Guinness Nigeria CEO to Headline Marketing Edge Summit on AI Integration

 

Marketing Edge Magazine has officially announced that Girish Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, will deliver the keynote address at the much-anticipated 2025 National Marketing Stakeholders Summit.

The virtual summit, scheduled for Thursday, 25 September 2025, will explore the timely theme: “AI Integration: Leveraging New Technologies to Achieve Business Objectives.” A follow-up physical ceremony—the Edge Awards, themed “Excellence Beyond Borders”—will take place on Friday, 26 September 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Sheraton, Ikeja, Lagos .

Sharma’s Address and Leadership Legacy

Sharma will unpack the summit’s core theme, focusing on how businesses can harness artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to elevate performance and growth. A complementary sub-theme, “New Creator Value: A Re-assessment of Traditional Creative Industry,” will broaden the conversation to the evolving role of creativity in today’s digital age .

Assuming the helm at Guinness Nigeria in October 2024, Sharma has swiftly galvanized a bold transformation within the company—revitalizing commercial execution, stabilizing fundamentals, and restoring its momentum as a leading FMCG powerhouse in Nigeria . His prior role as CEO of the Colgate-Palmolive Tolaram JV in West Africa saw a staggering 70% compound annual revenue growth over five years, highlighting his track record of scalable, insight-driven leadership .

Summit Reach and Strategic Significance

The 13th edition of the National Marketing Stakeholders Summit promises broad participation, targeting over 10,000 virtual attendees from the marketing, FMCG, manufacturing, real estate, maritime, academia, and public sectors .

Voices Behind the Summit

Mr. John Ajayi, Publisher and CEO of Marketing Edge Publications, acknowledged Sharma’s depth of experience—spanning over two decades—and hailed his appointment as keynote speaker as especially timely and inspiring. “We are thrilled to have Mr. Girish Sharma… we are confident that he will share his expertise and inspire our audience,” Ajayi remarked .

Other Highlights & Notable Panelists

Beyond Sharma’s opening address, the summit will feature leading figures across the creative and marketing ecosystems, including:

Baba Awopetu – Consultant, Strategy/Marketing, Stragmar (London)

Dr. Tola Bamigbaye Elatuyi – CEO, Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria

Preetesh Sewraj – CEO, Loeries

Osato-Evbuomwan – Marketing Director, Moët Hennessy Nigeria Ltd

Moderated by Ozone Mbanefo, Founder and Provost of 02 Academy – Nigeria .

Sharma’s session will be mirrored by a second keynote session led by Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, focusing on “New Creator Value: A Reassessment of Traditional Creative Industry.” The session will include insights from:

Dr. Akintunde-Johnson Bada, Country Manager, Paramount Africa

Femi Odugbemi, Founder/Executive Producer, ZURI 24 Media

Remi Ogunpitan, Founder, IBST Ltd

Samuel Onyemelukwe, Group Business Development Director, Trace West Africa

Dare Art Alade, CEO, Liverpool 360

Moderated by Peter Osarimen Ukhurebor, Founder/CEO, Black Art (U.S.) .

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In summary: Girish Sharma’s upcoming keynote at the Marketing Edge Summit reflects not just his dynamic leadership at Guinness Nigeria but also marks a broader industry effort to lean into AI-driven innovation and redefine creative value in an evolving marketing landscape. This summit—bridging virtual and in-person formats—should serve as a pivotal platform for th

ought leadership in both technology and creativity.