About1

We frequently are asked who Charles Winnsboro is. We chuckle every time this happens, as Charles Winnsboro is not a person, but a concept. As a child, Charles Winnsboro’s founder lived on Winnsboro Drive in Fort Washington, Maryland. In Nigeria, he lived on Charles Street in GRA, Enugu. As such, the name “Charles Winnsboro” signifies the company’s cultural immersion and upbringing in both Nigeria and the United States. It captures the essence of what we provide our clients: A sophisticated, ingrained understanding of how to conduct business effectively in both Africa and the West.

As with our company name, our logo has hidden symbolism. It most closely resembles a labyrinth (NOT a maze). In Greek mythology, of which our founder is an avid fan, the labyrinth signifies the arduous but fulfilling journey of self-discovery. It also resembles (though you may have to squint to see it) a map of Africa. Passion for Africa + Self-Reflection = Charles Winnsboro.

Jude combines his passion for Africa with legal and operating experience in corporate finance, blockchain and fintech, and higher education. After his graduation from law school and admission to the bar in Nigeria, he obtained a combined Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University. He then joined Sullivan & Cromwell as an associate. He worked in its New York and Washington DC offices on IPOs in the tech space, structured finance transactions, and derivatives transactions. He subsequently left for a boutique law firm in Washington DC, where he became a partner and secured over $500 million in insurance recoveries for corporate clients.

In 2010, Jude was recruited to serve as the first in-house counsel of an education management company, a portfolio company of a private equity firm with over $6 billion under management. As General Counsel, he led the transactional and regulatory aspects of over $300 million in follow-on private equity investments in the company. He also worked on government relations matters, responding to proposed regulations at the state and federal level. He later moved into operating roles with the company’s schools, serving as Interim Dean of one law school and as President of another, where he increased net revenue through the launch of innovative, online programs. After these operating stints, he returned to his prior role as General Counsel, where he worked to convert the company’s schools to non-profit institutions and restructure the company.

While working in these business and legal roles, Jude channeled his interest in Africa’s development into several pro bono initiatives: Serving as outside counsel for and on the board of a company with agriculture, health care, and waste-to-energy initiatives in Nigeria; serving as legal counsel (and subsequently Chairman of the Board) of the alumni organization in the Americas of his high school alma mater, Federal Government College Enugu; and as a consultant to several higher education initiatives in Nigeria. His experiences were so rewarding as to convince him that the time had come to become an entrepreneur and establish a company devoted to such work.

And with that, the long-gestating idea of Charles Winnsboro came into being. His passion for African development was sparked anew by his blockchain strategy studies at Oxford University. He is excited to help Charles Winnsboro’s clients democratize access to education, healthcare, and financial services

Christal is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer of Charles Winnsboro. Christal has served in several leadership capacities with respect to non- and for-profit initiatives in Nigeria, including serving as the Country Officer for a multinational solar energy development company. She has an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of the District of Columbia, and a law degree from George Washington University. In her spare time, Christal works as a broadcast journalist with Dream 92.5 FM in Enugu, Nigeria, where she provides geopolitical commentary on matters of interest to America and sub-Saharan Africa.