahead
While this recognition reflects work completed up to 2023, it also points to the ongoing relevance of disciplined people leadership in shaping the future of African enterprises. As businesses navigate expansion, integration, and technological change, the principles reflected in Akhigbe’s career remain critical.
His selection among the top two winners highlights a growing appreciation for leadership that combines strategic thinking with practical execution, and for professionals who understand that growth is ultimately delivered through people.
Techquest and the recognition of leadership excellence
The Techquest International Awards Conference continues to serve as a platform for identifying and spotlighting professionals whose work delivers measurable impact across Africa’s innovation and business landscape. By recognising leaders such as Rasheed Akhigbe, Techquest reinforces the importance of execution focused leadership and sustainable growth practices.
As preparations begin for the 2024 Techquest Awards cycle, innovators, founders, and professionals across the continent are invited to participate. The platform remains committed to recognising leadership that drives progress, builds capability, and contributes to Africa’s long term economic and organisational development.
