About
Adunni Rufai is a design strategist, innovation coach, and UX leader with over a decade of experience across financial audit, product strategy, and user experience design. She previously served as an Experience Design Manager at TD Bank and as Head of Experimentation at the UNDP Accelerator Lab in Nigeria, and has also worked as a Full-Stack Designer, Product Manager, and Consultant. Her work focuses on design thinking, business model innovation, and growth experimentation to help founders build and scale ventures.
Experience
- Independent ConsultantInnovation Coach | Design Leadership | Product Strategistcurrent2019 — presentNorth America & Africa
- Public DigitalPrincipal Consultantcurrent2025 — present
- DMZStrategic Design Advisor (Expert in Residence)current2025 — present
- TDUX Design Manager2022 — 2025Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- UNDP Accelerator LabsHead of Experimentation2021 — 2022Lagos State, Nigeria
- CaseWare International Inc.Product Manager2020 — 2021Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute without BoundariesDesigner2019 — 2020Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- DeloitteAudit Senior Associate2016 — 2019San Francisco, California, United States
- DeloitteAudit Senior Assistant2014 — 2016San Francisco, California, United States
- KPMGSenior Audit Associate2012 — 2013Lagos, Nigeria
- KPMGAudit Associate2010 — 2012Lagos, Nigeria
- Skye Bank PlcInternal Control Intern2009Lagos State, Nigeria
Education
- York UniversityBusiness Process Improvement
- George Brown PolytechnicPost-Grad Certificate, Design Strategy
- Hult International Business SchoolMaster's degree, International Business
- Product SchoolHow to Build Digital Products
- University of Virginia Darden School of BusinessDesign Thinking for Business Innovation Course
- American University of NigeriaBSc with Honors, Business Administration
- American UniversityStudy Abroad, Business Administration
Skills & more
Delivery ManagementChange ManagementBusiness Process ImprovementBusiness Process AutomationDigital TransformationStrategic ForesightProduct ManagementSystems ThinkingDesign ManagementUser Experience (UX)Design ResearchProduct Design
+12 more
Service DesignDesign LeadershipSocial Innovationhuman-centered designEcosystem ManagementUser Experience Design (UED)Product StrategyInnovation ConsultingPeople ManagementFutures ThinkingStrategyAnalysisLanguages English · Yoruba
- Innovating with Data — IDEO U
- Certified Design Sprint Facilitator — AJ&Smart
- Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants — ACCA
From Adunni's professional profile.
Colleagues at DMZ
Adrian Bulzacki
Founder Network - IP Strategy, Technology Innovation at DMZ
Alex Kolodkin
Founder Network - Startup Operations & Marketplace Growth at DMZ
Alex Thibault
Expert-in-Residence, Business Strategy at DMZ
Ali Kiassat
Expert-in-Residence, Sales and Business Development at DMZ
Alnur Ismail
Expert-in-Residence, Product & Engineering at DMZ
Andrea Matheson
Expert-in-Residence, High-Growth Strategy & Scaling at DMZ
Balaji Gopalan
Founder Network - Product and Customer Strategy at DMZ
Brian Deck
Founder Network - E-Commerce & Fundraising at DMZ
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Adunni Rufai work?
- Adunni Rufai is Expert-In-Residence, User Experience Design at DMZ.
Same school
Also attended York University57
Ken TesliaFounding Partner, Chairman at Extreme Venture PartnersAdiam BerhaneAccounting Manager at QED InvestorsMark HatfieldInvestor at Ten ElevenNathanielHead of Operations at BoxOne VenturesLeonardo CozPrincipal at Hi VenturesSteve GreenfieldGeneral Partner at Automotive Ventures Mobility
+ 51 more
Also attended George Brown Polytechnic10
Jenna GreenVice President Administration and Operations at Georgian Angel NetworkChantal QueenProgram Manager at Spark Commercialization and Innovation CentreNik-Keisha MoodieProgram Lead at Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC)Alison KaizerPartner, Talent at Golden VenturesAttilio AugieriMarket Research Specialist at Global Startups Accelerator (formerly LatAm Startups)Bethany GreerInvestor at Bethnal Green Ventures
+ 4 more
Also attended Hult International Business School42
Jad KhattibFounder Relations at Transform Capital ManagementPaulina SzyzdekPrincipal at E12 Venture Capital, LlcAntonia Rojas EingFounder & Managing Partner at ATTOM CAPITALMarrione CamachoStrategic Partnerships Director at Kickstart VenturesKaran KathpaliaVice President at Sauce.vcOlu OyinsanCo-founder & Managing Partner at Oui Capital
+ 36 more
Also attended University of Virginia Darden School of Business110
Cathy FriedmanInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Dan LynchInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Rajan MehraPartner at March Capital PartnersRob LudwigChief Operating Officer at Hoxton VenturesBrett BrohlManaging Partner at Bread And Butter Ventures, LlcStephan OppenheimerPrivate Equity Investor at FemHealth Ventures
+ 104 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Public Digital1
Also worked at TD80
Funmi GarrickFinance and Operations at Impact America FundMarc MichelVenture Advisor at Alpha PartnersMark FieldsInvestor at Alsop Louie PartnersRick GrinnellFounder and Managing Partner at Glasswing VenturesCasy van MaanenAssociate at GTMfundLeah BaePrincipal at Higher Ground Labs
+ 74 more
