Okeke is responsible for the development of Dentsu Aegis Network’s global and local service brands in Nigeria. His 27-year experience spans print, full-service creative and media agencies, and he is a pioneer in the development of professional media planning and communications practice in Nigeria and Ghana.
Emeka Okeke (EO): Change is constant in the world of business. Every day, we deal with evolving and dynamic consumer preferences, more demanding clients and new competitors. As a result, change management has become a critical strategic capability.
I manage change by doing the following:
EO: Maintaining the present growth trajectory in a depressed economy – which is dogged by low purchasing power, government-policy inconsistencies and declining consumer confidence – is the biggest challenge I foresee in 2020.
EO: Technology cannot remain the only source of competitive advantage. Human needs and challenges should determine the role technology plays. While platforms like artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, mobility and the internet of things (IoT) will become more intrusive, our challenge as marketers is to differentiate our business offering via an innovative and client-centric business model. Unique business models are the engine that fuels growth in most service industries such as marketing communications.
EO: I believe we can stay ahead of the competition by spending more time on what the existing and prospective client problems are and by putting in place integrated solutions to address them. I am a proponent of updating business continuity practice and controls while staying nimble and agile to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the marketplace.
EO: I live an active lifestyle with a healthy appetite for growth and continuous improvement. I exercise frequently and participate in competitive sporting activities like cycling. This helps me stay fit, sharp and alert. This competitive attribute also helps in my professional life, as I enjoy the rush of competition, which is inextricably part of the business of media and advertising.
EO: Talent is a key success factor for our business; hence we spend time recruiting, training, mentoring and grooming our workforce. It’s also important to keep high performers involved, give them visibility, provide them with mentors, make them responsible, provide a clear path for growth and advancement, and reward them appropriately. Thus, in an industry with very high employee turnover, we have very low turnover rates.
EO: The adverse effects of climate change in Nigeria are already evident in the different key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, water resources, health, energy and transportation (pollution), among others. These have a net negative effect on the economy and pose a threat to business continuity. As a business, we have developed different agile subprocesses to help mitigate these negative effects, both internally (staff) and externally (client).
Some of these processes include:
EO: We have registered moderate relative growth since the birth of our network in Nigeria. I believe we are at the threshold of history by future-proofing our business through strengthening our processes for sustainable trust and confidence by our stakeholders – staff, clients, government, regulatory authorities, the Nigerian public and shareholders. Nigeria remains a strong and resilient economy despite the present challenges. We are positive about our mid- to long-term prospects in the market, hence we approach our future with a sense of optimism.