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Speakers

 

 

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Add0 – President of the Republic of Ghana

Under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo, the International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) are proud to announce a world class group of speakers lined up for this 2-day conference.

President Akufo-Addo assumed office in January 2017 following a keenly contested general election in December 2016.

He previously served as Attorney General from 2001 – 2003, and as Foreign Minister from 2001 – 2007. He is a lawyer by profession and was called to the English Bar in July 1971 and the Ghana Bar in 1975. He worked in the US law firm, Coudert Brothers and in 1979, co-founded the prestigious law firm, Prempeh & Co.

He is our Special Guest of Honour for this Global Leadership Conference

 

SPEAKERS

HON. DR. MUSTAPHA ABDULHAMID; Minister for Information

Hon. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid is the Minister of Information in Ghana. He holds a Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies and a Master of Philosophy Degree, also in Religious Studies, all from the University of Cape Coast.

Prior to taking up political appointment, he was a Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Cape Coast, where he specialized in the areas of Islam & Gender and Political Thought in Islam.

He has worked in the media in various capacities as Editor of the High Street Journal, Editor of the Statesman newspaper, News Editor at the then Choice FM and Strategy Planning Manager at Media Majique & Research Systems.

He has published widely in many prestigious academic journals around the world. In politics, he was National Youth Organizer of the NPP from 2002-2005. He has been Spokesperson for the President from 2007 to date.

HON. MOHAMMED ADJEI SOWAH; Mayor of Accra

Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah is the mayor of Accra, Ghana. His appointment was confirmed on 24 March 2017 when he received 100% of the 109 votes cast in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. His major priority is to improve the sanitation of Accra, especially in relation to waste collection and disposal and sanitation infrastructure, such as landfills. To do this he has supported the polluter pays system, transfer stations to aid in waste collection, and the Accra Beautification Project, which aims to improve the public open areas of the city.

Hon. Mohammed Adjei Sowah was a Development Worker and run the Gamashie Centre for Education and Environmental Development, a non-governmental organization before his appointment to political office

FELIX TATARU; Chairman and President, IAA

I am currently the Chairman and World President of International Advertising Association (IAA), the world’s largest communications industry association, representing advertisers, media companies and advertising agencies in more than 70 countries. 

Being the President of IAA Romania from 2005 to 2010, I have guided a number of successful initiatives for the Romanian communications industry.

Founder and President of GMP Group, the most awarded independent group in Romania, joining 150 professionals in all communication disciplines.

The Independent Creative Agency of New Europe in 2013 and 2015 (GoldenDrum), The PR Agency of the Year (Romanian PR Awards), The Digital Agency of the Decade (Internetics), Grand Prix winner at Eurobest 2013, and the most awarded independent agency at Effie, including two Grand Effies, are just some of the distinctions companies of GMP Group are recognized with.

In 2013 GMP Group has developed the most impacting campaign for Romania’s image – “Why don’t you come over?” for Gândul.info, being as well the most awarded Romanian campaign of 2013 nationally and internationally. 

Parents of two, me and my wife Nadia, are highly committed to creating a safe and inspiring learning environment for other parents and children. In 2005, we founded the first radio for children, Itsy Bitsy— offering educational and inspiring programs. Now covering more than half percent of the country, Itsy Bitsy has over 1.4 million listeners, parents and children.

JOEL E. NETTEY; AAG President, CEO Innova DDB Ghana

Joel Nettey is the President of the Advertising Association of Ghana and Vice President – External Communications, International Advertising Association.

He serves as the Chief Executive Officer at ReZultz Advertising, Touchpoint, Brand Alert Limited, and Innova DDB.

Prior to setting up these marketing communications agencies, he was Co-founder, Shareholder, Director and Chief Executive Officer at Origin8 Saatchi & Saatchi, and three other specialist marketing and marketing communications companies in Ghana.

Joel was also a founding partner at Origin8 Publics and AdSpace DDB.

He serves as a Director of Multimedia Group Limited and is a member of the Board of Directors at Stillwater Equity Partners Limited. He is one of the leading thought leaders of Ghana on marketing, communications, and branding.

Joel is a pioneer of Ghana’s marketing communication industry and was recognized by Forbes in 2010 under the 40 Young Achievers Under 30 Years. He is a savvy and well-acclaimed management, marketing, and marketing communications professional.

Joel Nettey holds Masters in Business Administration (Marketing) and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics and Psychology degrees from the University of Ghana.

NORKOR DUAH; Vice President – IAA, Africa Development, CEO, MullenLowe Accra

Norkor  Duah is the Chief Executive Officer of Mullen Lowe (Lowe Accra) an integrated communications company affiliated to Lowe Worldwide and Partners and has over twenty six years’ experience in Ghana’s Creative, Advertising, Marketing and Management Sector.

