Wale Ogunleye leads the UBS Sports and Entertainment business for Wealth Management USA. As head of the division, Wale draws on his background as a college and professional football player to help Financial Advisors understand and address the needs of athletes and entertainers. The goal of the team is to facilitate holistic advice and planning for these high-profile individuals, and provide Financial Advisors who are focused on this segment with the resources they need to grow their business. Making a difference—beyond the game Wale notes that, far too often, we see our favorite athletes or entertainers in the news because they have made poor financial choices or listened to unsound advice. As an NFL player, he had the common experience of being offered a wide variety of financial opportunities without any context for how to evaluate them. After his football career, Wale pursued his interest in business by earning his M.B.A. He joined UBS in order to help make a positive impact on the lives of athletes and entertainers.
Wale is a natural leader who was named Most Valuable Player by the Miami Dolphins in 2004. As the team captain for the Chicago Bears in 2006, he helped them win their conference title and reach Super Bowl XLI. He brings that leadership experience to UBS, working with Financial Advisors to harness the firm’s capabilities on behalf of their sports and entertainment clients.
Wale is singularly focused on creating a division that is thoughtful in its approach, rigorous in its planning, grounded in integrity and dedicated to putting clients first. Wale’s goal is simple: to advise every client as if they were the CEO of a multimilliondollar business. The team will also help student athletes prepare for life after college by educating them about personal financial topics. Empowering and educating others From his days as a professional athlete to the present, Wale has always made it a priority to support charitable causes and participate in the community. He started the Goal Power Foundation while he was playing for the Chicago Bears. The group helps to expose inner city youth to different careers and opportunities within the sports world.
Wale earned his B.A. in English from Indiana University, and his M.B.A. from George Washington University. Wale is the son of immigrant Americans from Nigeria. He is married to Dr. Amira Ogunleye, the owner of two successful dental practices in South Florida. Together they have two children.
