This Black History Month, we welcome Chemical Engineering alumnus Yinka Bankole back to the Department – exactly 30 years after he graduated.
Yinka will share his journey – from his time at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, to first roles after university, through working in Aberdeen, Stavanger and London, and to building a career in consultancy and becoming a passionate advocate for mentoring, STEM and community impact.
Drawing on his own experiences of navigating a career without many Black mentors, Yinka will explore the power of representation, the value of intentional mentoring, and the importance of giving back.
His mentoring and community contributions, which go beyond the barrier of ethnicity, have been recognised through awards like the WES Highly Commended Men as Allies Award. Before that he has been a STEM Ambassador, AFBE Professional Development and Mentoring Lead and mentored through the Mayor of London’s mentoring scheme, amongst other activities.
This will be a personal and thought-provoking look at 30 years of career lessons, opportunities and impact, with insights relevant to anyone thinking about their own career, supporting others, or looking to make a difference beyond their day job.
This event is open to all staff and PhD students at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. Attendance is in-person, first come first served.
Biography
With over two decades of experience in the energy sector, Yinka Bankole has built a career spanning flow assurance, process engineering, application development and engineering consultancy, with a strong focus on delivering high-quality, practical solutions.
At ENIPROGETTI S.P.A., Yinka has led field development activities and provided consultancy across global operations, drawing on his experience as a Chartered Engineer to uphold high professional and technical standards.
As a Director at Intalock Ltd, Yinka works across the complexities of oil and gas consultancy, with expertise in project engineering and P&ID development. His work spans projects from conceptual design through to execution, with a focus on delivering robust and innovative solutions for clients.
Earlier in his career, Yinka developed database-driven applications designed to support key operational and engineering decisions. He is also an Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) in database management, alongside a range of other professional qualifications.
Alongside his professional career, Yinka has maintained a longstanding commitment to mentoring and supporting others. He has mentored both professionally and voluntarily, helping to develop the next generation of engineers and professionals. His contribution to mentoring and allyship has been recognised through awards, including Highly Commended in the WES Men as Allies Award. He has also been a founder of mentoring activities within the Association for Black and Minority Engineers, and has shared his experiences of intentional mentoring at Women in STEM conferences.
Yinka is passionate about the role that mentoring, representation and allyship can play in creating opportunities and supporting people to reach their potential.
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