Deep in the heart of BASF: a journey into manufacturing

With a background in toxicology and environmental management, Adebayo Adekola joined BASF, and after 12 years, moved to manufacturing, where he discovered a whole new world.

Born in Nigeria, Adebayo “Bayo” Adekola began his international experiences early on: at age six, he moved from his childhood home to the United Kingdom. Later, he went back to Nigeria to pursue his studies in computer science, only to discover his passion for toxicology and environmental management. After studying his master’s at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, he relocated to the United States, where he has thrived for the past 15 years.

Since 2021, Bayo is Senior Director of Site Services at BASF’s Verbund site in Freeport, Texas, where he is in charge of site logistics, supply chain, Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS), Analytics & Quality, Emergency, Medical, Security, and Digitalization Services. Learn more about his journey below.

The power of versatility

Bayo began his career in sales and marketing but came to work at BASF in the product safety area, which was “a perfect fit” at the time, as he had studied toxicology, but really didn’t enjoy working in the lab environment.

After his first leadership position on the same team, he moved to work as Product Regulations Business Segment Manager, then, for the next three years, worked for two different BASF Corporation presidents and two members of the Board of Executives. “In those positions, I was able to see BASF from a strategic and global perspective, which for me was such a blessing. It was fun, it was great. But, at BASF we're primarily a manufacturing company. That's who we are. We create chemistry at manufacturing sites. I wanted to do something more hands-on and get to the heart of BASF.”

Over the years, Bayo had participated in manufacturing projects as executive staff, but it wasn’t until he took his current role in 2021 that he achieved his objective of working at a major chemical manufacturing site. The role of Senior Director of Site Services in BASF’s Verbund site in Freeport “combined some of my background, which is EHS, then it had a lot of new things to it. It was perfect, because I recognized some topics, but there were new areas that I needed to learn. This role just gives me that flexibility of possibilities. Each day is different. And each day you can create value for the businesses. It’s critical and exciting to be able to bring value. The business can focus on getting the product and selling it, and my team and I can remove the distractions.”

At Freeport, he understood and grew a deep appreciation for production, and how an idea that on paper seemed perfect might not really translate as well in reality.

Helping others become their best selves

Bayo always knew leadership was his path. And when he had the chance to hold a leadership position, even in a voluntary basis, he took it. That opportunity proved key to applying for and obtaining his first formal role as a leader. “I’m a student of leadership and it is something I love to do. I like to understand how things work, to study human psychology and how humans think and operate. For me, that's vital. I have a simple motto for life, and it applies to everything I do. It’s all about empowering myself and others to be our best selves,” he explains.

Empowerment can come in different shapes and sizes, according to Bayo, from encouragement to knowledge transfer to creating scholarships for young people who have no funds to study, like he does through The RISE Empowerment Foundation, which he founded and leads. “Growing up, I had my challenges moving to the UK, then moving back to Nigeria. There were times when I needed people who believed in me. And for me, the foundation is rooted in that. Now, young people can focus on their education, and they can break the poverty cycle in their families,” Bayo reminisces.

Mentoring is also an essential part of Bayo’s mindset. In the same way a book holds all the learnings from its writer, mentoring allows you to access and learn from another person’s experiences, mistakes and successes and leads you through the right path. “If you want to get somewhere without getting lost, ask someone who knows the way to get there and listen to them. It's super powerful. It accelerates your career, how you make decisions, and you don't have to repeat mistakes that you could make without having a mentor.”

BASF provided him with the perfect platform to find what he wanted to do, exploit his creative juices and become his best self, finding different possibilities for growth and learning. In his own words, “BASF is a place of possibilities. We need people who can think about those challenges and find creative ways to solve them. It's such a big company; there's so much you can do! If you have the right mindset, you can engage in and give back to the company as much as it gives to you.”

Published on March 26, 2025, by Mariana Licio.

For media inquiries or to repurpose this article, please contact Lisa Brown.