Babatunde Onadipe isn’t your typical cybersecurity professional. With a background spanning aerospace, academia, finance, and now the Bank of Canada, he brings a unique perspective to securing critical digital infrastructure.
Onadipe’s career journey began at Bombardier Aerospace as a Cloud Infrastructure Security Engineer, followed by research roles at McGill University where he explored cloud architecture and AI applications. Currently, he works as a Cyber Security Solutions Architect at the Bank of Canada, helping design secure systems for financial operations—a natural progression given his interest in building resilient technology solutions.
Outside his formal work, Onadipe co-founded WakaMi, a platform that enables businesses to securely outsource everyday tasks. This entrepreneurial experience complements his technical expertise by giving him insights into practical security challenges faced by organizations of all sizes.
When asked to explain his job to a 5-year-old, Onadipe responded, “I help protect computer systems from bad people on the internet. Imagine a bank that keeps people’s money and important information safe. My job is to build strong ‘digital locks and walls’ around it so no one can break in, steal things, or cause damage.” He sees himself as a digital security superhero using technology rather than a cape.
One emerging risk Onadipe highlights is “Shadow AI”—when employees use unauthorized public AI tools with sensitive company data. This practice creates vulnerabilities because data may leave organizational control and end up in third-party systems or model training pipelines, often without IT’s knowledge.
His diverse background informs his approach to security: aerospace instilled discipline and a focus on resilience, while academia cultivated curiosity and research skills. Onadipe emphasizes that secure systems should be designed from the ground up with trust, adaptability, and future-readiness in mind.
Looking ahead, Onadipe is particularly focused on Post-Quantum Cryptography—the development of new encryption methods to protect against quantum computing threats. He believes organizations should begin preparing now by building cryptographic agility into their security architectures rather than waiting for the technology to mature.