About – phoenixrize

About PhoenixRize

Evidence-based DEI that works in practice, not just on paper

Workplace Culture Strategist working across Ireland & Nigeria — helping organisations spot risks early, build real capability, and embed lasting accountability.

Who I Am

I'm Adaku Oliver-Nnona

I work with organisations across Ireland and Nigeria to spot culture risks early, build practical response capability, and embed accountability that doesn't depend on goodwill alone. My approach is forensic, not performative. I surface patterns others miss, equip leaders with tools they'll actually use, and build systems that hold when pressure increases.
I founded PhoenixRize because I kept seeing the same pattern: organisations with good intentions, solid policies, and expensive training programmes—but culture risks still slipping through unnoticed until they escalated into complaints, disputes, or turnover.

My clients don’t come to me for awareness training. They come because something’s happened, something’s stuck, or they need someone who can see what they can’t see and help them respond with confidence.

I’ve spent 15+ years working in DEI—from anti-racism training and bystander intervention to culture audits, policy development, and live advisory for organisations navigating real-time inclusion challenges. I’ve worked with screen and creative organisations, universities, public bodies, and organisations across Ireland and Nigeria.

Our Approach

What makes PhoenixRize different

Evidence-Based, Not Performative

I don't start with assumptions. I start with diagnostics—culture audits,

I don't start with assumptions. I start with diagnostics—culture audits, confidential staff consultations, focus groups—to surface what's actually happening, not what people hope is happening. My recommendations are grounded in patterns, not platitudes.

Practical Tools, Not Theory

You get scripts, checklists, facilitator guides, and response frameworks

You get scripts, checklists, facilitator guides, and response frameworks you can use immediately. My training includes "what to say in the moment" for managers handling microaggressions, exclusion, or harm. My policy work includes implementation plans with clear owners, timelines, and accountability mechanisms.

Systems That Hold, Not Just Policies

Policies don't change behaviour—systems do. I help you build accountability

Policies don't change behaviour—systems do. I help you build accountability that doesn't rely on everyone being "nice" or "well-intentioned." Clear standards, visible consequences, and follow-through that shows people their concerns are taken seriously.

Cross-Cultural Expertise

I work across Ireland and Nigeria, bringing deep understanding of how

I work across Ireland and Nigeria, bringing deep understanding of how culture, power, and workplace norms differ across contexts. I help European managers understand Nigerian workplace culture, and I support Nigerian organisations building inclusive practices that reflect local realities.

Live Advisory (Not Just Workshops)

I don't disappear after the training. I provide real-time support for live

I don't disappear after the training. I provide real-time support for live challenges: a microaggression incident on set, a complaint that needs handling, a leadership team navigating a difficult decision. I respond when things happen, not just when they're scheduled.

Sector Expertise

I have deep knowledge of screen and creative industries, higher

I have deep knowledge of screen and creative industries, higher education, and public sector contexts. I understand production culture, academic hierarchies, and the specific pressures regulated organisations face. I tailor my approach to your reality, not generic best practice.

The Process

How I work with you

Diagnose

Start by understanding

Culture audits, confidential consultations, focus groups, and risk assessments that surface patterns you might not see. You get a clear, prioritised action plan with specific recommendations.

Develop

Build practical capability

Training, leadership development, and manager toolkits focused on real scenarios and usable language—what to say when things happen, not just what the policy says.

Embed

Make inclusion routine

Policy development, accountability mechanisms, ongoing leadership advisory, and monthly clinics where you can bring live challenges and get real-time support.

I work with organisations where inclusion carries reputational or regulatory risk—screen and creative industries, higher education, public bodies, and funded organisations where DEI performance matters.

Cross-Cultural Expertise

Working across Ireland & Nigeria

I operate in two distinct workplace cultures—Ireland and Nigeria—and I understand how power, hierarchy, communication, and inclusion function differently in each context.

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I don’t believe in copy-paste solutions. Inclusion work must fit the context it’s operating in. What works in Dublin won’t necessarily work in Lagos—and vice versa.

Credentials & Background

Background and credentials

Academic Foundation: I'm completing a PhD at University of Portsmouth on ethnic diversity in Irish film and television. My research examines patterns of representation, access, and progression in the Irish screen sector—work that directly informs my consulting practice.
15+ Years Experience: I've designed and delivered anti-racism training, bystander intervention programmes, inclusive leadership development, culture audits, policy frameworks, and governance support across Ireland and Nigeria.

Specialist Areas

Ready to work together?

Whether you need a culture diagnostic, practical training, policy support, or live advisory—I’d be happy to discuss how I can help.