Norkor is currently Vice President of Development-Africa, International Advertising Association and the Immediate Past President of Advertising Association of Ghana. 

She has worked assiduously in various capacities on numerous councils, including the Council of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and is currently on Brand Ghana Council. 

Norkor Duah sits on a number of Corporate Boards including Adesa Productions Limited and National Conservation Research Centre.  
She is a graduate of Watford College in the UK.

DAGMARA SZULCE; Managing Director, IAA

Dagmara Szulce is the Managing Director of International Advertising Association. She has a track record of over 2 decades of building and transforming global brands.

She has unique expertise in crafting and curating technology enabled brand experiences, igniting desire and irrational loyalty, particularly in the luxury, beauty, fashion, CPG and real estate categories.

A skilled strategist and forward thinking marketer who delivers excellence in brand strategies; Dagmara is recognized for her eye for design and passion for innovation.
She founded Dagmara Szulce LLC, a marketing consultancy focused on building and transforming brands in the luxury, beauty & fashion categories.

With broad strengths in start-up operations, pursuing operational excellence, new business development, creation and launch of innovative brand strategies and communications that ignited sales, Dagmara’s experience spans the US, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe.

YAW NSARKOH; Executive Vice President, Unilever Ghana – Nigeria

Yaw Nsarkoh is the Executive Vice President (EVP) of Unilever Ghana and Nigeria.
Prior to this, he served as the Managing Director for Nigeria from 1st January, 2014 to 31st December, 2016 and Managing Director, Unilever, East and Southern Africa, based in Kenya from 2010 to 2013.
He was at one time the Strategic Assistant to the President and Unilever Executive Member for Asia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe based in the United Kingdom and then Singapore.
He also served at various times in the past as Marketing Director and Executive Board member for Unilever, Ghana. He has done many other roles in South Africa and in Ghana for Unilever.
Mr. Nsarkoh holds a Honors Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Henley Management College, United Kingdom.
Mr. Nsarkoh currently sits as executive member on a number of Trade/Employee Associations and Strategic Private Sector committees in Nigeria.

He is the Chairman of the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) board for Unilever Africa and represents Africa on the Unilever global D&I board.

He is an associate member of Ghana Institution of Engineers; a Director of Changing Lives Endowment Fund (CLEF) in Ghana and a former Director of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Chairman of East African Shippers Council.

Yaw also sits as a member, Board of Advisors, Lagos Business School.

He is a regular speaker on business issues, specifically Marketing and Leadership at public fora.

BHARAT AVALANI; CEO, Connecting the Dots Consultancy

Bharat is a Unilever Veteran who has crisscrossed 69 countries. He comes with 25 years of experience in
Brand Management, Consumer Insights, Media Strategy, Brand Activation, Market Development and Integrated Brand Communications. He was the Regional Integrated Brand Communications and Market Development Director for Unilever’s Homecare category across Asia, Africa, Middle East and Turkey. He continues to be associated with Unilever in an external capacity. He is the CEO of Connecting the Dots Marketing Consultancy and the Global
Partner of Anecdote International, recognized as a world’s leader in the use of storytelling in business. He is an expert in designing and delivering brand experiences — and in what better way than to use stories. He conducts
Storytelling for Leaders workshop where he helps leaders find their stories and teaches them how to tell it.

His friends call him a memory collector and a story teller. He seeksexperiences and every journey is a story for him. Like many others he also takes selfies …but his selfies are different, because each picture tells a story that is deeply etched in Bharat’s memory. Each picture is an emotional experience for him. Amidst all, Bharat has served as President of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Malaysian Chapter, was VP of the Malaysian Advertisers
Association (MAA), and was Board Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) Malaysia. Bharat is currently on the Executive committee of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) & IAA Malaysia. He has also shared his pointed views and experience at key industry events. Bharat who has a post-graduate qualification in Marketing, was also bestowed the Achievers & Leaders Award for Brand Leadership at the IALA Conference in Singapore and the Brand Leadership Award at the World Marketing Summit. He is also a NLP trainer certified by the American Board of NLP. The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) at the 30th AdAsia Congress held from 8 to 10 Nov 2017 in Bali gave him a Special Award for teaching and spreading the good influence of advertising and marketing across the region and for impacting 131 talents in 10 countries through the Fasttrack Program that he has been delivering since 2013.

