Honestly the world should watch out for us Nigerians are coming, Nigerains have what it takes to rule the world if only we have sensible leaders

Adebayo Ogunlesi, 56, is the chairman and managing partner, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), an independent investment fund based in New York City with worldwide stake in infrastructure assets, has been reported to be the new owner of the London Gatwick Airport.
The son of an 86-year old professor of medicine has presided over a great number of sweet deals that made him the envy of his peers abroad even if his forays into the brisk world multi-billion dollars deals are barely talked about in his home country.



Ogunlesi's latest deal is the much talked about acquisition of the London Gatwick Airport. The Gatwick deal is a £1.455 billion agreement with BAA Airports Limited. GIP will be investing through Ivy Bidco Limited, a limited liability company registered in England, established for the purpose of making the acquisition. Bidco will pay cash consideration of £1,455 million for the entire share capital of Gatwick Airport Limited on a cash-free, debt-free basis. Ogunlesi says the acquisition of Gatwick is a landmark deal for GIP and adds another quality asset to his firm's rapidly expanding portfolio.

According to him, "we see significant scope to apply both our strong operational focus and our knowledge of the airports sector to make Gatwick an airport of choice." He began stacking up his big deals profile when he joined the top-shelf New York law firm, Cravath, Swain & Moore. It was at the law firm that he jumped at the chance to advise First Boston (which later acquired Credit Suisse in 1997 to form Credit Suisse First Boston or CSFB) on a hugely lucrative Nigerian gas project. The success of that deal landed him his first big pay move to First Boston. For First Boston, he worked on project finance, brokering deals in which lenders finance assets like oil refineries and mines and are repaid with revenues generated by those enterprises. Based in New York City and traveling to emerging markets, he built CSFB's project-finance business into the world's best, in part by encouraging corporations and overnments to tap public debt markets in addition to
commercial lenders.

His teacher while at King's College, Lagos, J Namme told Business Day that Bayo, as he is fondly called, loves getting things done. Perhaps, the London Gatwick Airport acquisition best underscores his desire to get things done and in the big way too. The Gatwick deal illustrates his global influence in infrastructure assets deals.

Ogunlesi has lived in New York for 20 years and is active in volunteer work. But he also cultivates his ties to Africa. He informally advises the Nigerian government on privatisation. And last summer Manute Bol, the 7-ft. 7-in. Former NBA center, visited Ogunlesi in his Park Avenue office, seeking donations for a charitable foundation in former basketball star Manute Bol's homeland, Sudan.

The 5-ft. 9-in. Ogunlesi walked Bol around the hallways, introducing him to junior staff. It was just another day in the Bayosphere. Prior to his current role, he was executive vice chairman and chief client officer of Credit Suisse, based in New York. He previously served as a member of Credit Suisse's Executive Board and Management Council and chaired the Chairman's Board. Previously, he was the Global Head of Investment Banking at Credit Suisse. Since joining Credit Suisse in 1983, Ogunlesi has advised clients on strategic transactions and financings in a broad range of industries and has worked on transactions in North and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Ogunlesi attended the prestigious King's College, Lagos. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association. He was a lecturer at Harvard Law School and the Yale School.

Ogunlesi, whose father was the first Nigerian-born medical professor, studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford and then earned law and business degrees from Harvard. In the US, he is known as the Nigerian who clerked for late Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall, who they say was unable to pronounce his name and quickly dubbed him Obeedoogee. Colleagues and friends call him Bayo.

source : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=51718039

Interesting, why couldn't he come and invest the money in naija? small time they would open their mouth and say naija is not progressing.

maybe he will

Or could it be a front be unscrupulous nigerians to invest looted funds in a foreing land

Good for him. Also a good development for Nigeria.

I know the guys family very well.
His elder brother is my boss and colleague.

snowdrops:

Or could it be a front be unscrupulous nigerians to invest looted funds in a foreing land

HE IS NOT FRONTING FOR ANYONE MY FRIEND!!
WHY DO NIGERIANS ALWAYS HAVE THIS KIND OF THOUGHTS??
AH! AH!!

