In a significant milestone that underscores her growing global influence, Maureen Ifada, Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, has been appointed as a jury member for the 2026 SABRE Awards EMEA. The announcement places her among an elite group of leading brands and marketing communications professionals from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, who will evaluate hundreds of the year’s most compelling submissions.

The SABRE Awards, known internationally for recognizing superior achievement in public relations and communications, draw entries from a wide range of sectors and disciplines, setting a high bar for creative excellence and strategic impact. Ifada’s inclusion on the jury panel reflects both her personal stature and the increasing recognition of African marketing leadership on the global stage.

Ifada’s appointment to the SABRE Awards EMEA jury is the latest in a series of prestigious roles and honours she has earned in recent years, affirming her as one of Nigeria’s most impactful and respected marketing strategists. Her two-decade career at FrieslandCampina WAMCO has seen her rise from a management trainee in the Consumer Marketing Department in 2003 to a key member of the company’s management team since 2024, steering brand strategy for household names such as Peak and Three Crowns Milk.

2025 was a standout year for Ifada’s professional accolades. She was named the Nigeria Marketing Amazon at the 2025 Nigeria Marketing Awards—an honour celebrating her outstanding influence in the country’s marketing landscape. Earlier in the same year she was crowned Outstanding Marketing Amazon of the Year by Marketing Edge, ahead of being recognised as Marketing Director of the Year at the Brand Handlers Awards. Additionally, she twice received inclusion in WIMCA’s Top 50 Most Influential Women in Marketing and Communications in Nigeria, an award that spotlights women driving transformation in the industry.

Ifada’s impact extends beyond Nigeria’s borders. In 2025 she was appointed as a judge for the International Content Marketers Award (ICM), where she joined other global experts in evaluating creative excellence in content marketing. Her jury experience also includes participation in the Native Advertising Awards, further demonstrating her standing as a trusted evaluator of quality and innovation in brand communications.

Across her career, Ifada has been widely credited with driving powerful brand stories that resonate deeply with consumers. Her leadership in repositioning Three Crowns Milk through its “Healthy Mums, Happy Families” campaign and her strategic stewardship of Peak Milk’s enduring market dominance are frequently cited as hallmarks of her visionary approach to consumer-centric marketing.

Speaking on her SABRE Awards EMEA appointment, industry observers say Ifada’s judgment and insight will be invaluable in assessing submissions that push the boundaries of creative communications in an increasingly competitive and interconnected marketplace.

As global award platforms continue to elevate standards and spotlight influential leaders, Maureen Ifada’s trajectory from national brand builder to globally recognised juror exemplifies the rising influence of African marketing professionals on the world stage.