Brand Africa and African Union honour the 100 most influential Africa CMOs in Addis Ababa

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 03 June 2026:

Against the skyline of Africa’s diplomatic capital, with the sun setting over the Ethiopian highlands, the inaugural Africa CMO 100 (ACMO100) celebration brought together marketing and brand leaders from across the continent and diaspora on the rooftop terrace of the Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa.

The evening, presented by ABSA, was hosted by Brand Africa in partnership with the African Union Commission and Opportunity Africa, and marked the first formal recognition of the 100 Most Influential African and Diaspora CMOs.

Collectively the honourees hail from 21 African nations that together generate more than US$2.3 trillion, over 80% of Africa’s GDP. The brands and companies they lead generate, on latest reported full-year figures, combined revenues approaching US$750 to 800 billion globally.

The African-headquartered brands on the list – the telcos, banks, retailers and industrials that report mostly African revenue – account for roughly US$140 billion on their own. It’s a formidable list of the most influential list.

The two-day programme in Addis Ababa, part of Brand Africa Week 2026, opened with the ACMO100 celebration on 23 May and continued on 24 May at Africa Hall, the historic home of the Economic Commission for Africa and founding site of the Organisation of African Unity, the predecessor to the African Union, where the honourees convened under the patronage of the African Union Commission, Brand Africa, Opportunity Africa and ABSA to develop a blueprint for driving a made-in-Africa and buy-Africa agenda.

A Historic Evening in the Heart of Africa

Welcomed to the rooftop terrace as the Addis Ababa skyline turned to gold, guests were addressed by Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa; Fana Abay, President of the Ethiopian Marketing Professionals Association (EMPA); and a representation from ABSA delivered by Mwihaki Wachira, CMO of ABSA Kenya.

The African Union Commission was represented by Faith Ochieng Odhiambo, delivering a message on behalf of Mrs. Leslie Richer, Director of Information and Communication, and Biniam Taye Endeshaw, the Deputy Commissioner for the Addis Ababa City Tourism Commission.

“Tonight is more than a celebration of individuals. It is a celebration of the unseen influence behind the brands that shape how Africa sees itself and how the world sees Africa,” Thebe Ikalafeng – Founder and Chairman, Brand Africa and Convenor, ACMO.

“Africa does not have a talent problem. What became abundantly clear through this process is that Africa possesses world-class marketing leadership . . . leaders capable of building globally competitive brands while understanding perhaps better than anyone what it takes to win the African consumer,” he concluded.

The African Union: Brands as Instruments of Integration

Delivering a message on behalf of the Director of Information and Communication of the African Union Commission, Faith Ochieng Odhiambo underscored the strategic alignment between Africa’s top marketing leaders and the continent’s ambitions under Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“CMOs are not simply marketing products or services, they are shaping perceptions, and influencing consumer behaviour, cultural confidence, and how Africa positions itself in the global economy,” Faith Ochieng Odhiambo, on behalf of Mrs. Leslie Richer, Director of Information and Communication, African Union Commission.

ABSA: The Story as Africa’s Greatest Technology

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Sydney Nhlanhla Mbhele, ACMO100 honouree and Group Chief Marketing Officer of ABSA, Mwihaki Wachira, CMO of ABSA Kenya reflected on African storytelling as the original and most enduring instrument of marketing.

Her address, ‘The Heartbeat of a Continent: The Power of African Storytelling’, drew on philosophy, tradition and the demands of modern brand leadership.

“For too long, the ‘African Story’ was a commodity sold by outsiders. But look around you. The mirror is shattered, and the lion has found his voice. The campfire is no longer just in the village; it is on every smartphone, in every boardroom, and on every streaming platform. The world is hungry for the soul of Africa,” Mwihaki Wachira, CMO – ABSA Kenya on behalf of Sydney Mbhele, Group CMO – ABSA Group. “Our stories matter,” she concluded.

The ACMO100: Independent, Pan-African, Comprehensive

The ACMO100 is produced by Brand Africa in association with African Business magazine, MIPAD and African Media Agency (AMA). The selection process, drawing on nominations by former CMOs, clients, creative and strategy advisors and leaders and thought leaders; editorial research; peer review, and validation covered all six economic regions of Africa and extended into the diaspora, affirming the breadth and depth of African marketing excellence.

The list is unpaid, unsponsored and not self-nominated, underscoring its independence and integrity.

The honourees attended alongside over 80 senior agency, government and local CMOs. Honourees who were represented at the celebration among the exclusive invite-only cocktail for marketing, business and media guests, included Africa’s leading CMO’s covering every economic region in Africa: