Malawian Marketers Break Into Africa’s Top 100 Elite List
Their inclusion in the ACMO 100 not only highlights individual excellence but also underscores Malawi’s growing influence in Africa’s competitive marketing landscape.
LILONGWE, Malawi—Two of Malawi’s most accomplished marketing executives — Sobhuza Ngwenya and Levie Nkunika — have been named among Africa’s top 100 most influential brand leaders, marking a significant milestone for the country’s marketing industry, writes AfricaBrief Reporter.
The recognition comes from a joint initiative by Brand Africa and African Business Magazine, which unveiled the inaugural Most Influential African Chief Marketing Officers (ACMO 100) ranking.
Ngwenya serves as Marketing Director at TNM Plc, while Nkunika is Head of Marketing and Sales at FDH Bank Plc.
Both firms are listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange.
Continental Recognition Across Key Sectors
The ACMO 100 list spans six African economic regions and the diaspora, spotlighting leaders across sectors such as telecommunications, mobile money, fintech, agribusiness, aviation, brewery, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).
The ranking aims to highlight executives driving brand growth, innovation, and market influence across the continent.
Reacting to the recognition, Nkunika described the honour as both humbling and motivating, emphasizing the importance of strategic influence in driving business growth.
Ngwenya, whose career includes experience at Unilever, telecommunications, and financial services, credited the achievement to team effort and strong brand stewardship at TNM.
“As one of only two leading brands recognised in Malawi, this honour is testimony that the TNM brand connects and serves its customers with unmatched excellence and dedication,” he said.
Elevating African Marketing Talent
According to Thebe Ikalafeng, the ACMO 100 marks a turning point in how marketing leadership is recognized on the continent.
He noted that the list reveals the depth of talent behind Africa’s most successful brands and signals a shift from traditional global dominance by brands such as Nike and major African conglomerates like MTN and Dangote Group.
“This is the continent’s first definitive ranking of marketing leadership… what is abundantly clear is that Africa does not have a marketing talent problem,” Ikalafeng said.
The selection criteria extended beyond job titles, focusing on strategic brand ownership, consumer insight, revenue growth, and market positioning.
National Pride and Industry Recognition
Both Ngwenya and Nkunika are multiple recipients of the Marketer of the Year Award from the Institute of Marketing Malawi, which has since congratulated the duo for elevating Malawi’s profile on the continental stage.
Their inclusion in the ACMO 100 not only highlights individual excellence but also underscores Malawi’s growing influence in Africa’s competitive marketing landscape.