What if the secret to a successful organisation is not just having the right strategy, but having the right people and knowing how to help them thrive? Vivian O. Adikankwu has spent 17 years exploring exactly that question, and turning the answer into a career built around people, performance and possibilities.
An accomplished human resources leader, workforce transformation strategist and career development advocate, Vivian has built an impressive career across the insurance, hospitality, oil and gas, consulting and technology sectors. Along the way, she has become passionate about one thing in particular: helping organisations get the best out of their people while helping professionals thrive in the world of work.
As the Group Head, People and Culture at Ouranos Technologies Ltd, Vivian leads the organisation’s people strategy across West Africa. Her responsibilities cover talent management, organisational development, employee engagement, performance management, culture building and digital HR transformation.
But what makes her journey interesting is not just the number of organisations and sectors she has worked in. It is the fact that she has repeatedly taken on the challenge of building and strengthening HR functions, introducing performance management systems, improving organisational structures and helping businesses develop the people and leadership capabilities they need to grow.
For Vivian, however, HR is about much more than policies and processes. It is about people.
This belief also inspired her to establish Devien Consult Ltd, where she provides HR consulting and workforce transformation solutions to organisations looking to build stronger and more people-centred workplaces.
And through the Devien HR Academy, Vivian is tackling an issue that remains particularly important in Nigeria: the gap between education and employment. The Academy was created to help aspiring HR professionals, fresh graduates and people changing careers gain the practical skills they need to navigate the workplace. So far, Vivian has trained more than 100 people, covering areas such as HR practice, workplace readiness, professional branding, interview skills and AI-enabled HR tools.
And this is perhaps one of the most admirable things about her work. She is not simply telling people to get better at what they do; she is creating spaces where they can actually learn how to do it.
As a speaker, facilitator, mentor and career coach, Vivian has supported professionals on their career journeys. She is the author of Job Hunting Hacks, adding author to an already impressive list of roles that reflect her passion for career development.
Her academic background may seem a little different from the career she eventually built. Vivian holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a master’s degree, both from Lagos State University. She is also a Six Sigma Yellow Belt certified professional, reflecting her interest in efficiency, continuous improvement and better processes.
Her commitment to learning and professional development has also seen her engage with organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Training and Development, Learning and Development Network International, and Junior Chamber International, where she is a Life Member Senator.
This Woman Crush Wednesday, Pride Magazine Nigeria celebrates Vivian O. Adikankwu, a woman who is not only building better workplaces but also helping more people find their place and thrive in them.