Nigerian-American, Orume Agbeyegbe-Hays makes Forbes’ list of Top 200 CPAs

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Forbes has released its list of America’s Top 200 CPAs. One of them is Nigerian-American Orume Agbeyegbe-Hays

Nigerian-American Orume Agbeyegbe-Hays, Founder and CEO of the New York-based Hays CPA, is making waves in the accounting profession in the United States. Her recognition on Forbes’ inaugural “America’s Top 200 CPAs” list underscores her drive for excellence, innovation, and inclusion. This achievement follows her 2022 and 2023 awards as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor Magazine, as well as her recognition as a 2023 Top 50 Women in Accounting by Ignition.

Agbeyegbe-Hays is serving her third year as chairperson of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Private Companies Practice Section’s Executive Committee—the first black female CPA to do so. She also served as a vice president, director-at-large, and executive committee member of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and as president of NYSSCPA’s Manhattan/Bronx Chapter. She currently serves as Chair of NYSSCPA Relations with the IRS Committee.

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In a reflective moment shared on LinkedIn, Agbeyegbe-Hays acknowledged the pivotal role her mother played in her journey. She said, “Reflecting on this achievement, I can’t help but think of my journey, rooted in the dedication of my mother, who, despite humble beginnings in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, prioritized education for her children. Her unwavering belief in the power of learning has been the driving force behind my success, turning her investment into dividends that continue to enrich my life.”

“From operating a minority-owned accounting firm and serving a diverse group of amazing clients to mentoring the next generation of accountants, my work in our profession has been personally, professionally, and deeply rewarding. Every day, I’m fueled by the opportunity to make a meaningful impact and pave the way for others.”

Agbeyegbe-Hays’ impact extends into academia as well. She is an adjunct lecturer at the College of Staten Island (CSI) and a Graduate Advisor in the Accounting Department at Hunter College (CUNY).

Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Anthropology from the University of Benin, Nigeria, a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from CSI, City University of New York (CUNY), and a Master of Science in Taxation from the D’Amore McKim School of Business, Northeastern University, Massachusetts.

Being included in Forbes’ inaugural America’s Top 200 CPAs list is both a privilege and an honor for Agbeyegbe-Hays. She expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting the rigorous selection process conducted by Forbes editorial staff. Nominees were evaluated based on various criteria, including expertise, innovation, thought leadership, experience, and contributions to the community and profession. For Agbeyegbe-Hays, this acknowledgment is a testament to her professional commitment to excellence and service. “It is made possible by the hard work and dedication of my team, the support of my mentors, and inspiration from fellow professionals.”

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Sanya Onayoade

Continental Editor, North America

SANYA ONAYOADE is a graduate of Mass Communication and a Master of Communication Arts degree holder from the University of Ibadan. He has attended local and international courses on Media, Branding, Public Relations and Corporate Governance in many institutions including the University of Pittsburgh; Reuters Foundation of Rhodes University, South Africa and Lagos Business School. He has worked in many newspaper houses including The Guardian and The Punch. He was the pioneer Corporate Affairs Manager of Odua Telecoms Ltd, and later Head of Business Development and Marketing of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Plc).

He has led business teams to several countries in the US, Asia and Europe; and was part of an Aviation investment drive in West Africa. He has also driven media and brand consultancy for a few organizations such as the British Council, Industrial Training Fund, PKF Audit/Accounting Firm and Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme. He is a Fellow of Freedom House, Washington DC, and also Fellow of Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria. Sanya is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a 1998 Commonwealth Media Awards winner and the Author of A Decade Of Democracy.
Morak Babajide-Alabi

Morak Babajide-Alabi

Continental Editor, Europe

Morak Babajide-Alabi is a graduate of Mass Communication with a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism from Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He is an experienced Social Media practitioner with a strong passion for connecting with customers of brands.

Morak works as part of a team currently building an e-commerce project for the Volkswagen Group UK. Before this, he worked on the social media accounts of SKODA, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In this job, he brought his vast experience in journalism, marketing, and search engine optimisation to play to make sure the brands are well represented on social media. He monitored the performance of marketing campaigns and data analysis of all volumes of social media interaction for the brands.

In his private capacity, Morak is the Chief Operating Officer of Syllable Media Limited, an England-based marketing agency with head office in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The agency handles briefs such as creative writing, ghostwriting, website designs, and print and broadcast productions, with an emphasis on search engine optimisation. Syllable Media analyses, reviews, and works alongside clients to maximise returns on their businesses.

Morak is a writer, blogger, journalist, and social media “enthusiast”. He has several publications and projects to his credit with over 20 years of experience writing and editing for print and online media in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Morak is a dependable team player who succeeds in a high-pressure environment. He started his professional career with the flagship of Nigerian journalism – The Guardian Newspapers in 1992 where he honed his writing and editing skills before joining TELL Magazine. He has edited, reported for, and produced newspapers and magazines in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Morak is involved in the development of information management tools for the healthcare sector in Africa. He is on the board of DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, a company with branches in London, Lagos, and Abuja, to make healthcare information available at the fingertips of professionals. DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited achieved this by collaborating with notable informatics companies. It had partnered in the past with Avia Informatics Plc and i2i TeleSolutions Pvt.

Out of work, Morak loves walking and also volunteers on the board of a few UK Charity Organisations. He can be reached via http://www.syllablemedia.com
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Ademola Akinbola

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Brief Profile of Ademola Akinbola

Ademola AKINBOLA is an author, publisher, trainer, digital marketing strategist, and a brand development specialist with nearly three decades of experience in the areas of branding, communication, corporate reputation management, business development, organizational change management, and digital marketing.

He is the Founder and Head Steward at BrandStewards Limited, a brand and reputation management consultancy. He is also the Publisher of The Podium International Magazine, Ile-Oluji Times, and Who’s Who in Ile-Oluji.

He had a successful media practice at The Guardian, Punch and This Day.

He started his brand management career at Owena Bank as Media Relations Manager before joining Prudent Bank (now Polaris Bank) as the pioneer Head of Corporate Affairs.

The British Council appointed him as Head of Communication and Marketing to co-ordinate branding and reputation management activities at its Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt offices.

In 2007, he was recruited as the Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy for the Nigerian Aviation Handling company. He led on the branding, strategic planning and stakeholder management support function.

His job was later expanded and redesigned as Head of Corporate Communication and Business Development with the mandate to continue to execute the Board’s vision in the areas of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Branding and New Businesses.

In 2010, he voluntarily resigned from nacho aviance to focus on managing BrandStewards, a reputation and brand management firm he established in 2003. BrandStewards has successfully executed branding, re-branding and marketing communication projects for clients in the private and public sectors.

Ademola obtained a M.Sc. Degree in Digital Marketing & Web Analytics from Dublin Institute of Technology in 2016, and the Master of Communication Arts degree of the University of Ibadan in 1997. He had previously obtained a Higher National Diploma (with Upper Credit) in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

He has published several articles and authored five management books.

He has benefitted from several domestic and international training programmes on Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Change Management and Organizational Strategy.
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