They say that variety is the spice of life.
For Nitel chief operating officer Mikail “Mak” Shomade, this couldn’t be more true. Athlete. Chef. Philanthropist. History buff. Traveler. A man of many interests, Mak attributes his eclectic interests to having called four countries home. In leading Nitel’s operations, Mak parlays the diverse set of inputs in his life into a creative approach to making things work, solving complex problems and relating to his team.
In his role at Nitel, Mak works as part of the executive leadership team to develop and execute strategies for improving operational efficiencies and exceeding business objectives. His ultimate responsibility, however, is to ensure a top-notch experience for Nitel’s customers.
Mak joins Nitel with more than 20 years of telecom industry experience. Most recently, Mak was at Everstream Solutions where he served as vice president of engineering, overseeing operations, planning and construction. Previously, he was vice president of network strategy, engineering and operations for Birch Communications. Earlier in his career, Shomade held a succession of management positions with Cbeyond, which was acquired by Birch Communications in July 2014.
Mak earned a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering and communication systems from DeVry University as well as a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clark Atlanta University. Mak believes his leadership style is influenced by his varied interests. If living around the world, encountering different cultures and working with all kinds of people has taught him anything, it’s that when you exceed customer expectations, everything else falls into place.