MARKETING EDGE ONTV will this Wednesday host the newly appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TBWA\Concept Unit, George Isitua-Onukwu, in an exclusive, no-holds-barred Industry Conversation.

Definitely, this promises fresh perspectives on the future of advertising, creativity, innovation, artificial intelligence, intellectual property, talent development and the evolving business of brand building in Nigeria.

The programme will air on WAP TV, DStv Channel 262, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and later on TVC News, DStv Channel 418, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. A repeat broadcast will be shown on Thursday on WAP TV from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

MARKETING EDGE ONTV features three engaging segments and these are:
Brand News, Brand in Focus and the Industry Conversation.

No doubt, the programme continues to provide a leading platform for insightful conversations with the personalities shaping the future of advertising, marketing, media and brand communications across Nigeria.

Coming on the heels of his recent appointment to lead one of Nigeria’s most influential creative agencies, Isitua-Onukwu will reveal the thinking behind TBWA\Concept Unit’s bold transformation agenda.

This will equally include his vision for redefining the agency business beyond traditional campaigns, and why he believes the next generation of advertising must be driven by innovation, ownership and measurable economic value.

Having risen through the ranks before assuming the agency’s top leadership position, Isitua-Onukwu represents a new generation of advertising executives combining strategic business thinking with digital innovation and creative leadership.

His career began in 2006 as an MTN Customer Care Executive before he joined TBWA\Concept Unit in 2008 as an Account and Media Executive.

Through years of consistent performance, he progressed to Group Head, Account Management, Deputy Account Director, Business Director, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer before emerging as the agency’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Over the years, he has managed and developed brands including Globacom, Stanbic IBTC, Tiger Brands and the Ford Foundation, earning recognition for his ability to combine creativity with business strategy.

Humbly, one of the defining achievements of his career remains the award-winning Proudly Made in Aba initiative, which he led as Project Director.

Impressively, supported by the Ford Foundation, the campaign successfully showcased Aba’s manufacturing strength, challenged perceptions about locally made products and earned continental recognition, including the Africannes Grand Prix.

Again, beyond client work, Isitua-Onukwu has consistently invested in professional development.

Significantly, he completed the MBA Essentials programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science, holds a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing, is affiliated with the Chartered Institute of Marketing and serves as a Facebook Brand Ambassador, helping businesses and agencies understand emerging digital marketing solutions.

So, as Chief Executive Officer, he believes the advertising industry has reached a defining moment.

Meanwhile, according to him, agencies can no longer depend solely on producing campaigns as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies continue to reshape the economics of creativity.

Instead, he advocates a new business model centred on what he describes as “brand economics”, where creativity is treated as an economic asset capable of generating long-term value through products, platforms and intellectual property.

Also, he argues that agencies must become owners of ideas rather than merely creators of advertising, insisting that the future belongs to organisations that build scalable platforms and commercialise creativity.

However, that philosophy is already influencing the agency’s strategic direction through investments in technology, film, cultural platforms and intellectual property development, while strengthening capabilities in creative technology, product management and digital transformation.

For him, talent development also remains central to his leadership agenda. Though, concerned by the migration of experienced professionals to other sectors and the widening skills gap, Isitua-Onukwu believes the industry must deliberately nurture a new generation of advertising professionals through stronger university partnerships, practical learning and clearer career pathways.

He has repeatedly maintained that advertising must become attractive again for young professionals by creating an environment where creativity, technology and innovation can thrive together.

During the exclusive interview, viewers will hear Isitua-Onukwu reflect on his appointment as CEO, the experiences that shaped his leadership journey, the challenges of leading one of Nigeria’s foremost creative agencies, his immediate priorities, and his long-term vision for repositioning advertising beyond campaign execution.

He will also share his thoughts on artificial intelligence, innovation, intellectual property ownership, talent development and why he believes agencies must continually challenge convention to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive marketplace.