Ebi Atawodi: Meet the PM Director for YouTube Studio

Who would have imagined that a young lady from Nigeria would achieve so much on both local and international levels by the age of 33? Well, that’s the story of Ebi Atawodi. After spending over an hour scrolling through her Instagram page to get a feel for all the hype, I can confirm without a doubt that she’s the real deal. This is one article you don’t want to skim.

Ebi’s journey is nothing short of remarkable. With over a decade of experience working in digital technology across multiple industries, she has carved out a career many can only dream of. Her academic foundation is as impressive as recent achievements. Ebi studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Nottingham in the UK and holds a master’s degree in computing, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Information Visualization, from Imperial College London.

But it’s not just about academics, Ebi’s career has been marked by an ability to adapt and thrive in diverse fields. Her areas of expertise include marketing communications, brand strategy, digital and new media, brand amplification, corporate sponsorships, and yes, she’s even worked as a software developer and interactive designer. You could say she wears many hats and she wears them all well.

Ebi was born in Lagos, Nigeria, but thanks to her father’s career as a Nigerian Airforce officer, she spent her childhood living in various countries around the world, no wonder she terms herself “A citizen of the world.” This global upbringing clearly had an impact on her worldview. One of her earliest ventures was co-founding a start-up called Connect2Car. Her team developed a mobile application that allowed people to interface with their cars. This was a groundbreaking idea at the time, proving that Ebi’s innovative mindset was already in full swing.

But that was just the beginning.

After a series of high-profile jobs with brands including Uber and Netflix, Ebi took on one of her most significant roles: Head of Corporate Communications and Head of Events and Sponsorships at Etisalat Nigeria. In this role, she didn’t just oversee the daily operations, she created and executed groundbreaking ideas. Most notably, she launched the Etisalat Prize for Literature, which quickly became Africa’s most prestigious literary award. She didn’t stop there. Ebi also developed the Etisalat Music platform. Like Nigerians would say, “if creativity was a person,” it would certainly be Ebi Atawodi.

Today, Ebi is the Product Management Director at YouTube Studio, where she leads a cross-functional team responsible for helping creators express themselves in innovative ways. If you’ve noticed new features on YouTube Studio lately, you can probably thank Ebi and her team for those updates. In her role, she’s shaping the future of how creators interact with their audiences, and making it easier for people to tell their stories.

Her work at YouTube Studio feels like a natural extension of her career, which has always been centered around creativity and innovation. Ebi has consistently shown a dedication to amplifying voices. Currently at YouTube Studio, she’s doing it on a global scale.

Now, taking you back to the hours I spent on her Instagram page, it wasn’t just about seeing what she was up to lately. It was about understanding the essence of her creative journey. Ebi’s Instagram is a mix of personal moments, professional highlights and an undeniable love for storytelling. After scrolling through dozens of posts, it became clear that Ebi is more than just a tech executive. She’s someone who believes in the power of stories, whether they’re told through technology, music or literature.

But here’s something that might surprise you, Ebi has a YouTube channel, and it has fewer than 200 subscribers. Yes, you read that right. Less than 200! For someone with her prominence and influence, that number seems shockingly low. But after delving deeper, it became clear that Ebi isn’t chasing subscriber numbers. She’s focused on passion projects, on storytelling in its purest form. And let’s be honest, if she wanted millions of subscribers, she would have them at the snap of a finger.

At the heart of Ebi’s journey is a deep love for storytelling. It’s what has driven her through all her ventures and what continues to push her forward. Whether she’s working behind the scenes at YouTube or quietly creating content for her own channel, Ebi Atawodi is a woman who is always crafting narratives, ones that inspire, challenge and ultimately, connect us.

So, the next time you’re browsing YouTube Studio and notice a cool new feature, take a moment to think about the creative mind behind it all. Again, if creativity had a face, it would surely be Ebi Atawodi.