Oshoke Abalu
Oshoke Abalu | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 19, 1978 Lagos, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Architect, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Co-founder of Love and Magic Company; former chief architect and global head of design and construction at MetLife |
Oshoke Abalu (born 19 March 1978), who is also recognized as Pamela Abalu, is a Nigerian-American architect and entrepreneur, known for co-founding the startup studio Love and Magic Company. She formerly held the position of chief architect and global head of design and construction at MetLife.
Early life and education
Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Abalu spent part of her childhood in Kano before enrolling at an all-girls boarding school at the age of ten. Her father’s role with the United Nations in agricultural economics provided her with exposure to a variety of international settings. She completed her undergraduate studies in Architecture at Iowa State University located in Ames, Iowa.
In 2005, Abalu earned her professional architecture license.
Career
Following her freshman year, Abalu obtained her initial architecture internship at Perkins Eastman in New York. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with prominent companies such as Bloomberg L.P., L'Oréal, and Goldman Sachs. In 2011, she was appointed Chief Architect at MetLife, where she oversaw design operations for 1,500 properties across almost 50 countries, supporting a workforce exceeding 57,000 employees.
As a co-founder of The Love & Magic Company, Abalu also contributes as faculty at The Inner MBA. In 2016, she was honored on Crain's 40 Under 40 list. Her professional achievements have been highlighted by media outlets including Fast Company, TED, NBC, and Interior Design Magazine.