As the conversation around culture, creativity and the future of marketing communications continues to evolve, the MARKETING EDGE 2026 National Marketing Stakeholders’ Summit will bring together some of the industry’s most experienced voices. Among them is Jay Chukwuemeka, an influential figure in Nigeria’s advertising and creative communications industry, who will serve as one of the moderators at the summit.

With a career spanning advertising, branding, marketing communications, production and visual design, Chukwuemeka has played a significant role in shaping creative conversations within the Nigerian industry. He is currently Chairman of the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) Management Board, the body responsible for overseeing one of Nigeria’s leading platforms for recognising excellence in advertising and creative communications. LAIF itself was established as a brainchild of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria to promote creative excellence and healthy competition in the industry.

Chukwuemeka is also Executive Creative Director and Partner at Imaginarium Marketing Communications, where he has led creative work for brands across the financial and wider business sectors. His agency’s work has earned recognition at the LAIF Awards, including for campaigns for Access Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and other leading brands.

One of the notable achievements associated with his creative leadership was Imaginarium’s work on the historic merger between Access Bank and Diamond Bank, which earned the agency a Summit Award.

Beyond advertising campaigns, Chukwuemeka has also contributed to major national initiatives, including the CACOVID project, where Imaginarium supported branding, communications and below-the-line activities during the COVID-19 response.

His leadership has also extended to building greater inclusivity within Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. Under his leadership, LAIF expanded participation to include organisations such as the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria.

For the Marketing Edge 2026 Summit, themed “Cultural Authenticity as Currency: Turning Heritage into Modern Branding & Marketing,” Chukwuemeka brings a perspective shaped by years of translating ideas into compelling brand communication.

His experience at the intersection of creativity, advertising and brand storytelling makes him well positioned to moderate conversations around how Nigerian brands can move beyond simply referencing culture to creating communication that is authentic, relevant and commercially meaningful.

As the industry continues to explore how heritage can become a powerful asset in modern marketing, Chukwuemeka’s experience offers a valuable lens through which the relationship between creativity, culture and brand communication can be examined.