By Modupe Gbadeyanka
From January 1, 2024, Mr Stephen Onaivi will take charge of mediaReach OMD Nigeria as the new Managing Director following the approval of his appointment by the board of the organisation.
He was chosen for the position after working as the MD of OMD Ghana, where he contributed to developing a multi-disciplinary, forward-looking media and advertising industry and serviced an array of national, multinational, and regional clients.
In his new role, Mr Onaivi will drive the OMD brand across West and Central Africa to enhance client value and ensure the seamless integration of OMD values, technology, and strategic processes.
A statement from the foremost media investment and management agency expressed optimism that the new OMD Nigeria chief would achieve this target because he has been responsible for driving innovation across major brands, including Diageo, Airtel, Olam, Vodafone, Virgin Atlantic, Google, Uber, and GSK, to mention a few across the West and Central African region.
“Stephen’s appointment is the result of a careful succession planning and talent development program.
“He is expected to maintain OMD’s industry leadership and drive our regional growth strategy across the three critical global pillars of Client, People, and Capability,” a part of the statement quoted the Regional Chief Executive Officer of Omnicom Media Group West & Central Africa (OMG WeCA), Mr Alaba Fadero, as saying.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Onaivi expressed confidence that the industry leadership and innovative strides of OMD Nigeria would be maintained under his leadership.
“We are proud of our thought leadership and pragmatic approach to providing value-driven services to our clients, and they should expect more with our team’s renewed commitment,” he said.
He stated that the key focus areas of OMD Nigeria would include innovation driven by technology and marketing science, the development of local talents, and enhanced strategic thinking to improve the agency’s value proposition to its clients.
Onaivi is a communication expert who has attended several management training courses and conferences from renowned business schools across the globe, including the Lagos Business School and London Business School.
He is a keen golfer and a firm believer in the importance of community service. He is also the founder of the “Play with Stephen” golf tournament held annually in Accra, Ghana.
The tournament leverages golf as a ‘passion point’ for key decision-makers to create awareness and support for Autism across Africa.
Aduragbemi Omiyale