MOWUNMI OWODUNNI; (MIMI); Managing Director,  Mccann – Lagos

Armed with a first degree in English (Language and Literature) from the University of Ilorin in 1985, Mowunmi Owodunni (popularly known as Mimi) started her career as an English teacher but began her journey into advertising in 1987. 
Mimi soon earned the nick-name, ‘Madam Strategy’ from her protégés and colleagues, as a result of her continued insistence on a strong strategic basis before her approval of any creative concept/copy. 
Having worked at Promoserve on brands like Combantrin, Visine, Obron-6, Tell Magazine, and a number of Bank brands including the then Citizens Bank launch advertising campaign, she moved on for a brief stint at Insight Communications in 1997 as Group Head (Concept/Copy) and then, to become Creative Director at Twenty-First Century Communications.
She then skipped over to STB-McCann Lagos in 1999, where she worked on prestigious brands and businesses like Coca-Cola, MAGGI, Nescafe, Unilever’s Blue Band, Reckitt & Colman’s Dettol, British Airways, Peugeot, UPS, the then Econet, to mention a few. 
Eight years later, Mimi decided to take a break to exhale, after twenty years in the crazy, exhilarating world of Advertising. But, before temporarily hanging her Advertising pumps, she ensured that her Agency carted away eight dazzling medals in the 2006 LAIF Creative Awards.

REGINALD DANIEL LARYEA

Reginald (popularly known as Gaddy) is a past president of the Advertising Association of Ghana, successfully serving two terms in that capacity.

Gaddy has a rich and varied background in the communication industry, having worked with British American Tobacco from 1976 to 1988 as the Marketing, Advertising & Merchandising Manager.

He set up Media Majique & Research Systems Limited, a full service advertising agency in Ghana in 1989 which became a worldwide affiliate of Ogilvy & Mather International in 1995.

Commitment and passion for the job drives him to be involved in virtually every project undertaken by the Agency. Media Majique & Research Systems remains the only Agency which has won the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG) Advertising Agency of the Year Award on three consecutive occasions in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

AIESEC INTERNATIONAL inducted R. D. Laryea into the AIESEC International Hall Of Fame in Hanover, Germany in 2004.

He received a SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD by the International Advertising Association in 2015 for being an eminent speaker at the Africa Rising Conference in Ghana.  In that same year Gaddy Laryea received the Advertising Association of Ghana’s DISTINGUISHED PERSONALITY AWARD.

He is a member of the Board of the National Media Commission in Ghana and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana. He is also the Chairman of Media Whizz Kids, a subsidiary experiential and events marketing company and Ogilvy Ghana.

Gaddy Laryea is a product of the School of Administration of the University of Ghana.

NDEYE DIAGNE; Managing Director, Insights Division, Kantar – Francophone Africa & Ghana

Ndeye is in charge of the Insights Division of Kantar, in Francophone Africa & Ghana. She just relocated into the dynamic Abidjan city after spending 8 years in Dakar, Senegal, from where she extensively worked in various African markets.

She describes herself as a passionate researcher. Her passion extends to delivering winning growth strategies to clients and growing talent within the Kantar teams. These she says are what have driven most of her orientations and actions over the past fifteen years.

Ndeye Diagne graduated in Marketing, Communication from the Institut Supérieur du Commerce in Paris, started her career in Ipsos Marketing and joined TNS RMS in Senegal, on her return to Africa from France in 2009.

PROF. ROBERT HINSON

Robert Ebo Hinson is a Professor and a past Head of the Department of Marketing & Entrepreneurship at the University of Ghana Business School. Professor Hinson has been consultant to several local and international institutions in Ghana including Standard Chartered Bank, HFC Bank, CAL Bank, Merchant Bank, the Enterprise Group; and Ecobank. Robert also sits on the board of Camelot Limited (a listed company). Professor Hinson started his professional career in advertising and has since becoming an academic, taught a diversity of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Apart from his experience in teaching, Prof. Hinson has a keen interest in research and in recognition of his research productivity, was awarded the 2008 Emerati Highly Commended paper Award for a co-authored paper published in Corporate Governance, the 2009 Journal of African Business Best Paper Award, the 2010 Emerati Outstanding paper Award for a co-authored paper published in the Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing and the Best Paper award in the International marketing track at the 2010 Academy of Marketing Conference at the Coventry University Business School, for another co-authored paper.

Professor Hinson is published in rated journals like the International Journal of Public Sector Management, Internet Research, International Journal of Bank Marketing, Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, and the Thunderbird International Business Review. He has delivered invited lectures in the University of Warwick (UK), University of North Texas Business School (USA); and the University of the Free State Business School (Bloemfontein, South Africa).

His current areas of research are services management, e-business, marketing practice, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and international business. Robert holds two doctorate degrees; one in Marketing from the University of Ghana; and a second in International Business from Aalborg University in Denmark.

ANDREW ACKAH; CEO, Aegis Network Ghana

Ackah became Ghana’s advertising industry’s knight in shining armour after the immensely successful partnership between global media agency, Dentsu Aegis, and local agencies, Adams Media and Premier Media (Ghana’s first independent media planning and buying agency, established in 1999).

