Jobs/Appointments
Mastercard’s Rajamannar Emerges World Federation of Advertisers President
By Dipo Olowookere
Mastercard’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Mr Raja Rajamannar, has been elected as President of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).
Mr Rajamannar will serve a two-year term as WFA President, with the option to extend for a further two years.
He replaces Mr David Wheldon, CMO at RBS, who has been president since 2015. Mr Wheldon will continue to serve on WFA’s Executive Committee as Regional Vice-President for Western Europe.
The new WFA chief has worked for Mastercard since 2013, and in particular has led the company’s marketing transformation, including the integration of the Marketing and Communication functions, evolution of its priceless experiential platform, and creation of cutting edge marketing-led business models into the core of the company.
Recently he pioneered Mastercard’s move to become a symbol brand and the launch of its breakthrough sonic brand platform. He also serves as President of Mastercard’s Healthcare Division in addition to his role as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.
With more than 30 years of experience as a global executive across multiple industries, previous roles include Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer, WellPoint (now Anthem, Inc.); Chief Executive, International and Chief Innovation & Marketing Officer, Humana; Global Chief Marketing Officer, Cards and Payments, Citigroup; and CEO of Diners Club North America.
Mr Rajamannar started his career with Asian Paints in India. He was also the winner of the 2018 WFA Global Marketer of the Year award.
“The opportunity in front of marketers today to make a difference for their brand, their business and even the world is tremendous. I am honoured to pick up and carry the torch as President of WFA, an organization committed to elevating and advancing the activities of our profession, and a role I am convinced will become even more important in the years to come,” said Mr Rajamannar.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Raja as our new President. He’s one of the very best in the business and his work at Mastercard demonstrates how marketers can deliver unrivalled business and social impact when they’re at the top of their game,” said Stephan Loerke, CEO of WFA. “I’d also like to thank David for his invaluable service as President. He is nothing short of a giant in the global marketing industry and he has helped lift the organisation to another level in terms of its relevance to CMOs, its strategic focus and its global expansion. We’re delighted he’s agreed to stay on our Executive Committee and help steer the organisation through future challenges.”
The Deputy President role has been attributed to Philip Myers, Senior Vice-President, Global Policy and Government Affairs at PepsiCo, who takes over from Matthias Berninger, former Vice-President, Public Affairs at Mars.
Philip leads PepsiCo’s government and stakeholder relations. Previously, he oversaw public policy and communications across the company’s Europe Sub-Saharan Africa business and before that led the European Retail Round Table, which brought together Europe’s leading retailers on public policy issues.
His appointment reflects the dual nature of WFA’s mission working with both marketers to ensure marketing effectiveness and policy professionals to protect brands’ license to operate.
The new President, Deputy President and Regional Vice-President roles are part of a wider change in WFA’s leadership team which also includes a number of new executive committee members: Jean-Luc Chétrit, CEO, French Advertisers Association (UDA) & WFA Treasurer; Edward Bell, General Manager Brand, Insight and Marketing Communications, Cathay Pacific Airways; Adam Mohamed Wee Abdullah, Group Chief Marketing Officer, CIMB; Valérie Hernando-Presse, Chief Marketing Officer, Danone; Gerhard Louw, Head of International Media Management, Deutsche Telekom; Allyson Park, Global Vice-President, Corporate Affairs, Mars; Francesco Tramontin, Director, Global Public Affairs, Mondelez; Lynette Pang, Assistant Chief Executive, Marketing Group, Singapore Tourism Board; Atul Agrawal, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Brand and Marketing, Tata; and Jan Morten Drange, CEO, Association of Norwegian Advertisers (ANFO).
“It’s always gratifying that so many senior marketers are willing to serve on WFA’s committees and forums. We couldn’t do half the work we do without these vital contributions and the wisdom of so many senior marketers and policy professionals is critical in identifying upcoming issues and potential solutions to the many challenges faced by brands today,” said Stephan Loerke.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Following the resignation of Mr Adebayo Adelabu as the Minister of Power a few days ago, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Mr Joseph Tegbe as his replacement.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed on Thursday that Mr Tegbe’s name has been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
His nomination is expected to strengthen further ongoing efforts to reform the power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Upon confirmation, he is expected to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.
Mr Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), resigned last week to pursue his dream of becoming the Governor of Oyo State.
His replacement is also from Oyo State. He is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors, according to the statement today.
He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance. He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.
He is at present the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he is responsible for strengthening bilateral development cooperation between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.
The NCSP also coordinates engagements with public sector stakeholders to advance economic and social development in line with FOCAC objectives.
Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has named Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, the latest in the cabinet reshufflement.
Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu replaces Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who recently resigned to pursue the Bauchi governorship election ambition in 2027 under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Sola Enikanolaiye has been appointed as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the position previously occupied by Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that until his nomination, Mr Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
He is a career diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign service.
He has previously served as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Belgrade, Ottawa, London and New Delhi.
President Tinubu said the appointments are part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture, improve efficiency and deepen global engagement.
He urged the appointees to promote Nigeria’s national interest, advance economic diplomacy, strengthen regional stability and ensure the welfare of Nigerians abroad.
“The President noted that these appointments are part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture for greater efficiency, strategic engagement, and stronger global partnerships,” the statement read.
Recent ministerial changes under President Tinubu reflect a cautious but deliberate attempt to recalibrate governance and strengthen economic management. In a minor cabinet reshuffle approved in April 2026, key portfolios were affected, most notably the removal of Finance Minister, Mr Wale Edun; and the Housing Minister, Mr Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.
Their exits paved the way for new appointments, including the elevation of Mr Taiwo Oyedele to oversee the critical finance ministry, a move widely interpreted as an effort to inject fresh direction into the country’s economic policy framework.
Beyond the cabinet reshuffle, the administration has also undertaken broader leadership adjustments across strategic sectors, particularly in energy and regulation, signalling a pattern of continuous review within government ranks, including the replacement of Mr Saidu Mohammed with Mr Rabiu Umar as the chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), replacing Mr Saidu Mohammed.
This decision follows ongoing efforts to restructure the regulatory framework of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil sector.
The appointment was announced by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, with the nomination subject to Senate confirmation.
The NMDPRA is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of petroleum operations, including gas processing, transportation, and retail.
Mr Abdullahi, until his appointment, was the Group Sales and Marketing Director at Dangote Cement, part of the Dangote Group, which has interests in food, cement, energy, and other ventures.
He started his career in Oando Plc and rapidly rose to hold different management roles within the marketing business, and led the Sales and Marketing Transformation plan successfully.
In 2014, he moved to Lafarge Africa as the Energy and Power Director and subsequently managed the Strategy and Business Development portfolio for West Africa, where he led the development and execution of critical projects within Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. In 2016, he became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ashaka Cement Plc and spearheaded the turnaround of the business until his departure in 2019 to join Dangote Industries Ltd as Group Chief Commercial Officer.
A graduate of Accounting from Bayero University, Kano and an Alumnus of Harvard Business School. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors.
According to the Presidency, Mr Abdullahi’s appointment was made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior official of the NMDPRA will oversee operations in an acting capacity.
“President Tinubu thanks the outgoing Authority Chief Executive for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
“The President remains committed to ensuring capable leadership in key regulatory institutions to advance energy security, sector reform, and sustainable economic growth,” the statement added.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn