Some call him Coachie, others call him Coach Bee while some just know him as the good doctor of marketing. Whichever spectrum you fall on, it’s easy to see that Dr. Abiodun Ajiborode has impacted this industry in no small ways. From shaping billion-naira brands like Coca-Cola and Sprite to positively impacting the careers of hundreds of marketing professionals through his Brand Management Academy (BMA), Ajiborode belongs to a rare breed of leaders who has successfully transitioned from corporate titan to industry educator. Today, as founder of BMA and the Business Leadership and Innovation Management (BLIM) Group, he proves that the greatest legacy is not just in the brands you build, but in the lives you impact. This second edition of Brand Communicator’s Men in Marketing and Communications (MIM) beams the spotlight on him.
The NYSC Spark That Ignited a Career
Ajiborode’s marketing journey began during his NYSC phase at Jos International Breweries Plc. Fresh from Ambrose Alli University, he competed with 25 candidates for 10 NYSC slots. His impressive interview with the Head of Marketing and Head of Sales left him torn between departments, so he chose both: “I decided I would do six months in marketing and six months in sales.”
Sales came first. He describes it as a baptism of fire. Attached to a sales manager covering Jos, Bauchi, and neighboring areas, he carried products from car to store daily. “I would follow him from outlet to outlet, carrying products, drinks, beer, and water. It was exhausting work. By the time I returned, I was completely worn out.”
Those grueling months taught him his first sets of lessons in sales, no classroom could provide. When he moved to marketing, the contrast was stark. “Marketing was much more fun. I got to develop strategies and plan campaigns. I would go out and execute them, see events with DJs, people dancing, eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves.”
But it wasn’t just the glamour of marketing that attracted him. During that time, Ajiborode developed what would become his career hallmark, which is connecting strategic thinking with ground-level execution. That combination would define his nearly three-decade journey in business leadership.
Building Brands Nigerians Love
After NYSC, Ajiborode embarked on a stellar corporate career: Category Brand Manager at Promasidor Nigeria, Senior Brand Manager for Fabric Care at PZ Cussons, Marketing Manager for Premium Brands at SABMiller, Head of Marketing and Sales at Grand Oak Limited, and Brand and Trade Marketing Director at Monument Distillers Limited (makers of Four Cousins Wine).
But it was at Coca-Cola Nigeria where he truly excelled. Rising to Acting Marketing Director, he led marketing and growth strategies for one of the world’s most valuable brands. During the challenging 2020 pandemic, his team achieved a record-breaking 300 million unit cases—testament to his strategic acumen and crisis leadership.
In March 2021, he was elevated to Franchise Operations Director for Lagos and Western regions, with full P&L responsibility. Throughout his corporate journey, he managed leading brands including Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, 5 Alive, Schweppes, Cowbell Milk, Loya Milk, Canoe, Zip Detergent, Castle Milk Stout, Miller Lager Beer, and various spirits brands.
The Uncompromising Pursuit of Knowledge
While building brands, Ajiborode never stopped learning. After his MBA from Lagos Business School, he earned a Chartered Postgraduate Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, becoming a chartered marketer. He attended executive programs at Harvard University, Kellogg Business School, Cornell University, and The Coca-Cola University.
The pinnacle came between 2020-2024 when he earned a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree from the Swiss Business School through Nobel International Business School in Ghana. “It involved countless sleepless nights, reviewing over 400 articles, formulating research hypotheses, collecting data from over 300 respondents, analyzing and interpreting data,” he shared.
In July 2024, he earned his doctorate plus the Presidential Alumni Leadership Award for Excellence and Best Graduating Student Award, a triple achievement which shows his commitment to excellence.
From King to Kingmaker (The Birth of BMA)
Around 2012, while teaching CIM courses at Simon Page, Ajiborode noticed low pass rates. Under his instruction, they soared to 90-98 percent. “The students wanted more, they even asked for extra lectures. But I could only teach assigned modules,” he recalls.
The CIM curriculum was too theoretical. “Students learned models and frameworks, but when they got into the real world, they forgot most of it. That’s when I decided to create BMA, to teach marketers practical skills they could use right away.”
The idea began in 2017, but by 2019 he finally committed, converting a vacant two-bedroom flat into a classroom. The first class had five students, then seven. “The room looked empty, so I gave scholarships to three friends to make it fuller.” It was humble, but word spread. “The second class had about 15 people. By the third class, the room was full. If you create real value, people will come.”
By 2022, BMA’s growth made balancing it with corporate life impossible. Seeing students become marketing directors in just years convinced him. “I needed to move from being a ‘king’ to a ‘kingmaker,’ helping others grow and succeed. My goal shifted from building my career to building people.”
BMA’s distinction lies in practical, applicable knowledge. “I started BMA to help marketers learn the practical side of marketing, not just the 4Ps or Porter’s 5 Forces that you forget in the market,” Ajiborode emphasizes.
The academy offers Advanced Brand Management Programme (ABMP), Advanced Sales Management Programme (ASMP), and Applied Marketing Foundation (AMFP). “We focus on building character and changing mindsets. We do not do exams. Instead, students work on projects overseen by key industry players.”
This project-based approach ensures students apply concepts to actual business challenges rather than memorizing theories. BMA students have worked on live brand strategies, product launches, and commercial planning exercises that mirror what they’ll encounter in their careers. The emphasis on practical tools means graduates leave with frameworks they can implement immediately—from brand positioning canvases to route-to-market strategies.
Since inception, BMA has graduated hundreds who moved quickly into leadership roles across FMCG, banking, telecommunications, and other sectors. The testimonials speak volumes. One alumni president, Olusegun Akinyemiju, currently a senior brand manager at Nigeria Distilleries Limited, notes that BMA programmes “have been instrumental in reshaping my thinking on marketing and providing practical knowledge and skills applied in my career.”
The academy recently partnered with Nobel International Business School, offering doctorate and master’s programmes with 40 percent discounts for BMA alumni, further expanding educational opportunities for African executives.
In June 2025, Ajiborode inaugurated the BMA Alumni Network and called for comprehensive reform of marketing curricula in Nigerian universities. “Most institutions need to restructure their approach. Students graduate with theoretical knowledge but little understanding of how to apply it in real-world settings.” He emphasized that marketing remains widely misunderstood, often reduced to basic sales functions when it actually drives business innovation, growth, and value creation.
Timeless Brand Principles
Despite technological disruption, Ajiborode believes three brand principles remain eternal. “First is human truth. Brands must connect with real human needs and motivations. People want to express themselves and gain validation.”
Second is culture. “If you don’t understand the culture where your brand operates, it will struggle to connect with people.”
Third is value and pricing. “Consumers must know why they’re paying. Where value exists, people follow.” This extends to team-building: “Empower others and create opportunities for them to grow.”
The Personal Philosophy of a Builder
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Ajiborode’s personal life reflects his values. Married with three children, he balances family life with his demanding work building brands and people. Ajiborode attributes his success to several habits. “What matters most is believing in your vision. Your life becomes meaningful when you commit to winning and making that vision your own legacy.”
Most importantly, he competes only with himself. “I don’t try to impress anyone or compete with others. I only measure myself against my yesterday. Be the benchmark for yourself. Every day, I aim to be better than I was the day before.”
This philosophy of incremental improvement, combined with emotional intelligence and care for people’s development, has sustained him through decades of challenges and transitions.
A Legacy Beyond Brands
Ajiborode is clear about his legacy. “I want to be remembered as someone who changed mindsets. Someone who showed people they can become more. Someone who shared experience to give others leverage to succeed without going through all the pain I went through.”
He’s passionate about showing young people that circumstances don’t determine destiny. “I came from a background with no advantage. Anyone can become anything in life if they put their mind to it and have support from God.”
This commitment extends beyond BMA. In 2024, he established the Abiodun Ajiborode Foundation, channeling business profits into improving lives of the underprivileged. “When I leave this world, I want to be remembered as someone who talked about life, changed lives, and showed that lack of advantage does not stop anyone from achieving their goals.”
The Coachie Effect
Today, Dr. Abiodun Ajiborode continues expanding his impact through BMA and BLIM, training professionals, consulting for organizations and speaking at industry events. He’s recognized as a Top 20 CMO award recipient, marketing scholar, business consultant, trainer, and career coach.
His greatest achievement? The community of leaders he’s building. BMA alumni now hold senior positions across Nigeria’s marketing landscape, carrying forward principles they learned from Coach Bee. Each success story validates his transition from king to kingmaker.
“One thing I discovered lately is that if you operate within your purpose, hard work truly becomes fun,” he reflects. That purpose, building people, changing mindsets, democratizing marketing excellence, energizes him daily.