Our Woman Crush Wednesday, Aishat Anaekwe is a high-flying professional with big career achievements. She is the quintessential marketer with experience in consumer strategies, portfolio management and business planning.
Aishat graduated from Covenant University in 2010 with a first class degree in economics, and also holds a master’s degree in finance from the University of Lagos. Her career journey began in 2012 at PZ Cussons Nigeria as Retail Development Manager where she managed key accounts of distributors to drive revenue and profitability.
She was also responsible for ensuring effective customer relationship management as well as creating and implementing extensive business development strategies to counter competitive activities in the Lagos and Ibadan retail territories.
Her hard work at PZ Cussons set her apart, leading to her promotion in 2014 to Category and Channel Marketing Manager in the Home and Fabric Care Unit, thus driving the trade marketing strategy across the country.
Her achievements in this role included growing the sales of detergent by 248% in one year, and leading a 10-person project team which created and implemented a successful strategy that increased the market share of PZ Cussons in the laundry and detergent sector to 47%.
Aishat continued to experience exponential career growth in her industry due to her diligence and efficiency. In 2015, she was made the Brand Development and Activation Manager for the Premier and Roberts brands. She led the revitalization of the Premier brand with high-scoring consumer and trade insights, exciting consumer activations, and a transformation of the brand’s advertising and communications model.
A highlight was the brand’s partnership with Manchester City FC, and this particular project has since been adopted as a case study and template for other brands in the personal and home care industry in Africa. Through her successful initiatives, she strengthened Premier’s position as the number one market leader in the soap category, and Roberts antiseptic as number two in category market share.
In 2018, Aishat moved to Johnson & Johnson as Head of Brand Activation for West Africa and oversaw the development of the business in Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia across multiple product franchises. It is rare for Aishat to be in a role without any notable contribution. There, she developed a three-year business plan and co-led the delivery of equity, double-digit top-line growth on more than five brands.
She joined Nigerian Breweries in 2020 as the marketing lead for the Heineken brand in Nigeria, and has already recorded vital wins. With her team, she executed the viewing UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches across the nation in a socially responsible manner to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and launched the limited edition Heineken x UEFA Champions League Kit and the limited edition Heineken UCL Sleek Can. She is also driving sustainability in the fashion industry. Last year, Heineken Lagos Fashion Week launched Woven Threads, celebrating environmentally responsible designers and creatives who approach their work through the lens of circular design and traditional crafts.
Aishat Anaekwe has proven that diligence and leaving marks in one’s career path should not be underestimated. We are impressed by her work and that is why she graces our page as our Woman Crush Wednesday.