His family is very down to earth. He won't even touch any shady deal with a 1000 foot pole.

Annunaki:

Interesting, why couldn't he come and invest the money in naija? small time they would open their mouth and say naija is not progressing.

that's because its not his money?

snowdrops:

Or could it be a front be unscrupulous nigerians to invest looted funds in a foreing land

Be proud of your country man.  He is not a front for anyone.
He's a well known investment banker who has a rich history in the investment world.
He was at one time the head of Credit Suisse First Boston.
You can read more about his bio in the link below. The article was done by Time Magazine.

http://www.time.com/time/2002/globalinfluentials/gbiogunlesi.html

Dem dey sell Airport?

This is old news, How about London City Airport as well,

afam4eva:

Dem dey sell Airport?

My brother i dey ask the same question. Not even a london airport, are they not richer british in london, why dey no sell the airport to them?

Back in school in school, i used to spend my weekends reading time magazine at the school library. For those of you who don't know this guy, after know that time named him as one of the young people to watch out for about 8 or 9 years ago.
Infact from what i read back then about him, He's underachieved and still has to live up to. I expect him to be fortune 500 CEO in his life time.

I'm interested in this man. I think I first read about him on NL some months back when somebody mentioned him as his role model.
Gotta read about this man.

Men this is good news.

Jarus:

I'm interested in this man. I think I first read about him on NL some months back when somebody mentioned him as his role model.
Gotta read about this man.

I was the one.

He is also from Sagamu.

Nigerians are very embarrassing. Hope foreigners don't see this headline. GIP is not Bayo's company but a subsidiary of Credit Suisse and GE.

It's good, however, to see very successful Nigerians and not the constant stream of appalling news about Nigerians. He's done well for himself. He was a bit of a dissapointment as head of Global IB at Credit Suisse but you can't win all the time.

Honestly i believe this achievement is really commendable, it shows Nigerians have the potential to rule the world. But we also need more investments back home, i believe he can achieve better returns on his investment in naija even though our economy is so unpredictable and no worhtwhile financial institution might be willing to finance an investmment in naija.  

Someone beat me to the question -- why couldn't he invest (even just a quarter of that money) in NIGERIA?

It seems Nigerians are looking for a new homeland instead of fixing up what they got.

He could have acquired Murtala Muhammed at bargain price and done a lot with it for profit.

@KunleOshob
i disagree with you on that last Comment he's taken up a shrewd investment that it more or less Guaranteed to give a profitable rate of return on the long run, the risk on the investment is far lower than anything he could put that money into in naija and any investment needs to be appraised on a risk and reward basis amongst other things.

I don't know if you are aware the BAA have reasonably forecasted the amount of Air traffic they are expecting to go through those airport in the next Couple of years, i don't think it gets better than that.
This beats investing a large amount in an Economy that is grossly unstable, corrupt and inefficient to say the least.
More grease to his elbows.

Abrantie:

Someone beat me to the question -- why couldn't he invest (even just a quarter of that money) in NIGERIA?

It seems Nigerians are looking for a new homeland instead of fixing up what they got.

He could have acquired Murtala Muhammed at bargain price and done a lot with it for profit.

*Shakes head*

Is Muritala Muhammed airport up for sale?

Does a businessman with his brain in his head use emotions to invest or quantitative calculations of returns?

Sagamite:

*Shakes head*

Is Muritala Muhammed airport up for sale?

Does a business with his brain in his head use emotions to invest or quantitative calculations of returns?

shut up with your logic and common sense. the northern cabal stopped this man from buying muritala muhammed airport.

afam4eva:

Dem dey sell Airport?

Yes; government can buy an airport and some airports are private investments too just like some roads in the US are privately owned. They charge tolls to drivers who intend to use it.

