Deji Adeleke

When I think of Deji, I think of someone who was reserved yet very confident, talented and had great sense of humour.

I didn't have the opportunity to work with Deji much, until more recently where I was truly able to see him in his element, whether it was exciting clients with a creative strategy, bringing energy into workshops with hilarious icebreakers or telling me about how he constantly got confused as Davido's dad on LinkedIn!

With both of us being west African, I will miss moments where we had a certain banter in the office as well as moments where I could call him "chale" or he could finish a sentence with "abi?" and we would both be able to have an understanding.

Deji didn't have to be the loudest person in the room to have a presence in the office, as you may know by now - greeting people was his thing and I'd never experienced a moment where he didn't make sure to say hi or bye.

Recently we went live with a global campaign that we have all taken much pride in, and that was due to a strategy created by Deji though we are grateful we had the opportunity to praise his work and he was able to see the fruit of his idea, it has all been bittersweet.

Our time with Deji was way too short, the news of his passing will always be so heartbreaking.

Deji I miss your presence, we feel it here and will always remember you. Rest in peace, chale.

x

Always the most insightful person in the room, Deji was a joy to be around. You could always count on him to bring a smile to your face when you were having a tough day. I am forever grateful to have known Deji and to consider him a friend. May he rest in peace.

Deji was a kind and calm soul, he radiated warmth from the moment you met him, starting with his welcome hug and his cheerful smile. Working with him was truly a pleasure, he was a genuinely lovely person to be around and will forever be missed, it was a privilege to have known him. Rest in peace Deji x

It was such a pleasure to work with Deji. Seeing his name as the strategist on a brief was always exciting, as you knew an interesting angle from which to work was guaranteed. I loved the way he thought. There was no ego or defensiveness, just a genuine desire to find the right answer and a fantastic sense of humour. He was inspiring to work with, as well as being enthusiastic, kind and tactful in his responses to creative work. I wished I’d had the opportunity to meet him in person and not just on video calls – and get to know him properly outside of client work. Rest in peace, Deji.

Deji was one of those people who made the office feel a bit more human. I’ll miss those little moments with him - his wit, his laugh, and of course, those signature fist bumps.

Rest easy, Deji.

Deji brought such a warm, radiant energy to the Krow London office, perfectly rounding out our strategy team. I’ll cherish the laughter we shared, especially when questioning the weird and wonderful habits of Londoners, and his dedication to his daily ‘second lunch’—a ritual he took very seriously!! His gift for storytelling was unmatched, and he had a way of making strategy seem effortless.
He'll be deeply missed.

Deji your glorious smile, warmth, and inquisitive mind will never be forgotten. You were an absolute treat to have with us. You'll forever be missed xx

We didn’t get nearly enough time with Deji, but in the time we did have, he made a huge impact. From day one, he impressed everyone—intelligent, articulate, and he somehow managed this whilst also being the most relaxed man I have ever met, making everything look easy. His daily fist bumps became part of office life, and he will be sorely missed.
Thinking of his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

No fist bumps for you and me - too much like paper, scissors, stone. A firm handshake. I miss it.

Deji, our working time together was too short. Upon intro's on your first day at krow you greeted me with a hug, then always the Deji fist bump. You were a pleasure to know and work with, a great strategic mind and an all round good guy. You will be dearly missed. Sam x

Deji, we only worked together as of recent but in this time, I got to see not only how utterly brilliant you were at your job but also your caring, lovely nature (and cool fashion sense!). You’ll be so deeply missed by all at Krow and beyond. Rest in peace, Deji.

Deji has such a playful sense of humour - approaching people out of sight, and then waiting pseudo-annoyed that we hadn't bumped his fist. When we'd turn around we'd be so apologetic for leaving him hanging - but he would just laugh at how he's tricked us. He'd tap on my other shoulder so I would turn the wrong way. Our cleaner, Nene was also from Nigeria, and he would make her fall about laughing by calling her "ma". He was a delight. He was also a genius - coming out with poignant notes in meetings and writing killer briefs. His calming, playful and inspiring presence will be missed for a long, long time.

It is hard to look at Deji’s bright, big smile in the photo as it will be much missed by all at krow. Deji was always a friendly, smiley, kind and bright man. A Gent. Our thoughts are very much with his family.

I remember the first time we met. I don't think I've ever interviewed someone so well prepped. You were so passionate about your past work and had so many exciting ideas on the difference you could make to our Agency. Deciding to offer you a role at krow was a no-brainer for me. And you didn't disappoint. You asked all the right questions and your involvement in our work always made it better. I will miss your smile everyday. Rest in peace lovely Deji