The former CEO of Premier Media, Ackah, helped deliver cutting edge media solutions to some of the world’s biggest brands including MTN, Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd., OLX, Cadbury, Vivo Energy (Shell) and Colgate-Palmolive.

Now he has the responsibility for growing Dentsu Aegis Network’s business and presence locally. Ackah’s main focus, currently, is to get every media outlet, be it radio or television, to go digital by year 2020.

  • He’s fascinated by adrenalin sports like paragliding and sky diving, which he’s yet to do
  • He’s an ardent champion of providing quality education for children at the basic level
  • Outside work, he is either swimming or playing basketball.

ADEBOLA WILLIAMS

Adebola Williams is a Nigerian media entrepreneurjournalist, political activist and motivational speaker.

Described as “the man with the golden touch” by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, Williams has helped three African Presidents get elected.

In his early teen years, Williams wanted to become an actor and was paid only 50 cents for his first acting role.

Williams and Chude Jideonwo started The Future Awards Africa and went on to co-found Red Media Africa. He is also the CEO of StateCraft Inc, a governance communication company.

He was a speaker at the 2017 Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, US.

 

KIRSTEN LEEUW; Independent Strategic Consultant (Dcoded (Pty) Ltd )

Kirsten Leeuw is an Independent Strategic Consultant with wide-ranging marketing experience which began at IQ Business Group, where she was employed within the process and innovation division, rising from Business Analyst to Associate in two short years. It was during this time that she was approached by McKinsey and Company, renowned for their global research capabilities, to participate in their Leadership Programme.

It was while on the Leadership Programme that she got to spend time at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris working on brands in the company’s portfolio.

In 2015, she was appointed Head of Strategic Planning, leading the strategic department for TBWA\Hunt Lascaris, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Currently an independent Strategic Consultant, fusing her management consulting skill-set with her branding expertise allows her to specialize in Brand, Innovation and Insights strategy.

She operates on a per-project-basis, not only to create, but to facilitate breakthrough strategies that foster ideation, innovation and impact in Africa.  

MATHIEU PLASSARD (Chief Executive Officer, Ogilvy Africa)

Mathieu Plassard is a passionate 360° communications expert with 20 years of experience in agency management and brand stewardship. He has advised local and international clients in France, Europe and Africa in the fields of consumer goods, food & beverages, electronics & mobile phones, media, bank & finance, automotive and public institutions.

He started his career at Young & Rubicam Paris as a Strategic Planner where he inter alia participated in developing the BrandAsset Valuator, a tool to monitor brand equity.

He joined Ogilvy & Mather and switched to a client service role to initially lead the Perrier (Nestlé Waters) Global strategic and creative developments. The journey continued with Maxwell House (European repositioning), American Express, Duracell (“Bunny” campaigns management in 35 countries) or Airtel (Francophone Africa).

To leverage the rising importance of shopper marketing and activation, he joined OgilvyAction (now Geometry Global) as Associate Managing Director, where he helped brands like Barclays, Ford or LG develop efficient multi-channel retail strategies.

After 6 years he embarked on a new journey with Cheil Paris as Deputy Managing Director leading the 360° operations of Samsung Electronics (mobile phones, white & brown goods and CSR).

Back with Ogilvy since 2014, he is currently the CEO of Ogilvy Africa, the largest and most awarded agency in sub-Saharan Africa with 26 offices and clients including The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé, Unilever, Carrefour, DStv, WWF, L’Oreal and Airtel.

He graduated from ISC Paris Business School (Masters Degree) and holds a diploma in Management from the University of Oxford.
He is a proud father of 3 and lives in Nairobi, Kenya.

 

THEBE IKALAFENG

Thebe is widely regarded as the foremost global African branding authority, advisor and author.

He has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine and worked with over 100 diverse brands across every region in Africa.

He is the founder of Brand Leadership, an award-winning brand advisory firm, Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the most referenced research and ranking of brands in Africa and Public Sector Excellence, an initiative to research and recognize service excellence in the public sector.

A Fellow of the Institute of Directors, he is Deputy Chairman of South African Tourism and Non-Executive Director of Mercantile Bank Holdings, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and JSE listed Cartrack Group.

In a distinguished corporate career which started at Colgate Palmolive in New York and concluded as Nike Marketing Director for the Africa region, he won over 75 industry awards globally.

He has served on all notable industry bodies, including as the founding Deputy Chairman of the Brand Council of Southern Africa (2011-2013) and Chairman of the Loeries aAdvertising Awards (2001-2003), judged major industry awards globally, including the prestigious Red Dot design awards in Germany (2014-2017) and St. Gallen Wings of Excellence in Switzerland (2015-2017).

Widely recognized across Africa, he has co-hosted the CNBC Africa Marketing, Media and Money Show, and has been featured or quoted in respected media such as CNN, BBC, CNBCAfrica, FT, African Business and New African. He writes, speaks and counsels leaders and organizations globally on branding and reputation management and related matters across Africa.

Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University (USA), completed executive education at Wits Business School and Harvard Business School, and is a Chartered Marketer (SA).

A well-travelled adventurer, he has been to over 70 countries globally, summited the highest mountains in Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania) and Europe (Mt. Elbrus, Russia), jumped off the world’s highest bungy (216m) (Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa), travelled to the furthest south point in Africa where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet, in between paragliding, skydiving and other daring adventures around the world.

 

AKUA OWUSU-NARTEY

Akua Owusu-Nartey is the Regional Managing Director of Ogilvy Africa Group. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Akua was General Manager, Publicis West Africa, where she steered the delivery of creative solutions to a wide berth of clients across West and Central Africa.

She has been a marketer, a strategic thinker and a business leader driving change and has been responsible for Ogilvy Ghana and its revenue targets since March 2016. She is known for her strength in integrated communications, and more so, her passion for the development of creative professionals in Ghana.

 

Ebenezer Asante
Vice President MTN Group – SEAGHA

Ebenezer Twum Asante has over fifteen years progressive and diversified experience in leadership
as an accomplished Senior Executive and a Strategic Leader.
He was appointed Vice President (VP) of Southern and East Africa and Ghana (SEAGHA) Region of
the MTN Group in October 2017. He has oversight over nine (9) countries namely: Swaziland,
Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and Ghana. As part of his duties
as Vice President, he serves as a member of the MTN Group Executive Committee and sits on the
board of the countries he overseas.
Prior to his appointment as VP of the SEAGHA Region, he was the CEO of MTN Ghana, a position he
held from July 2015 to September 2017. Before his appointment as CEO of MTN Ghana, he was the
CEO of MTN Rwanda. For both operations, he was responsible for providing sound human resource
leadership and ensuring financial and organizational profitability and sustainability of the operating
units.
Before joining MTN Ghana, he spent 13 years with Unilever, where he held various positions,
including Managing Director for Zambia and Customer Development Director and member of the
Unilever Ghana Board.
He holds a BA (Hons) degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Ghana, a
Postgraduate Diploma in Management from Henley Management College and he was part of MTN’s
Global Advancement Programme (GAP) in 2010. He also participated in the Executive level and
General Management development programs at the Ashridge Business School (UK), Harvard and
Insead (Paris).

 

VINCENT MAGWENYA

Vincent is the Founder and CEO of Conversations Group. With over 22 years of combined broadcast journalism and corporate communications experience, Vincent’s story began in the newsroom working for media houses such as Reuters Television, Worldwide Television News now known as Associated Press Television News, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the South African Broadcasting Corporation. 

His journey has also led him to the Presidency where he occupied the position of Presidency Spokesperson. Prior to establishing Conversations, Vincent was the CEO of Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants, where he led numerous strategy, issues and crisis management interventions on behalf brands such as Standard Bank, Deloitte, Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls, Transnet, Tiger Brands, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Syngenta and High Street Auctions. He also worked as Director of Communications for Standard Bank Africa and Director of Group Stakeholder/Govt. Relations Management for the Standard Bank Group.

Vincent enjoys team dynamics. His approach to communications is analytical and strategic.

Kofi Akyea  Snr. Marketing Manager, Anglophone West

Kofi Akyea joined MoneyGram International in 2010 and is currently senior marketing manager for Anglophone West Africa (5 countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia Sierra Leone and Gambia with 64 agents and over 6200 agent locations). This role manages all aspects of marketing value support for the business.  During this period, the region has grown and the brand is now the number 1 or 2 remittance brand in these markets.

Prior to joining MoneyGram, Kofi was Marketing Manager at Standard Chartered Bank Ghana, and a key account manager at Origin8 Saatchi &Saatchi.

Kofi has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Business Administration and an MPhil. in Marketing- both from the University of Ghana. In addition, he has read for an MA in Global Diplomacy at SOAS.

Kofi is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing in Ghana and the UK, GHIIA.org, Chatham House and the SAIIA. Kofi is an alumnus of the CSIS AILA fellowship and mentors a number of start-up digital marketing firms in Ghana.

TORGBOR MENSAH

Founder, DDP Outdoor Limited and Executive Chairman, The Great Argon Holdings Limited

Torgbor Mensah is a graphic designer by profession, an entrepreneur with over 35 years experience in the advertising sector and Chairman of the Outdoor Sector of the Advertising Association of Ghana.

