WIMCA Rewards Outstanding Female Marketing & Communications Professionals, Brands

At the second edition of the Women in Marketing & Communication Conference and Awards which held last week Friday at the Shell Hall of Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos prominent and outstanding female marketing professionals in the Nigerian Integrated Marketing Communications industry were awarded from different sectors for their contributions to the growth of the industry.

Speaking before the award session, convener of the conference, Mr. Joshua Ajayi said that selection of the awardees went through a select panel of assessors for the various sub sectors to come out with the list of deserving female professionals.

“Unlike the norm where some platforms give out awards based on the ability of the awardee to sponsor or buy tables, we wanted to give a credible award to deserving female professionals who have in no small way contributed to the overall progress of this industry,” he said.

In the individuals category awards,Nkiru Olumide-Ojo who heads Marketing and Communication for the Standard Bank Group in Southern and Central Africa bagged the Female Marketing Professional of the Year- Banking category while Rosemary Akpo, the Marketing Director, Africa and the Middle East for (Lucozade Ribena Suntory) clinched the Female Marketing Professional of the Year award for the FMCG category.

Unilever’s Director, Corporate Affairs & Sustainable for Ghana and Nigeria, Oluwasoromidayo George emerged the Female Corporate Communications Professional of the Year for the FMCG category.

For creative advertising, Bunmi Oke, Managing Director of Ladybird Advertising and a former President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, was awarded the Female Creative Advertising Personality of Year while the Creative Director of Leo Burnett Nigeria, Sinmisola Hughes-Obisesan who is also the only notable female creative director in West Africa emerged the Female Creative Director of the year.

In other categories, the Managing Director of Brandzone and convener of the National Branding Conference, ChizorMalize was awarded the Branding Personality of the Year; Nkechi Ali-Balogun, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos chapter was awarded the Female Public Relations personality of the Year; for the OOH sector, Maureen Umana emerged the Female Out-of-Home Advertising Professional of the year and Tolu Medebem, the Managing Partner of Event Plus Marketing Services emerged the Female Experiential Marketing Professional of the Year.

Ada Adheke, the Managing Director of Peacock Media, emerged the Female Media Independent Professional of the Year and Ugo Geri-Robert, the Managing Director of Millward Brown was awarded the Female Market Research Professional of the Year award.

The Felix King Foundation was awarded the Female- Centric foundation of the year for the various impacts it has made in the lives of widows and women in the rural areas. Access bank PLC was also awarded for its innovative “W” initiative-Access Woman- as it was awarded the Female Friendly Bank of the Year.

Some brands were recognised for the various impact they have made in the life of female consumers. In no particular order, they are PZ Cusson’s Morning Fresh which was awarded the Dishwashing Product of the year award and HPZ’s Coolworld appliances which was awarded the Female Centric home Appliance Brand of the year.

Nestle Nigeria’s Maggi cube was awarded the Seasoning brand of the year and Rickair Cosmetic’s Natures Gentle Touch was awarded the Hair Care Product of the year.

Lastly, for her enormous contributions to the growth of marketing communications in Nigeria, spanning over two decades, Mrs. Bola Thomas, the Co-founder ofLTC was given the Prestigious WIMCA Lifetime Achievement Award.

WIMCA since inception, has been a platform that recognises and encourages ad rewards excellence female professionals, brands and organisations for their contributions to their various industries and the country at large.

Among dignitaries that graced the occasion are Alex Goma are Alex Goma, Managing Director, PZ Cussons Consumer SBU and IquoUkoh who were both speakers at the conference; Kehinde Salami, EXMAN President and Managing Director, Ideas House, IddyEnang, Managing Director, Corporate Shephards, Ayo Oluwatosin, Group Managing Director, Rosabel Group; Segun McMedal, President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Lagos chapter among other distinguished dignitaries.