In what has been hailed as a growth for the industry, especially on gender inclusivity, marketing communications expert and Amazon, Brenda Nwagwu was elected Vice President of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN). With her election, she becomes the first woman to hold this position, the highest for any woman in about the quadranscenntennial existence of the association.
Despite her media shyness and reserved demeanor, Brenda Nwagwu is a tour de force, one to be reckoned with in the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)) industry. With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, she has proven her mettle across various sectors, including marketing communications, finance, and technology. She has paid her dues in full and earned her flowers.
She is the Chief Executive Officer/Principal Communications Consultant for QVT Media, an agency she floated over 12 years ago. Additionally, she spearheads operations for Leeds Production, the exclusive media sales representative for Star TV Network in Nigeria and Ghana, and co-founded AMPZ TV.
Having worked with global agencies like MediaReach OMD and AllSeasons Mediacom, Brenda has established herself a leader with sharp business acumen, adept at navigating companies through the complexities of strategic media investment, leveraging on her solid finance background as a powerful asset. Her visionary leadership has made her a trusted partner for a diverse range of clients, from startups to Fortune 500 companies in the marketing communications sector.
She has led media investment strategy across industries and portfolios from the stables of Guinness, Reckitt Benckiser, British American Tobacco, Standard Chartered Bank and Pepsi Co amongst.
A graduate of the University of Lagos with a degree in Accounting, Brenda is not a bean counter by any stretch of the imagination. Her leadership traits started to be honed through her activities as President of AISEC Nigeria between 1997 and 1998, and later as President between 2016 and 2019 of AIESEC International Alumni. AIESEC is a leading student management development organization in the world. The organization provided the platform for her to study and understand firsthand issues around youth empowerment, leadership and entrepreneurship.
After graduation, she worked briefly for Asset & Resource Management Holding Company (ARM). Thereafter, she moved into the marketing communications space as a Sponsorship Manager at MediaReachOMD. She enjoyed a steady progression in her career, rising meteorically to the position of Manager, Sponsorship until she transferred her services to All Seasons MediaCom where she headed the planning and strategy function as Head, Planning & Strategy.
Brenda’s expertise extends beyond her role as CEO, as she has also consulted and provided training on various topics such as audience measurement, communications strategy, media planning, and buying in the digital age as faculty of Alphabet Media Academy and Digify Africa – A Meta Initiative. She is a fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and has served as a Communications consultant for Nigeria’s Open Government Partnership Initiative from 2017 to 2019 and held the position of Chair of the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) Technical Committee. Additionally, she sits on the board of several companies, including Leeds Production Nigeria Limited, Shuttabox Nigeria, Adcontinuum, and ICAP Technologies Limited.
Her commitment to community development is evident through her membership of the Women Empowerment Project committee of the Onitsha Leadership & Entrepreneurial Center under the Onitsha Advancement Foundation (ONAF) umbrella. As an innovator, intellectual and serial entrepreneur, Brenda promotes local content development on local and international channels and in the digital space and is constantly exploring ideas to grow the brands in her company’s portfolio.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Brenda is recognised for her commitment to driving growth and progress in the industry. She has earned a formidable reputation as a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, actively supporting young professionals in their career development. Brenda firmly believes in empowering emerging talent and creating opportunities for their success. She was recognized among the top 50 Women in Marketing and Communications in the 2023 edition of the Women in Marketing and Communications Conference and Awards, WIMCA.
In giving back, Brenda continues to be involved with several youth, entrepreneurial and leadership development initiatives and loves to mentor young people who seek to impact their communities and fulfill their God given purpose. Her main passion is leading people to achieve goals that have the potential to transform lives.
Outside of her professional and philanthropic endeavours, Brenda is a devout Catholic, and a teacher, and enjoys exploring different cultures, indulging in diverse cuisines, and spending quality time with her family and friends.