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Ola Adesanya is a career transformation coach, dynamic keynote speaker, and award-winning filmmaker, whose journey reflects purpose, reinvention, and resilience.
With a background in journalism, IT, and media, Ola has written for Men’s Health UK, OK! Magazine, and The Sun, later transitioning into the tech industry as a business analyst delivering complex transformation projects.
A graduate of Birmingham City University and the University of Hertfordshire, Ola Adesanya now channels his passion for storytelling through The Reel Happy House Podcast, a thriving community of film lovers.
He also hosts live panel events in partnership with leading London cinemas, and his debut film has recently won awards at the International Black and Diversity Film Awards.
A popular keynote speaker, Ola focuses on creative reinvention, purpose, and resilience, offering practical strategies for navigating life and career transitions with courage and clarity.
Ola Adesanya holds a degree in Communications from the University of Hertfordshire and an MA in International Broadcast Journalism from Birmingham City University, and he now blends storytelling, strategy, and cultural insights into his work.
His early career includes stints at Trident Media, PAUSE* Magazine, Lagos Television as a reporter, and EbonyLife Media as a production assistant. In 2016, he founded My Afroworld magazine, an entertainment and lifestyle magazine aimed at West Africans living in the UK.
Moving from the world of media to that of technology, Ola Adesanya has become a successful business analyst, delivering complex integration and migration projects. This role allows him to bridge technical expertise with strategic problem-solving.
He has worked as an analyst for a number of NHS trusts, including the Royal Free London, West Suffolk, North Bristol, Luton and Dunstable, and Bedfordshire. He has also worked as a business improvement consultant for The Open University and is currently a business analyst for CereCore.
Ola hosts The Reel Happy Hour Podcast, which sees him review films, explore cultural narratives, and celebrate the art of cinema. Through his insightful and entertaining critiques, the podcast has grown into a thriving community of film enthusiasts.
In early 2025, he released his film CLIQUE, with its premiere showing at the International Black and Diversity Film Festival. It was then shown at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, the Indie Film Awards, and the Short Way International Short Film Festival. His film is a deeply personal and culturally rich story and has earned accolades including:
– Finalist at the International Black and Diversity Film Festival
– Official Selection at the Power24 International Film Festival
– Finalist at the Shortway International Short Film Festival
– Official Selection at the First-Time Filmmaker Session
– Official Selection at the Global INDIE Filmmaker Awards
– Official Selection at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival
– Official Selection at the Indie Film Awards
– Official Selection at the Iconic Indie Film Awards

Ola is now a highly sought-after inspirational speaker whose journey reflects resilience, adaptability, and purpose, as well as a passion for storytelling. He aims to inspire audiences with his story of perseverance, sharing practical strategies for overcoming obstacles and following your purpose.
Turning Rejection Into Action: Breaking Barriers to Fulfil Your Calling: A powerful journey of resilience, this talk challenges audiences to confront fear and self-doubt, and reconnect with their deeper purpose. Ola empowers audience members to rise above adversity, reclaim their identity, and take bold steps toward a life of meaning and impact.
From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Turning Setbacks Into Power Moves: In this keynote, Ola shares how moments of darkness, including depression and failure, can be the very soil where destiny takes root. Delegates leave equipped to reframe pain, activate their potential, and rewrite their story with power and pride.
The Power of Reinvention: Redefining Success as a Black Creative: This talk is a rallying cry for those who feel stuck, misaligned, or undervalued in their careers. Ola draws on his real-life pivots from media to tech to the stage to show how reinvention isn’t just possible, but necessary.

Previous clients and events include BlkOut, the Garden Cinema, Genesis Cinema, News UK, Trinity Washington University, and We Are Black Journos.