Diageo appoints Bodam Taiwo as new marketing director;

Global drinks company Diageo has appointed seasoned marketing and commercial strategist Bodam Taiwo as Marketing Director, Africa Partner Markets, expanding her leadership across one of the company’s most diverse regional portfolios.

The appointment, which took effect about a month ago, gives Taiwo responsibility for Diageo’s markets across Africa excluding Southern Africa. Internally known as Category and Brand Director, Africa Partner Markets, the role places her at the helm of a broad portfolio spanning multiple countries with varying consumer behaviours, cultures and business realities.

Bodam Taiwo announced the move, describing it as both an exciting opportunity and a significant professional challenge.

“I’m incredibly excited to share that I’m now Marketing Director, Africa Partner Markets or, as we call it internally, Category & Brand Director, Africa Partner Markets,” she said. “In simple terms, my remit now spans Africa, excluding Southern Africa, an incredibly diverse collection of markets, consumers, cultures and business realities.”

She called the role a major chance to deepen her contribution to brand building across the continent. “It’s a big brief. A beautiful one. And one I don’t take lightly. I’m excited by the scale, energised by the complexity and deeply grateful for the opportunity to keep learning, building and contributing across this incredible continent.”

The appointment builds on more than 18 years of experience in marketing, brand building and commercial leadership across Sub-Saharan Africa. Taiwo has held senior roles at Diageo Africa, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman, working with some of the world’s leading spirits portfolios and navigating the complexities of African consumer markets.

Her career highlights include delivering 234 per cent growth for the Brown-Forman portfolio in less than three years and leading the Bond and Connect portfolio at Pernod Ricard across key African markets.

She also spearheaded the Jameson Distillery on Tour, West Africa’s first immersive distillery experience, which attracted more than 15,000 registrations and generated over ₦20 million in direct sales.

Beyond brand leadership, Taiwo has designed and delivered marketing capability programmes for more than 1,500 professionals across several African markets. Outside the corporate world, she is the founder of The Refined Lady Movement, an initiative focused on developing the next generation of African women leaders through coaching, masterclasses and advisory programmes. She is also the author of three published books, with a fourth, Protocols of the Palace, expected soon.

Her contributions have earned industry recognition, including being named among the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Marketing and Communications in 2023, the 50 Most Impactful Voices in Africa in 2023, and the Top 100 Inspiring Women in Africa in 2021.

Reflecting on the new chapter, Taiwo said she has always embraced opportunities that challenge her to grow. “I’ve always believed that the best opportunities are the ones that stretch you. This one is definitely stretching me, and I’m loving it. New markets. New challenges. New people. New stories to tell.”