He is the originator of the Ghana International Furniture and Wood Working Industry Exhibition (GIFEX Exhibition) and has over 20 years experience in International Exhibitions. He has been the official overseas exhibition builder and decorator for Ghana since 1976. He has been part of Ghanaian Trade Missions to several countries and has served on the board of several national and private institutions.

Torgbor Mensah is Executive Chairman of The Great Argon Holdings, the largest Integrated Marketing Communications Group in Ghana. He has several other business interests such as Digital Printing and Real Estate and has won numerous accolades and recognition for his entrepreneurship.

He is the founder of DDP Outdoor Limited, Ghana’s biggest outdoor advertising company with affiliations  in Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Chad, Niger, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.

He has a passion for social work and has been a member of many community development boards.

 

 

Okoth Obado

Managing Director, Redhouse Public Relations

Okoth’s affable personality, perceptive mind and adroitness in matters PR has today made him one of the most sought after reputation management  professionals in the region.  He is the Managing Director of Kenya’s foremost strategic reputation management consultancy that represents Magna Carta in East Africa.

In March this year, he was the keynote speaker in Harare, Zimbabwe where he addressed CEOs and CMOs on Zimbabwe post- Mugabe; the importance of reputation management in new Zimbabwe.

Prior to joining Redhouse Public Relations in August 2012 as partner and founding Managing Director, he served as Managing Director of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Kenya where for more than 10 year, he led the agency to be one of  the most feted outfits on the continent  with a record 5 Gold Sabre Awards for best practice work. He has over the years  played a leading role in providing strategic communication counsel  to  some of the  leading  multi-national, regional  and local brands operating  in Kenya and within the larger  East African region.

He has vast experience in the design and rollout of specialist communication and brand management  assignments  such as transaction communication (IPO’s mergers  and acquisitions), public affairs, brand PR and reputation management within the financial services sector, aviation, manufacturing, retail, tourism, automotive and infrastructure segments among others. He  is also  the lead facilitator in delivering   Media Training Programme for Executives and Crisis Management Training as part of reputation management process .

A former business journalist with Daily Nation where he prolifically  penned  incisive business articles, Okoth is a member of Public Relations Society of  Kenya (PRSK)  and  founder Member and Trustee of Business Media Development Institute (BMDI.

He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Association of Public Relations  and Communication Management Firms in Kenya (APreCom) and was for several years the lead trainer for the  Foundation and Advanced level PR Programmes run by the Association of Practioners in Advertising (APA) in conjunction with the British Council.

Okoth is currently pursuing an MBA degree in Media Leadership at Robert Kennedy College (Switzerland) and University of Cumbria (UK).

STEVE BABAEKO

As X3M Ideas’ Chief Executive Officer/Chief Creative Officer, Steve brings to the agency his significant experience in building brands across industries. Steve’s passion for creativity matches his love for challenges. He is a writer,
consumer behaviour analyst, brand development expert and motivational speaker. Steve nurtures youths to be self-reliant that is why individuals and groups always invite him to speak to young Nigerians at many seminars and workshops. He started his advertising career at MC&A Saatchi & Saatchi in 1995, before he later joined Prima Garnet Ogilvy and 141 Worldwide where he worked till early 2012, bringing his experience in the industry to a cumulative 22 years. In 2012, he took the bold step and left 141 Worldwide to start his own advertising agency X3M Ideas Limited. Steve is also the founder of X3M Music, a music record label company that is focused primarily on developing young talents.

Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. He is an Associate member of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). He has also attended several international Leadership trainings, in Harvard Business School and Columbia University, New York.

DR. ANDREWS ADUGUDAA AKOLAA

Andrews Akolaa has over 20 years’ experience in Sales and marketing especially from the Media, Beverage and Telecommunications. Currently a Lecturer and Head of Department of Marketing, University of Professional Studies Accra and Principal Consultant of Ocean Star Consulting.

Before going into academia, Andrews worked with Airtel Ghana as the Vice President responsible for Sales & Distribution. He was also Sales Director for Guinness Ghana Breweries a Subsidiary of Diageo Plc. where he led one of the biggest sales teams to deliver on the total beverage agenda   

Andrews also held various positions in Kasapreko Company Limited including; General Manager for International business where he spearheaded the company’s export programme across the West African Region and other parts of Africa, Sales and Marketing Manager, Marketing and Public Relations Manager.

He has a vast experience in media marketing haven worked as a pioneering staff of the Multimedia Group, TV3 Network Limited and Peace Fm where he served in various positions in sales and marketing from 1996.

He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from the SMC University in Switzerland. Executive Masters in Business Administration from the University of Ghana Business School and Professional Marketer from the Chartered Institute of Marketing UK.

