Our Team

Toulu Akerele (CIPP/E, CIPM, ISO 27001 LI, ISO 27701 LI, ISO 22301 LI)

A multilingual data privacy expert, cybersecurity strategist, and security consultant who has worked in Paris, London, Tel Aviv and Lagos, across diverse cultures, languages and environments, including government agencies, security think tanks and consultancy firms. Toulu is a Sorbonne graduate and holds an MA in Government Cum Laude at Israel’s Interdisciplinary Centre, specialising in counter-terrorism, homeland security and cybersecurity. As a CIPP/E and CIPM holder, Toulu has conducted Data Protection Compliance Audits for over ten globally renowned companies and led the Data Privacy enterprise at KPMG Nigeria, training both internal analysts and external clients. Her wealth of knowledge in data privacy and information security led her to become the global Data Protection Officer and ISMS Manager at Paystack, a leading fintech recently acquired by U.S. payment company Stripe. Toulu is also a published researcher on African Cyber Threats (International Institute for Counter Terrorism) and West African jihad (Hudson Institute), with policy papers and resource documents on West African security issues provided to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) and Military personnel, with ad hoc security interviews for CGTN news Africa. She was invited to deliver presentations on destabilisation and insurgencies across the Sahel, counter violent extremism, deradicalisation strategies, and participate as a panelist at NATO’s Centre of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT), and Rwanda’s National Security Symposium. Toulu also sits on SON’s (Standards Organisation of Nigeria) National Mirror/Technical Committee for Financial Services, in addition to SON’s National Technical/Mirror Committee on Digitally Delivered Services/Trade.

Jocelyn Van Heerde – Product Security Engineer

Jocelyn is a product security engineer with 7 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry. Over the course of her career, she has consulted on application and network penetration, technical resilience, and security best practice. Jocelyn then transitioned into the role of an embedded security engineer, with security testing focused on continuous improvements in application and system security. She specialises in vulnerability detection and management, ensuring that security risks are effectively identified and addressed. Experienced in conducting design reviews and threat modeling, Jocelyn aligns with industry standards such as OWASP to proactively strengthen application security and remediate identified risks. Her expertise extends to identifying security gaps and implementing technical controls for PCI compliance, ensuring that our clients meet regulatory and industry standard security requirements. Jocelyn also works extensively with public vulnerability disclosure programs, helping companies manage reported security issues efficiently. With a deep understanding of security architectures, risk mitigation strategies, and cyber threat landscapes, Jocelyn plays a critical role in helping businesses build robust and secure products.

Itohan Barlow – Team Lead, Technology, IT and Application Development

Itohan is an experienced project manager and IT consultant with over 7 years’ experience. She has worked with clients in the United Kindom, U.A.E., Mali, Somaliland, Nigeria, America and France. Itohan has a wealth of experience in developing and executing complex IT solutions for organisations, aimed at cost reduction and increased productivity. Itohan’s experience managing projects has involved database management, the development of user and admin portals, as well as the integration of mobile payment APIs and bank payment APIs. She also manages a team of developers who are fluent in PHP and SQL. Over the years, Itohan has actively worked in projects delivering solutions, brand strategies and sustainability reporting across the fields of banking, consultancy, agriculture, fashion, finance and more. She is committed to creating lasting brand equity for all our clients. She has completed innovation-led projects for brands such as Union Bank of Nigeria, She Leads Africa, 100 Women at Davos, Lafarge Africa, Delta State Government, the SheTank and many more.

Chiderah Ike-Okonkwo, Esq. – Training and Business Development

Chiderah is a seasoned legal practitioner and compliance expert with a robust background in both private and public sector work. With a Master of Laws (LL.M) in Compliance and Cross-Cultural Business Practices from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, she graduated in the top 1% of her class. Chiderah specialises in data protection, privacy, digital identity systems, and regulatory compliance. She led the Innovation Unit at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), where she played a pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and driving awareness around data protection. She has also worked with international organisations, such as the International Organisation for Migration, providing critical advisory and training on data governance and cross-border collaboration. As the Chief Legal Officer at Barnksforte Technologies Limited, Chiderah leads initiatives on ISO 27001 compliance, and capacity building for international clients. Highly skilled in stakeholder engagement, training delivery, and translating complex legal frameworks into actionable strategies, Chiderah leads the training and development branch of TAAS. She has facilitated over 1,000 capacity-building sessions for diverse audiences, including students, professionals, and international stakeholders.