Publicis West Africa has appointed marketing influencer and creator economy expert, Paul Adewumi, as its Regional Influencer Lead for Central and West Africa, placing him in charge of expanding the agency’s influencer marketing practice across the two regions.

Meanwhile, Adewumi will oversee the development of creator partnerships, influencer led campaigns and regional strategies designed to help brands navigate an increasingly sophisticated creator economy.

However, the appointment comes as influencer marketing across Africa moves beyond traditional campaign arrangements, with creators increasingly operating as media owners, community builders, cultural commentators and entrepreneurs.

Their growing role in shaping conversations and driving brand discovery is also prompting agencies and advertisers to rethink how creator influence is evaluated.

Under his new mandate, he will develop regional frameworks and standards, strengthen relationships with creators and talent, support clients with influencer strategy and contribute to talent development across the agency’s creator marketing ecosystem.

The new role also reflects a shift from transactional influencer engagements towards longer term relationships between brands and creators. Rather than focusing primarily on follower numbers and engagement rates, the approach places greater emphasis on the communities creators influence, the credibility they command and the value they can build for brands over time.

He is also expected to help create greater regional consistency while preserving the local intelligence required to operate effectively across diverse African markets. This will involve stronger creator intelligence, talent assessment, measurement, commercial practices and knowledge sharing.

His professional expertise spans influencer marketing, influencer data, talent management, creator economy strategy, paid media and digital marketing. He has focused on helping brands optimise influencer marketing and develop commercially productive relationships within the creator ecosystem.

Through the appointment, Publicis West Africa is positioning creator marketing as a broader strategic capability rather than simply a campaign execution function, with Adewumi tasked with helping build an integrated creator practice across Central and West Africa.