Abrantie:

Someone beat me to the question -- why couldn't he invest (even just a quarter of that money) in NIGERIA?

It seems Nigerians are looking for a new homeland instead of fixing up what they got.

He could have acquired Murtala Muhammed at bargain price and done a lot with it for profit.

You no get light

You no get road

You no get president

Political assassinations everywhere in your country

Armed robbery is the order of the day

No water
Terrorism hangs on your neck etc.

Which foreigner will want to invest in such country?. Will you as a person invest $1M in a Sudanese or Zimbabwean air or seaport?

This is a litte  bit misleading , cos you cant say that an India woman owns Pepsi Co or an Indian woman owns Citibank. I'm a great admirer of Ogunlesi. I got to know him when he was listed with Strive Massiyiwa , founder of Econet Wireless as the only Africans on CNN/Time global business influentials. He also clerked for the Justice Thurgood Marshal of the U.S Supreme Court

aloy-emeka:

You no get light

You no get road

You no get president

Political assassinations everywhere in your country

Armed robbery is the order of the day

No water
Terrorism hangs on your neck etc.

Which foreigner will want to invest in such country?. Will you as a person invest $1M in a Sudanese or Zimbabwean air or seaport?

No mind this yeye people - correct business is not about sentiments - A country where policies can easily be reversed - one minute u be owner next minute you are begger - Who in their right senses who would want to invest definitely not the westerners

This man has represented our country well. As an Igbo, I will give this Yoruba man praise. He deserves it! I pray for his continue success.

4 Play:

Nigerians are very embarrassing. Hope foreigners don't see this headline. GIP is not Bayo's company but a subsidiary of Credit Suisse and GE.

It's good, however, to see very successful Nigerians and not the constant stream of appalling news about Nigerians. He's done well for himself. He was a bit of a dissapointment as head of Global IB at Credit Suisse but you can't win all the time.

I just checked out the website of GIP and you are correct Bayo Ogunlesi does not own GIP it is owned by General Electric and Credit suisse whilst Bayo Ogunlesi is the chairman and Managing Partner of the company. It is still impressive though that a Nigerian is being allowed to head such a big company in a foreign land.

It is about time Nigeria made the headlines for a good reason, and seeing a Nigerian entrepreneur scale the intense fiscal scrutiny that would precede his takeover bid for Gatwick Airport is even better news.

Mr. Ogunlesi is the right breed of silent achiever whose accomplishments will go a long way towards incrementally repairing the battered image of his homeland in eyes of the international community.

Ogunlesi Air Heavy, you are cleared for final approach, Gatwick Runway 26 Left, with light winds and a dry tarmac. Good day.

This man has represented our country well. As an Igbo, I will give this Yoruba man praise. He deserves it! I pray for his continue success.


EWEeeeeee See me see EZEUCHE OH,

2010 go good, We shall burn all our idols.

This is really stale news as I mentioned earlier. However, Bayo Ogunlesi is a legend. Its also important to note that he isn't one of those people who forget where they are from, and he tries as much as possible to help black people enter wall street by chairing several diversity initiatives for all minorities.

However he did not purchase anything with his own money. I am happy sha that he made his mark before the era of 419   .

EzeUche:

This man has represented our country well. As an Igbo, I will give this Yoruba man praise. He deserves it! I pray for his continue success.

He doesn't need your praise lol

bawomolo:

shut up with your logic and common sense. the northern cabal stopped this man from buying muritala muhammed airport.

Leaf me o.

EzeUche:

This man has represented our country well. As an Igbo, I will give this Yoruba man praise. He deserves it! I pray for his continue success.

Are you expecting a standing ovation or something?

Vile mentality.

Mr Adebayo Ogunlesi is the current Non Executive Chairman of African Finance Corporation. This is another organisation to watch out for in the future. As a Nigerian, I am really proud of the achievement of this man. He has done good for himself and help to promote the image of our dear country.