There was a time when insurance in Nigeria was a shadowy landscape, grey, distant, and wrapped in skepticism. It was a world whispered about, understood only by the privileged, cloaked in jargon, and rarely felt in the pulse of everyday life.

 

To many, it was abstract, cold, and inaccessible. Even those within the industry seemed removed from the hopes, dreams, and daily struggles of Nigerians. Trust was scarce, engagement rarer still.

Into this grey landscape stepped Olusesan Ogunyooye. With vision as his compass and courage as his guide, he began painting insurance in golden hues.

Today, under his leadership as Head of Marketing at AXA Mansard, insurance no longer feels distant, it breathes, it resonates, it inspires. It is no longer a distant promise but a living narrative, woven into the fabric of everyday Nigerian life.

 

A Double Triumph in Strategy and Leadership

Olusesan Ogunyooye has claimed a rare double honour that cements his place among Nigeria’s most respected marketing minds. At the recent Marketing Edge Awards, he received the Marketing Personality of the Year award while AXA Mansard  Insurance won the Leadership Award for Insurance category.

The twin wins recognise not only individual excellence but also the results of a sustained strategy he has shaped since taking charge of marketing at AXA Mansard.

 

 

Golden Growth: Turning Brand Vision into Measurable Success

Under Ogunyooye’s leadership, AXA Mansard has not only redefined the spirit of insurance but also translated creativity into concrete success. What was once an industry viewed through a fog of doubt now glimmers with numbers that tell a story of trust, discipline, and renewal.

In the third quarter of 2023, AXA Mansard recorded a year-on-year rise in pre-tax profit of 14.40 percent, a figure that speaks to financial health and strategic consistency.

The company’s nine-month pre-tax profit climbed into double-digit billions, reflecting confidence from both investors and customers. Insurance revenue swelled impressively, and total assets grew by more than a quarter, reflecting a strengthened balance sheet and consumer faith.

Even the details carry poetry: cash and cash equivalents rose significantly, a quiet but powerful symbol of stability and momentum. In a gesture that fused growth with gratitude, management rewarded shareholders through an interim dividend, a reflection of shared success built on deliberate vision.

These results are not mere numbers; they are the rhythm beneath Ogunyooye’s narrative, which are nothing but proof that when storytelling meets strategy, profit becomes purpose, and creativity finds its echo in balance sheets. Through him, AXA Mansard has proven that business can be both artistic and accountable.

 

Redefining Access: Meeting Customers Where They Already Are

Under Ogunyooye’s guidance, AXA Mansard has stepped beyond the traditional boundaries of its industry. He led the rollout of embedded insurance offerings and strategic distribution partnerships that bring protection closer to daily life, placing cover exactly where customers already transact.

For him, marketing must not rely on fear but create desire and trust grows not from slogans but from consistent, meaningful contact. Today, AXA Mansard meets people where they live, work, and dream, transforming routine interactions into moments of assurance.

 

Technology with a Human Heart

To Ogunyooye, technology is not the future but a force that amplifies human creativity. He believes artificial intelligence should enhance not erase the storyteller’s art. Under his watch, AXA Mansard has integrated martech systems that weave data with imagination, blending analytical precision with emotional intelligence.

He championed capacity building across teams, ensuring they become AI-literate, data-fluent, and ethically grounded. Every digital insight is handled with care, guided by human judgment and the brand’s deep respect for trust.

Ogunyooye anticipates cultural shifts, embraces creative risks, and turns setbacks into sharper, bolder solutions. His energy inspires teams and clients alike, ensuring every execution is both culturally resonant and strategically potent.

 

Ethics, Sustainability, and the Soul of Marketing

Beyond numbers and technology, Ogunyooye’s compass points toward integrity. His stance on ethical marketing and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles shows a leader rooted in long-term legitimacy.

He insists that data privacy, fair pricing, and transparent communication are not technicalities but promises. In his view, marketing must partner closely with legal, IT, and compliance teams to stay both creative and compliant.

He ties sustainability to purpose, arguing that no vision endures without a solid economic engine. In practice, he has led campaigns that marry social value with business performance, proving that purpose-driven work can also be commercially sound.

