As he celebrates his golden jubilee, foremost experiential marketing expert Abiodun Abelinis reflects on two decades of professional success and personal fulfillment. In this exclusive interview with Brand Communicator, Oshinibosi shares insights from his journey building a respected agency with its own headquarters, developing industry talent, and now authoring “Project Manager Extraordinaire” (PMX) – a book dedicated to guiding the next generation of project managers. With proceeds benefiting Rotary International’s polio eradication efforts, he demonstrates his commitment to both professional excellence and humanitarian service. His story shows how passion, patience, and proper mentorship can create lasting impact across an industry.
What achievements are you most proud of as you clock 50 years?
Personally, I’m proud of my family. I am happily married and my children are doing well, which brings me joy in this era where many marriages are collapsing. I’ve been fortunate to maintain mine for over 20 years.
Professionally, my achievements take different forms. Looking back at the people who have passed through Abelinis and are now doing well on their own gives me joy. Many former colleagues are delivering services to multinationals and government parastatals. When we meet outside work, the feeling is mutual—we’re happy for each other’s success.
Abelinis is one of the agencies that consistently organizes learning seminars. The attendees aren’t necessarily working with us; it’s a platform we created for periodical learning where we share thoughts. We bring in facilitators and experts from clients to understand what they want to see.
Another achievement is that we have our own headquarters building, a step we took in 2016, just nine years ago. It’s gratifying that we took that step when some companies that were giants then didn’t have their own buildings. I felt it was important to build our own house to create more confidence in our team. We told ourselves that if companies like Shell, MTN, and Cadbury have their own headquarters buildings, why can’t a marketing agency have one? I believed it was important to grow corporately and professionally. Many agencies now have their own buildings, and it’s a source of pride that I was among the first to initiate that process.
On The Newly Launched Book
Thinking about giving back to society, I felt it was important to articulate the thought processes, learning experiences, and habits that helped me navigate this path successfully. That’s the reason behind this book, “Project Manager Extraordinaire” or PMX for short. It’s a compilation of learnings over the years as a project manager in the experiential marketing world, covering successful events, how they happened, and the parameters and frameworks used to achieve success.
I thought it was important to give back to society as I celebrate my 50th birthday by sharing what has helped me through the years in this industry. Like I mentioned earlier, it was important to document my experience for legacy purposes.
When we talk about project management, people typically think it’s only about IT or engineering, but project management in experiential marketing is a discipline that applies across all fields. Our target audience includes students of project management still in school, recent graduates, and entry-level project managers in different agencies. We’re not targeting middle managers but rather the younger generation because, while they may know the framework, they might lack the right habits and attitudes to succeed as project managers. Managing projects involves managing people, scenes, emotions, and conflicts—these are critical elements that distinguish exceptional project managers. There’s a dedicated chapter titled “The Mark of Excellence,” and the book addresses numerous aspects of project management. We believe those who will benefit most are students, fresh graduates, and aspiring project managers in our space.
For the unveiling, we have the pleasure of having Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan as a reviewer. He’s the Programme Director at Nottingham Business School UK and a past president of the Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN). From the project management side, we have Tolu Fadamitan, Project Manager/Product Specialist at Dell Technology USA, who has also agreed to review the book.
“Proceeds From Sale Of Book To Go Towards Polio Eradication”
Because we’re committed to humanitarian efforts, all proceeds from the sale of the book will be channeled toward polio eradication through Rotary International, a humanitarian organization with 120 years of existence, of which I am a proud member. Rotary’s integrity and attention to detail give us confidence that every kobo contributed goes directly to that initiative.
Considering our target audience, the selling cost for one book is 35,000 naira, and we don’t want to charge our intended readers a high price. The book will be available to them at a low cost, so I’m gathering friends, family, and professional contacts to endow this book. For example, a friend might say, “I’m purchasing 10 copies for University of Lagos students,” while another might say, “I’m picking five for Lagos Polytechnic students.” That’s the structure we want to implement. We want to engage our networks to get this book to students in higher institutions.
At 50, What Would You Tell Your Younger Self Entering The Industry?
Looking back, I’d tell my younger self to always follow my passion. In life, you may find yourself in situations like I did—I studied statistics and might have been expected to work in research companies, but I always knew what drove me at that age, and I followed that path. I’d advise focusing on what brings joy and what you can do effortlessly.
I’d also encourage younger people to be patient with life. There will be instances where things don’t go your way, but you need to remain focused. Even when events don’t unfold as planned, there are lessons to be learned in the process. If you read the Bible’s story of Joseph, there were moments when he might have questioned his circumstances, but it was part of God’s divine plan. I doubt Joseph ever expected to be a slave or in prison, but all those experiences led to a destination planned by God. That’s why I say: be patient with yourself, keep learning, keep evolving by taking lessons from all your experiences, and don’t let negative experiences shape you negatively.
What Personal And Professional Goals Are You Setting As You Enter This New Decade?
I want to become closer to God, listen more, and continue influencing younger generations positively. I want to impact the environment constructively and find ways to use my expertise to mentor more people because, honestly, that’s what brings me joy.
I want to become closer to God, listen more, and continue influencing younger generations positively. I want to impact the environment constructively and find ways to use my expertise to mentor more people because, honestly, that’s what brings me joy.
I want to mentor more people and continue influencing the industry positively. Relationships are key—I want to maintain the connections that have brought me this far as I enter this next chapter.
Thoughts On Work-Life Balance?
It’s challenging, especially if you’re not yet married or don’t have a supportive partner. I’ve been fortunate—I got married at 30, and during that phase of life, I was focused on achieving more professionally. I spent considerable time at work, and I’m lucky to have a supportive wife who helped balance that aspect.
There were times she reminded me to take breaks, socialize, go on holidays, or attend important events with our children. If I didn’t have such a partner calling me to order, I might have just kept working until I broke down or missed important family functions.
She managed that process effectively. It’s not easy to maintain work-life balance because you naturally want to achieve more. You’ll find every reason to be at work, ensuring everything is functioning or contributing in some way.
I’m grateful to have had someone highlighting the importance of various aspects of life beyond work. I’d advise having a partner who understands your business to help manage your life balance. This applies to everyone in the industry, regardless of gender.
What Legacy Do You Hope To Be Known For In The Industry?
Everyone naturally says they hope to be known for making an impact. For me, I emphasize service and leadership. I genuinely enjoy helping people and serving my industry. That’s one of the main reasons I’m releasing this book. I studied statistics but have excelled in the experiential marketing space.
I’m also trying to encourage younger professionals in this field. For me, this book is part of my legacy, and even if I’m gone someday, it will continue guiding people. In the experiential marketing space, I’ve been privileged to serve in different capacities. I was Vice President of EXMAN three years ago. Service is also part of legacy—wherever I find myself, I want to serve in a way that creates impact and contributes meaningfully to the industry.
Essentially, I want to influence more people in this space, so when I look back, I can see a group of individuals making bigcontributions because I influenced them to be their best.