Featuring: Eileen Oduraa Ninson (FCCA, MCIT) Head of Finance, Sir David Adjaye & Associates (Africa) | Founder, The Chayil Foundation | Ghana
“Competence may get you the opportunity, but character keeps you there. Skill opens doors, but integrity sustains trust because trust is the true currency of leadership.” — Eileen Oduraa Ninson
Eileen Oduraa Ninson is a recognised social innovator, Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Practitioner with over a decade of cross-regional experience in financial strategy, tax management and regulatory compliance. As Head of Finance at Sir David Adjaye & Associates (Africa), she leads strategic finance initiatives that support the firm’s award-winning architectural projects across the continent.
She is also the Founder and CEO of The Chayil Foundation, a social impact organisation empowering widows and single mothers through vocational training, healthcare access, microcredit and economic inclusion, transforming hundreds of lives in underserved communities.
Beyond the corporate boardroom and social enterprise, Eileen mentors the next generation of purpose-driven leaders as a Sunday School Superintendent at Bethel Methodist Church, Tema. Recognised as Humanitarian of Africa – Social Innovator of the Year (2024), she has spoken and moderated at influential platforms such as the ACCA Africa Members Convention 2023 in Johannesburg.
In this edition of Her Ascent Journey, Eileen shares how she aligns finance with creativity, adapts leadership across diverse environments, merges competence with character, and redefines Africa’s role in global partnerships.
As Head of Finance at a leading global architecture firm, how do you align financial strategy with the creative and operational needs of large-scale, cross-border projects?
“Aligning financial strategy with the creative and operational needs of large-scale, cross-border projects requires a delicate balance between financial discipline and design freedom. My approach is anchored on three key pillars: strategic integration, adaptive governance and value-driven decision-making.
1. Strategic Integration
At Adjaye Associates, finance operates as a strategic partner, not a back-office function. We engage early in the design and planning process to understand the creative vision, project scope and potential cost implications. This enables us to translate design ambitions into financially sustainable delivery models by setting realistic budgets, building in risk buffers and forecasting cash flows that align with both client expectations and operational realities across different markets.
2. Adaptive Governance
Given our presence across multiple African countries, we operate with a centralized finance team based in Accra which manages contracts across the continent. This structure ensures strong central oversight and consistency in financial management, while we collaborate with local consultants in each country to navigate regulatory, tax and compliance nuances. This hybrid model allows us to uphold global financial standards while maintaining the agility to adapt to local contexts, ensuring that every project remains compliant, transparent and financially sound.
3. Value-Driven Decision-Making
In a creative industry like architecture, financial strategy must empower innovation rather than constrain it. We track key value indicators (KVIs) such as design productivity, fee recovery and project profitability to measure success in a way that reflects both creative impact and financial performance. By embedding value-oriented metrics into our decision-making, finance becomes a strategic enabler of creativity, supporting design excellence while safeguarding fiscal integrity.
Ultimately, our goal is to build a financial ecosystem that sustains innovation, ensures accountability and inspires confidence among clients, partners and our creative teams, whether the project is in Accra, Kigali or Nairobi.”
You lead in corporate, social and faith-based contexts. How do you adapt your leadership style across such different environments?
“Leading across corporate, social and faith-based spaces has taught me that while leadership principles are universal, their expressions must be contextual. My core values, integrity, empathy and accountability, remain constant, but how they manifest depends on the environment and the people I serve.
In the corporate space, my leadership emphasizes strategic alignment, organisational resilience and performance excellence. I lead with clarity, systems thinking and results, ensuring that financial discipline complements creativity and innovation.
In the social impact space, especially through The Chayil Foundation, leadership becomes more transformational and empathetic. It is about inspiring hope, fostering collaboration and creating opportunities that empower women, especially widows, to build sustainable livelihoods.
In faith-based settings, leadership is rooted in spiritual stewardship and service. It is guided by humility, compassion and discernment, ensuring that every action aligns with purpose and reflects grace.
Across all three, I have learned that authentic leadership transcends titles and settings. It is not about changing who I am, but about applying who I am with sensitivity and authenticity to where I am.”
What is the most important principle you teach young leaders about combining competence with character?
“I always tell young leaders that competence may get you the opportunity, but character keeps you there. Skill opens doors, but integrity sustains trust and trust is the true currency of leadership.
In every field I have led, whether corporate, social or faith-based, I have seen that brilliance without integrity eventually breaks down systems and people. So I teach that competence and character must grow together: competence reflects what you can do; character reflects who you are when no one is watching.
A truly impactful leader is one whose excellence is anchored in values. When you master your craft with humility, stay accountable and lead with sincerity, people do not just follow your results, they follow your example.”
You have engaged audiences from Ghana to Johannesburg. What are the key factors African leaders must demonstrate to attract and sustain international partnerships?
“In 2023, I had the privilege of moderating and speaking at the ACCA African Members Convention in Johannesburg, where we explored how finance professionals can thrive in a changing world through lifelong learning and career success. That experience reinforced a truth I hold deeply: Africa’s ability to attract and sustain international partnerships depends on credibility, clarity and collaboration.
Credibility is built on good governance and transparency. Partners invest in trust before they invest in projects.
Clarity comes from articulating a clear, measurable vision that connects local realities with global standards.
Collaboration requires a mindset that values shared learning, building partnerships that draw strength from Africa’s diversity while welcoming global expertise.
Sustainable partnerships are not born from dependency but from mutual value creation. When African leaders embody accountability, cultural intelligence and innovation, they shift the narrative from need to strategic partnership, positioning Africa as a confident contributor to global progress.”
Conclusion
Eileen Oduraa Ninson’s ascent demonstrates how competence anchored in character, leadership rooted in service and finance guided by purpose can shape both business performance and societal transformation. Her perspective challenges leaders to build not only numbers but legacies.
Her Ascent Journey is powered by Ascent Club, the premier visibility platform for African and diaspora women who are board- and speaker-ready. Through curated storytelling, media amplification and strategic positioning, we elevate the expertise of our members so they are not only seen but sought after for the world’s most influential tables.
Are you a senior female leader ready to amplify your thought leadership, secure speaking engagements or position yourself for board opportunities? Ascent Club is your launchpad to global influence.
