Meet Ayo Olayinka, a Capital Region resident with a global perspective, and a proud graduate of the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Ayo’s journey to leadership in financial technology is a powerful reminder that education doesn’t just change your career, it can reshape your mindset.

After completing his first master's degree and building a foundation in financial services, Ayo recognized a growing gap in his knowledge: technology. “I was already working in financial services,” he explained, “but I didn’t want to go into sales. I wanted to understand the systems behind it—fintech, data, infrastructure. That’s when I turned to RPI.”

Why the Lally School? 

For Ayo, choosing Rensselaer was both personal and strategic. A longtime Albany resident, he appreciated Lally’s reputation and proximity. But it was the Management Information Systems program (combining business, technology, and real-world application) that sealed the deal. 
 
“I didn’t want to dissect computer codes. I wanted to learn how information systems support smart business decisions. Lally let me connect my management experience to data systems in a way that made sense.” 
 
Evening classes, a flexible schedule, and hands-on projects gave Ayo the tools to explore a new side of business. He and his classmates built a working database from scratch—one that classmates could query in real time. “That blew my mind,” he said. “I had never done anything like that. I didn’t think I could.” 

Career, Curves, and Crucible Moments 

Ayo's post-RPI journey wasn’t without challenges. After earning his M.S., he was eager to transition into leadership. But career progression proved to be non-linear. 
 
“I had the degrees, the experience—but my company wasn’t ready to promote me,” he said. “I had to learn that leadership is about timing, relationships, and staying patient through the process.” 
 
That hard-earned insight would serve him well in future roles—especially during one of the most pivotal chapters of his career: managing data governance at a Japanese-owned bank. 

Navigating Cultural Complexity: Leadership in a Global Bank 

In this role, Ayo was tasked with implementing data governance frameworks required by U.S. regulators. But the true challenge wasn’t technical—it was cultural. As part of a Japanese bank, strategic decisions were often deferred to executives overseas. 
 
“The home office didn’t always prioritize U.S. compliance frameworks,” Ayo explained. “But if we didn’t implement them, we’d face real regulatory consequences.” 
 
This put him in a delicate position: driving change upward through influence without direct authority. 

Building Influence, Not Just Insight 

Ayo quickly realized that clear data and logic weren’t enough. He had to translate urgency into relevance, working across language, cultural, and hierarchical barriers to make the case for change. 
 
“I had to become a salesperson for governance,” he said. “We weren’t going to win with a big splashy rollout. So I scaled down the project, created small wins, and built credibility one success at a time.” 
 
These experiences sharpened his skills as a strategic communicator and cultural translator, preparing him for global leadership in high-stakes environments. 

Wrong Roles, Right Lessons 

Not every role was the right fit—and Ayo is the first to admit it. 
 
After climbing into a director-level role with a strong team and visible impact in a medium-sized organization, Ayo accepted a new position at GE Capital titled “Lead, Data Governance”—expecting it to be a step forward. Instead, he found himself at a lower rank than anticipated, surrounded by less experienced colleagues in a more junior track. 
 
“At first, I was frustrated. I felt like I’d moved backward,” he said. “But that experience taught me one of the most important lessons of my career: just because something isn’t ideal doesn’t mean it can’t serve a purpose.” 
 
Rather than leaving immediately, Ayo chose to lean into the discomfort and seek out mentors inside the organization. He got involved in affinity and professional development groups, connected with MD-level leaders, and began reframing his situation as a learning opportunity, not a setback. 
 
“Wherever you are, there’s always something to take with you,” Ayo reflects. “The lesson might not be in the title or the task. It might be in learning how to navigate difficult conversations, or finding your voice when you feel overlooked.” 

Leadership Principles That Guide Every Role 

Ayo’s leadership approach is shaped by both experience and mentorship: 

• He stresses authenticity and transparency, especially with geographically dispersed teams.
• He believes everyone brings something to the table—and it's a leader’s job to uncover and elevate those strengths. And if specific skills set are not relevant to your team’s needs, be authentic enough to have the tough conversation and help navigate the resource to a better fit.
• His leadership style was deeply influenced by his mother’s early teachings in selflessness and a pivotal mentor at GE Capital: Robert Casper, a senior executive who modeled servant leadership and open-door trust-building. 
   
  “Leadership is easy when everything’s going well,” Ayo shared. “But it’s how you lead when things go wrong that defines you.” 

Mentorship and Giving Back 

Today, Ayo mentors young professionals navigating career setbacks, early leadership, and workplace culture clashes. He believes in servant leadership, empathy, and never underestimating the impact of a conversation. 
 
He also urges students and alumni to use the Lally network: 
 “Just reach out. One message on LinkedIn might change your path. We’ve been where you are and most alumni are eager to help.” 

What He Learned at Lally 

While many faculty members from his time at RPI have moved on, Ayo still remembers the professor who brought real-world energy into the MIS classroom.  
“I was an adult learner, balancing work and family. Lally gave me the structure, flexibility, and support to succeed.” 

What’s Next? 

Ayo is currently finishing his Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) and advising organizations on AI, data governance, and operational strategy. His passion? Helping organizations use automation and data products to democratize the use of data in decision-making across every level of the business. 
 
And his advice for anyone feeling stuck? 
“Be open-minded enough to learn the lessons of your current situation. You may not love it—but the lessons will help you lead better in the future.” 

Connect with Ayo 

Connect with Ayo Olayinka on LinkedIn
 
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