When Leke Osinubi ’01 first stepped onto the Syracuse University campus, he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted out of his college experience. Like many students, he didn’t know what to expect. What he discovered, however, was a community and curriculum that would challenge his thinking, broaden his perspective and ultimately shape the course of his life and career.
Before he was responsible for global digital risk management, control assurance and security analytics for the Engineering division of Goldman Sachs, Leke Osinubi ’01 was a Syracuse University student navigating accounting lectures, public speaking jitters and late nights at Bird Library.
Leke Osinubi ’01 moderates the Women Who Win: Defining New Pathways panel at the Council of Urban Professionals Martha’s Vineyard Summit, leading a powerful conversation with industry leaders on innovation and impact.
Fast forward to November 2024, and he’s been named a partner at one of the world’s top investment firms. Today, he serves as the chief digital risk officer for Engineering at Goldman Sachs, as well as chief information security officer for GS Bank USA—roles that place him at the forefront of cybersecurity and digital strategy on a global scale.
At Syracuse, he majored in information management and technology through the School of Information Studies. But it was a basic accounting course that proved to be one of his most unexpected and meaningful influences—shaping his thinking and helping him grow both academically and personally.
“The class gave me a sense that my job in college wasn’t about memorizing concepts–it was about understanding things enough where you could explain them and apply them to the real world,” Osinubi says. “That class changed my perspective about how to learn, how to document things and how to apply myself in that context. It impressed upon me the way I look at life and studying today.”
He credits other classes, too—especially a public speaking course that pushed him beyond his comfort zone. “I learned how to confront my fears and ultimately find ways to manage my nerves,” he says. “It all translated to corporate environments – speaking at public engagements, finding composure, and building the confidence to navigate challenging situations.”
Learning Outside the Classroom
As a student at Syracuse University, Osinubi found community through involvement in student organizations like Phi Beta Sigma and the National Society of Black Engineers.
Beyond the lecture halls, Osinubi found hands-on opportunities that cemented his skills. At Bird Library, he worked alongside the technology director to install and maintain computers and network connections—bringing his classroom learning to life in real-time.
“One of my biggest mentoring relationships was with Jamel Canty, who gave me my first job there,” Osinubi says. “That’s where I had my first practical experience in network engineering and information technologies.”
Osinubi admits that one of the reasons he chose Syracuse University was for its ability to offer him a vibrant social life. He says one of the most meaningful parts of his student life was his involvement with Phi Beta Sigma, a historically Black fraternity that emphasized both brotherhood and community service. Osinubi especially remembers mentoring youth at local community centers—a formative experience that helped spark his lifelong commitment to giving back.
Syracuse is such an opportune environment to spread your wings—academically, socially and creatively. It’s a place to figure out who you are and how you want to show up in the world.
— Leke Osinubi ’01
“It really opened my eyes to the struggles people face outside your own echo chamber,” he says. In recent years, he helped the fraternity launch a scholarship fund at Syracuse to continue that legacy of support.
He also found connection and purpose through student groups like the National Society of Black Engineers and BLISTS (Black and Latinx Information Science and Technology Society).
Mentoring the Next Generation of Engineers
Leke Osinubi ’01, now a partner at Goldman Sachs, leads global digital risk management, control assurance and security analytics for the Engineering division while mentoring future talent across continents.
Given that mentorship has been such an important part of his career – both personally and professionally – Osinubi serves as a mentor and support to many budding engineers.
As a part of his mentorship efforts at Goldman Sachs, Osinubi is co-head of the New York/Jersey City chapter of the Americas Black Network and is an advisor to the Black Engineering Network.
He also participated in a program to help identify and mentor rising engineering talent in Africa & the Caribbean, where he traveled to countries like Nigeria and Ghana to tap into their talent pools and find, support and hire aspiring engineers. For Osinubi—who spent most of his childhood in Nigeria after being born in Cincinnati—the work is personal.
“It was like coming full circle,” he says. “You had students who didn’t have access to the same educational systems we have—but could articulate Einstein’s theory of relativity in detail. They were hands-on engineers—deeply talented and incredibly driven.”
Osinubi emphasizes that engineering success starts not with technical skills, but with the mindset behind them. “Technology and engineering are about how you think,” he says. “If you have creativity and a desire to build, the technical skills can be developed.”
Looking Back—and Ahead
From late nights studying in Bird Library to leading engineering recruitment efforts across Africa, Osinubi continues to apply the lessons he learned at Syracuse in impactful ways.
Even with all his achievements, Osinubi says he sometimes wonders what more he could have done as a student. “While I had an enriching experience, I think I could’ve created even more if I’d known then what I know now,” he reflects. “Syracuse is such an opportune environment to spread your wings—academically, socially, and creatively. It’s a place to figure out who you are and how you want to show up in the world.” And for Osinubi, it’s a place that continues to matter. “I have such profound memories about that place,” he says. “And I’m always grateful for what it taught me—and the part it’s played in my story.”
