It has been confirmed that the Chairman of Odu’a Group of Companies, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, would lead a team of experts as he delivers the keynote address at the much-anticipated 2024 edition of Brands and Marketing Conference.

With the theme, Rebuilding Consumer Confidence: Addressing Policy Impact and Market Realities, the conference, organised annually by Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria (BJAN), is billed to hold at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on December 6, 2024.

A seasoned professional, Otunba Ashiru is an Investment and Strategic Management expert, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIBN); and a two-term Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun State (2011 to 2018).

He is a recipient of numerous awards including Best Commissioner of the Year – Nigerian NewsDirect Award 2015; Most Proactive Commissioner – FIBAN Excellence Award 2013; and Award of Honour for Outstanding Leadership – Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; among others.

During his tenure as Commissioner in Ogun State, the business environment developed beyond imagination with over 1, 279.84% increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State. Over 300 factories/ companies established their presence in the State with a cumulative investment profile of about N691.77 Billion in 2014, compared to N377 Billion in 2013. During his time, approximately 75% of Manufacturing Foreign Direct Investment into the country between 2011 – 2016 came into Ogun State.

Also, the World Bank Group, in its Doing Business in Nigeria 2014 Report, ranked Ogun State as one of the best five States in terms of ease of doing business against the 36th position in its 2010 report. He also facilitated the creation of a One-Stop-Shop Investment Center (OSSIC) which sits within the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to assist potential investors with procedures for investment and documentation processing.

BJAN Chairman, Clara Okoro, noted that the conference will focus on the imperatives in developing how government policies such as interest rate adjustments, tax policies and subsidy removal influences disposable income and consumer spending.

“We would be exploring strategies for businesses to adapt to weakened consumer purchasing power and shifts in consumption patterns due to policy changes.

“We would be examining how brands can pivot their strategies to maintain relevance and profitability in an environment of economic pressure and policy-induced constraints,” Okoro said.

The keynote presentation by Otunba Ashiru would be complemented with a panel discussion led by brand experts and analysts.

The BJAN conference is an annual event that brings seasoned analysts and informed stakeholders together to focus on key issues in the Nigerian integrated marketing communications industry.