The CMO Circle—Nigeria’s premier, invitation-only forum for Chief
Marketing Officers and senior marketing leaders—announces Iquo Ukoh
and Lolu Akinwunmi as Co-Chairs for its 2026 convening. Designed as a
high-trust, executive platform, the Circle brings together the most
influential voices in marketing to shape strategy at the highest levels
of business and public policy.
Convened by MarkHack in partnership with StatiSense and Brand
Communicator, the CMO Circle operates at the intersection of enterprise
leadership and national development. Beyond dialogue, the Circle
institutionalizes its influence through the quarterly CMO Index—a
flagship publication that aggregates executive sentiment, market
intelligence, and forward-looking insights to inform policy
conversations and economic decision-making. In doing so, the Circle
positions marketing leadership as a critical voice in shaping
Nigeria’s business environment and policy direction.
As Co-Chairs, Ukoh and Akinwunmi will curate and lead high-level
discussions focused on innovation, talent density, enterprise growth,
and the expanding mandate of the CMO within the C-suite. Their
stewardship reinforces the Circle’s role as a convening
authority—one that not only reflects industry thinking but actively
defines it.
Ukoh, Chief Executive Officer of Entod Marketing and former Director of
Marketing Services at Nestlé Nigeria, is widely regarded for her
leadership in brand strategy, consumer engagement, and cultural
storytelling. Akinwunmi, Group CEO of Prima Garnet (Ogilvy Nigeria),
brings decades of experience advising leading national and multinational
brands, alongside a distinguished record of industry leadership.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, Convener
of MarkHack and the CMO Circle, stated:
“The CMO Circle is intentionally designed as a premium,
outcomes-driven platform—one that moves marketing leadership beyond
the boardroom into the sphere of policy influence. With Iquo Ukoh and
Lolu Akinwunmi as Co-Chairs, we are setting a clear tone of authority,
depth, and relevance. Through the CMO Index and our quarterly
convenings, the Circle will play a defining role in shaping both
industry direction and policy dialogue.”
The inaugural 2026 session, themed “The C-Suite Mandate: Talent
Density and Marketing Leadership,” will convene a curated network of
CMOs and business leaders, reinforcing the Circle’s position as the
definitive forum for strategic influence, peer exchange, and
policy-relevant insight in Nigeria’s marketing ecosystem.