Currently a Member of the Board of National Biosafety Authority, He served as a Council member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana which he has been a member since 1996. He also served as Council member of AGI representing the food and beverage sector. He is the President of BONABOTO a community development association based in Upper East Region

KEHINDE SALAMI
Kenny is a marketing strategist, ideation enthusiast, entrepreneur, transformation expert, content curator and a well-known industry speaker. He has over 25 years of considerable experience in integrated marketing communications, wholesale and retail marketing strategy including medium to long term strategies, investment strategies and new product development.
He has worked with a number of renowned blue-chip companies, iconic brands and flagship products in all sectors and product categories both here in Nigeria and overseas.
With 19 years educational background in the UK, Kenny has an MBA from University of North London and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Thames Valley University at West London UK. He is IDM UK Certified (Direct Marketing) & Prince 2 Project Management Certified.
His most enduring contributions are in ideation, brainstorming and the role of observation in generating insight that leads to innovation. He has directed several projects including Coke Side of Life Global Launch in Nigeria; Coca-Cola Xmas Tree; Unilever Nigeria National Merchandising Project; Launch Guinness Extra Smooth; Nestle Maggi Product Launch, MTN Nigeria Brighter Life Campaign launch, Nigeria Insurers Association Image Campaign and many more
Kenny is the founder and MD/CEO of Ideas House, a business solutions company structured to deliver impactful solutions in the key areas of Marketing & Customer Experience, Supply Chain Strategies and Execution and finally Government and Community Relations. He leads an exciting team of DISRUPTIVE agents who have the right mental attitude and energy levels to reshape the marketing space in Nigeria and the West African Coast.
He is also the current President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN). A highly respected practitioner who creates blue sky opportunities for discerning multinationals, strong board level resource, Kenny can best be described as a brilliant rainmaker.
He is the author of the potential marketing best seller on ideation and marketing disruption, To Every Man a Brain, which launched in March and has sold 520 copies since the launch. To support the teachings in the book, he set up an academy called ID-8 to identify, train and support young creative talent and grow them to become successful entrepreneurs.
Representative accomplishments
As Managing Director of IDEAS HOUSE and previously General Manager, TEQUILA\NIGERIA, he has worked with over 20 major multinational clients being highly instrumental in developing their respective strategic marketing communications modules. Some of these companies includes but not limited to Unilever Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC, MTN Nigeria, Mobil Oil, GTBank Plc, Guaranty Trust Assurance, UBA, Indomie, Procter and Gamble, ATM Consortium, Virgin Atlantic, ARM, Guinness Nigeria, BAT, Nestle Nigeria, Coca-Cola International, Hygeia HMO and many others. On the client side, he has worked at Timberlands UK, British Airways, Heathrow Express, Rapido Color and P&O European ferries. His high-level consulting and strategic background coupled with his vast skill sets and various sectoral / category experience has allowed him to be highly versatile to engage in any business sector from banking to insurance, hospitality to real estate, consumer goods to healthcare, alcoholic beverage to Oil and Gas Industry.
Kenny has launched many brands and products including thematic campaigns in the Nigerian landscape positioning these brands appropriately in the minds of consumers and supporting this positioning stance with the right communications mix.
A major player and management level resource, Kenny is comfortable and adept at “walking the corridors” …. Kenny wins deals.

Lanre Adisa

MD/CCO Noah’s Ark Communications, NigeriaChairman, Roots Foods Limited

Lanre started his career in 1990 as a Trainee Copywriter at MC&A: Saatchi & Saatchi, Lagos, Nigeria. He has since then worked in different capacities as a creative in some of Nigeria’s top agencies. He was at Insight/Grey, Nigeria’s biggest agency, where he worked for six years, leaving in 2003 as an Associate Creative Director. From there he moved to TBWA\Concept as a Creative Director. He left TBWA\Concept as an Executive Creative Director in 2008 to found Noah’s Ark.

 In the ten years of its existence, Noah’s Ark has established itself as a leading new generation agency. In 2015, Noah’s Ark ended the year on top of the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF) Awards table with a Grand Prix. The agency repeated the same feat in 2017, making it the only agency in Nigeria to have won the Festival Grand Prix back-to-back.

At the Loeries Festival in 2016, Noah’s Ark emerged the #1 agency in Sub-Saharan Africa (Outside of SA). On the heel of its 10th anniversary in 2018, Noah’s Ark was crowned the Agency of the Year at the African Cristal Festival in Marrakech, Morocco.

In a career spanning over 25 years, he has created outstanding work for some of the most notable brands Nigeria such as Indomie Noodles, Airtel, MTN, Peak Milk, Three Crowns, Virgin Atlantic and GOtv among others.