 

Crafting the Golden Narrative

Since January 2024, Ogunyooye has led AXA Mansard’s Brand, Marketing, and Communications across insurance, health, and investment lines. He did more than market products, he domesticated a global brand for Nigeria, crafting strategies that drive market share, revenue growth, and return on marketing investment.

Every campaign, every communication, every activation carries a deliberate pulse: relevance, trust, and human connection. His oversight spans internal communications, sponsorships, employer branding, and brand compliance—ensuring that AXA Mansard meets global brand equity and sustainability standards while staying locally authentic.

Storytelling that Breathes Life into a Brand

At his core, Ogunyooye is a storyteller. He believes the best campaigns begin with human truth and a simple, emotionally resonant message. He pushes his teams to craft work that shifts culture as much as it drives sales.

Every campaign must leave a fingerprint on both hearts and markets. He advocates for iconic assets, slogans, symbols, or visuals that transcend time and for cultural insight that transforms advertising into shared experience.

His creative vision is inseparable from measurable impact. Campaigns under his guidance have elevated brand perception, driven sales growth, and strengthened long-term client partnerships, thereby reinforcing AXA Mansard’s reputation for innovation and trust in an industry once defined by doubt.

A Mentor, A Builder, A Voice

Inside the organisation, colleagues describe him as both visionary and meticulous—a creative who never compromises on excellence. He mentors emerging talent, creates space for diverse voices, and fosters an environment where ideas thrive.

Beyond the office, his thought leadership echoes across the industry. Through articles, panels, and conferences, he shapes conversations that turn abstract marketing theories into practical strategies, amplifying both his profile and AXA Mansard’s reputation as a brand that listens and leads.

 

Purpose in Practice: AXA Mansard’s Wider Impact

The Marketing Edge Awards did not just recognise marketing brilliance, instead, they celebrated purpose in motion. AXA Mansard’s health insurance division was honoured for its quality of management and service delivery, reflecting the partnerships and systems Ogunyooye helped strengthen.

Through corporate social programmes, the company reached thousands of beneficiaries, mobilised volunteers, and logged significant service hours. These initiatives reveal a brand that acts, not just advertises—a business that measures success by the difference it makes in people’s lives.

 

A Career Forged in Excellence

Ogunyooye’s mastery did not emerge overnight. At Alpha Mead Group, he led multinational marketing and corporate communications, shortening sales cycles, launching products like Rent4Less, which drew $1 million in investment in its first year, and executing large-scale PPP programmes across Nigeria.

He increased earned media mentions by 57% while optimising media spend, proving that strategy and creativity can coexist.

Before Alpha Mead, at 3INVEST, he repositioned Nigeria’s real estate landscape through media, digital platforms, and international summits, amplifying the country’s visibility within Africa’s property sector.

Education as a Foundation, Vision as a Guide

Ogunyooye’s academic journey complements his professional excellence. An MBA from Business School Nederland (2023–2025) and a BA in English Studies from Adekunle Ajasin University laid the foundation for his mastery in communication, strategy, and leadership.

At AAUA, he led as President of NASELS, Managing Editor of Voice of NASELS, and Head of the SRC Committee on Information. His early experiences in leadership, media, and theatre shaped the storytelling instincts that now define his career.

 

From Grey to Golden

Under Ogunyooye, AXA Mansard has become iconic. Its campaigns live in public consciousness, its slogans echo in everyday conversation, and its impact transcends coverage.

Multi-year client relationships demonstrate trust, while thought leadership and mentorship build a legacy beyond campaigns. Ogunyooye embodies the rare convergence of strategy, creativity, empathy, and curiosity.

Through him, AXA Mansard has moved from a grey, skeptical industry to one that glows golden, vivid, trusted, and culturally resonant. His journey is more than a professional narrative; it is a blueprint for transforming sectors, redefining perceptions, and leaving a lasting imprint on society.

 

The Bottom Line

Insurance in Nigeria will never be the same. Through Olusesan Ogunyooye, AXA Mansard has become more than a company but  a living story, a golden experience, and a reflection of what vision, courage, and dedication can achieve. The grey has passed; the golden era has begun.