Meet Bola Matel-Okoh

Bola Matel-Okoh is an award-winning attorney, certified Executive Coach, and seasoned board leader with over three decades of experience spanning law, corporate governance, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.

About Coach BMO

Admitted to both the Nigerian Bar and the New York State Bar, her legal career began across Nigeria and the United States, specializing in Admiralty and Immigration Law and contributing to complex, high-value litigation. In 2015, she was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Wema Bank PLC, where she plays a strategic role in corporate governance, risk oversight, and board-level decision-making.

Yet beyond titles and professional accomplishments, her life’s work has centered on one defining mission:

Empowering women to lead exceptionally.

A Leadership Philosophy Forged in Experience

Throughout her corporate and boardroom journey, Bola observed a recurring reality, highly competent women who were more than qualified to lead, yet often hesitant to fully own their influence.

Brilliance was present.
But visibility was sometimes restrained.
Capability was evident.
But confidence was occasionally muted.

These observations shaped her leadership philosophy.

Bola believes leadership is not about perfection, it is about alignment, clarity, and courageous presence. Excellence, in her view, is not accidental. It is cultivated through vision, discipline, and intentional growth.

Where Strategy Meets Purpose

A pastor by calling and a lawyer by training, Bola brings both structure and soul to her work. Her executive coaching certification from the GEMSTONE Leadership Institute, complemented by executive education at IMD (Switzerland), INSEAD (France), and Harvard Business School (USA), enables her to blend practical frameworks with deep leadership insight.

Her approach is both strategic and transformational, equipping executive women to strengthen their presence, sharpen decision-making, and lead with influence in complex environments.

Excellence is not about perfection, it is about maximizing your potential and leading with courage.

Building a Leadership Ecosystem

From this conviction emerged a comprehensive leadership ecosystem:

BMO Advisory Services — Executive coaching and corporate leadership development
Women’s Lifestyle Hub (WLH) — A mentorship community for executive women
The Executive Women Summit — An annual platform elevating women leaders
The Excellent Life Series — Thought leadership on living and leading with excellence

Each platform exists with a singular purpose:
To help women live and lead excellently.

Beyond the Boardroom

In addition to her governance and coaching work, Bola serves as CEO of Havilah Ventures, Managing Director of N-Lounge & Spa and Caroline’s Place; leading ventures across real estate, beauty, and wellness.

For her, leadership is not theoretical.
It is practiced daily.
It is stewardship.
It is responsibility.

The Continuing Impact

Today, Bola partners with executive women, board members, entrepreneurs, and organizations navigating high-stakes leadership environments. Through structured coaching, mentorship, and strategic guidance, she helps women strengthen clarity, expand influence, and excel without compromise.

Because, as she often says:

Great leaders don’t hide.
They shine.