Ayo Sokale is a top sustainability influencer, civil engineer, and dynamic speaker represented by The Sustainability Speakers Agency.
With a celebrated career that spans engineering, politics, and advocacy, Ayo is the Founder and CEO of Tessellated Future Technology Ltd and has been widely recognised for her pioneering work in sustainability, diversity, and inclusion.
Nominated as one of The Telegraph’s Top 50 Women in Engineering Under 35, she brings both personal and professional insight to her roles – championing environmental responsibility, neurodiversity, and gender and racial equity within STEM and beyond.
In this interview, Ayo shares her career journey, her approach to growth and leadership, and practical ways we can all contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable world.
Q: You have an incredibly diverse career. What’s the secret to your career growth?
Ayo Sokale: “The secret to my career growth? I don’t think there’s any particular one secret. I do think there are three things I will credit for some of my career growth. One of them is having such clarity of your goals. It means asking the question, what does career success look like to me? What role would I most enjoy, and what would use my skills in the best way?
“This is so important because if you understand your goal, you have a better chance of achieving it. It’s the same as a footballer scoring a goal or a person trying to diet. If you have an idea of what you’re focusing on, you have a better chance of hitting the target.
“This leads me nicely to number two: growth. With a clear goal in mind, you can evaluate your skills, knowledge, or experience, assess where you are, and what you need to do to get where you want to be. It’s good to know what you want to do, but it’s also really important to be frank about where you are and where your gaps are. Then you can look for the right opportunities and activities to plug those gaps.
“Finally, I do think reflection is critical. Without reflection, you don’t get the most bang for your buck. In my early career as a graduate civil engineer, I really threw myself into reflection. We used to write quarterly reports, I was a tad overzealous with mine, 30,000 words excluding appendices, but it allowed me to understand the technical part of the project, what I was gaining, and the tangible lessons I learnt.
“So, I think it’s really good to distil your knowledge, understand what you’re learning, why you’re learning it, its application and limitations, and even undertake further research. All of this allows you to embrace the learning process and make it more effective. Without it, you don’t get the most out of your growth and experience.
“So definitely: have goals, focus on growth, and please do some reflection. Find a way that works for you, maybe not a 30,000-word report, but find a way that’s proportionate and enjoyable.”
Q: What was it like breaking into a male-dominated industry, and what advice would you give to others doing the same?
Ayo Sokale: “I’m a civil engineer, and I work in what many see as a male-dominated industry. However, that’s changing. A good engineer doesn’t have to be male or female or any particular gender. All you need is the curiosity to solve problems – and we’ve got plenty, from climate change to flooding and social issues, all of which need civil engineers to help make a difference.
“If you harness your individuality, the thing that makes you different, you can bring value to the industry. We’re solving problems for a huge, diverse community. Isn’t it better if we have huge, diverse minds solving them? Male, female, or whatever you identify as, this industry needs bright minds to solve the future’s problems. So, bring your authentic self.”
Q: As a young leader, why is diverse leadership important?
Ayo Sokale: “As a young leader in my industry, I acknowledge the need for diversity in leadership. It’s crucial. The world is starting to recognise this. For example, during the pandemic, we witnessed Jacinda Ardern in New Zealand lead from the front in a new and dynamic way.
“We’re starting to acknowledge that different perspectives, empathy, and varied leadership styles can have huge benefits. It also helps engage communities more effectively. Our communities are now so diverse, a global melting pot, and leadership should reflect that. It means we can better understand the issues that matter to different groups and lead in a way that truly serves everyone.”
Q: You were named Eco Angel by the Institution of Civil Engineers. What are some small changes people can make to live more sustainably?
Ayo Sokale: “I’m one of the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Water Superheroes. I’m called Eco Angel. Here are some top tips to live more sustainably.
“Cut down the length of your showers – small change, huge difference. Ditch your plastic toothbrush for a bamboo one. Switch your plastic bags for reusable ones. Swap out your shampoo and conditioner bottles for soap bars, they work just as effectively and significantly reduce plastic use.
“And finally, ditch the car and walk or cycle. These small changes can make a huge difference to your carbon footprint and help you live more sustainably.”
Q: What do diversity and inclusion mean to you, and why are they important?
Ayo Sokale: “Diversity means bringing a range of people together, regardless of their differences – racial, ethnic, socio-economic, geographic, academic, and more. However, inclusion is the most important factor. Diversity is only half the battle. Inclusion is everything.
“Inclusion means making sure people can fully take part and show up as their best selves. For example, a company might hire someone who uses a wheelchair, that’s diverse. But if the office isn’t accessible, it’s not inclusive. That person now has to spend mental energy worrying about how they’ll get around, instead of focusing on their work.
“That’s just one example. There are many invisible requirements, like neurodiversity, that often get overlooked. We need to ask: how do we design our environments to allow everyone to be included? I’m a civil engineer, and we design the built environment. If we design our teams to be inclusive, we will design our environments better. Inclusion makes the world better for everyone.”
Q: What are the negative effects of a lack of diversity and inclusion on corporate teams?
Ayo Sokale: “The lack of diversity on corporate teams can have huge effects. Two key ones come to mind: cultural blindness and stereotyping.
“Without diversity, corporate teams may miss important dates, faith practices, or cultural contexts. This can lead to poor engagement with communities. We’ve seen this in advertising – remember the Pepsi ad with Kendall Jenner? It missed the mark entirely and caused real harm.
“Secondly, without diverse teams, stereotypes go unchecked. We tend to live in silos, hanging out with people who are like us. But the workplace is often the one space where we mix with people who are different. That’s where we challenge our assumptions and grow.
“We all have unconscious bias. Our first thought might be a judgement, but the second thought is where growth happens. Diverse teams help shape that second thought. They help us question stereotypes we’ve absorbed through media or history. It makes us better people and makes our work better.”
This exclusive interview with Ayo Sokale was conducted by Jack Hayes, Director at The Champions Speakers Agency.