Driven by a vision to put Nigeria on the world map of advertising, Lanre is actively involved in the Nigerian creative community with a special passion for inspiring and grooming the next generation. He was a pioneer member of the Management Board of the Lagos Advertising & Ideas Festival (LAIF). He has served on the juries of the African Cristal Festival and African Ciclope Festival. He served at different times as President of jury for the Young Lions Nigeria. He was the pioneer President of the jury for the Heritage category of the Pitcher Awards. Most recently, he was appointed a member of the jury at the Cannes Lions Festival, a first for West Africa.

In addition to Noah’s Ark, he has also founded other related marketing communications agencies to offer clients more robust integrated services. They are Integrated Indigo Limited, a public relations agency and Underdog Productions, a content/audio-visual production outfit and Red Wolf, a digital marketing agency.

 

MOWUNMI OWODUNNI (MRS.)

Mowunmi (or Mimi, as she is popularly known) is a creative and marketing communications practitioner with experience spanning over three decades, across leading Creative Agencies in Nigeria.

With an academic background in English Language & Literature and professional training in and outside Nigeria, Mimi has honed her skills over the years, working her way up from being a Copywriter and Creative Director to Managing Director of STB McCann Lagos –               a position she has held for over four years. She has proven competence in communication strategy development, creative ideation and execution, brand building, mentorship, training and development.

Apart from having contributed to the growth of various national and multinational brands across different sectors over the years, Mimi has also been a Tutor/Examiner/Facilitator with the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON); lectured and facilitated creative and communication-related programmes at different professional seminars/workshops; severally been Jury Member, Nigeria LAIF Creative Awards and O2 Advertising Academy; as well as having been Dean, Cannes Nigeria Roger Hatchuel Academy.

Mimi has won a few awards herself – ‘Women in Marketing Awards (WIMCA)’ (2014) and Red Africa ‘Legends in Advertising’ Awards (2015), with nominations for other Awards for professional excellence.

Mimi has a passion for creative excellence and talent development in the marketing communications industry.

Sasan Saeidi

Chief Executive Officer Gulf WALTER THOMPSON

 

Recently announced as the new Regional CEO of J. Walter Thompson for the Gulf Region, Sasan has worked in advertising for 19 years across a multitude of brands and regions of the world.  

Starting and building his career in North America, in Toronto and New York with Saatchi & Saatchi & FCB across Strategic Planning, Account Management, and New Business Development functions, he has led a multitude of International and Global assignments for brands across industries. 

Moving to the Middle East, he took over the realm of FP7 McCann in 2011 as Group Managing Director and transformed the agency across all parameters. Under his leadership FP7 McCann was named Communicate & Ad Age agency of the year and in 2016, Effies Global Index, ranked FP7 McCann DXB as the number 1 most effective creative agency in the world. He was Selected as part of the 20 IPG Young Global leaders in 2016.

Sasan is also an active industry member of the advertising and marketing fraternity, both Regionally and Globally. He is regular lecturer at the University circuit in the UAE. He is currently the Global Vice President for Content & Thought Leadership strategy for the International Advertising Association (IAA), And the Regional VP and Area Director for IAA for Middle East & Africa.

Sasan is a world citizen, growing up between London, New York & Toronto. He holds an MBA; he’s an avid listener and reader of everything; and a big fan of world cultures; fashion and Basketball. He also tries his best to be a good dad to Sammy & Alexander.

THEBE IKALAFENG

Founder and ceo – brand leadership group, Founder and chairman – brand africa, Deputy chairman – south african tourism

Thebe Ikalafeng is arguably the foremost global African brand and reputation architect, advisor and author. In a distinguished corporate career which started at Colgate Palmolive in New York and concluded as chief marketing officer for NIKE for Africa, he won over 75 awards in branding, marketing and communication globally. He is the founder of the award-winning Brand Leadership Group and has worked on over 100 brands in public and private sector branding, political and destination branding and reputation management across Africa. Brand Leadership has been recognized by Fin Week Magazine as “Marketing Services Agency of the Year, 2008” and was inducted into the Rebrand Hall of Fame for Excellence in Branding.  A Fellow of the Institute of Directors, he has held directorships in several public and private sector organizations. He is deputy chairman of South African Tourism and a non-executive director of Mercantile Bank, Cartrack Holdings and WWF South Africa.  Described as ‘Mr Africa,’ ‘Mr Brand’ and an ‘African Ambassador-at-Large,’ he has been named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine. He is widely quoted and consulted globally as the preeminent authority on branding in Africa.  Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University in the USA, completed executive education at Wits Business School in South Africa and Harvard Business School and is a qualified Chartered Marketer (SA). He has summited the highest mountains in Africa (Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania) and Europe (Mount Elbrus, Russia) and visited and/or worked in over 80 countries across Africa and the world. He writes, speaks and consults on Africa-focused branding and related matters.

 


 

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