Young Professionals Academy 2025 Dean and Session Leaders Announced

The Pitcher Festival is excited to announce the appointment of the 2025 Dean and Session Leaders for the Young Professionals Academy (YPA). The Young Professionals Academy is designed to empower young professionals by providing them with the tools, insights, and networks needed to thrive in the advertising and marketing communications industry.

Dean and Session Leaders of YPA 2025 

Venus Tawiah

Leading the academy this year is Venus Tawiah, Director of Business & Communications, Now Available Africa, Accra, Ghana, known for her multidisciplinary approach and award-winning creativity. Venus expressed her excitement, stating, “It is an honor to serve as the Dean of the Young Professionals Academy and guide the next generation of industry leaders.”

Joining Venus Tawiah are several accomplished Session Leaders:

• Omotayo Oladipupo, COO of Digitas Lagos, Nigeria, is a seasoned marketing leader with more than a decade of experience in leading digital marketing teams to develop and implement strategies aimed at fostering growth and transformation for brands.

• Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, is a growth-focused professional with over 14 years of experience working with products and brands across multiple categories. Oge is passionate about effective storytelling and adopting innovative strategies.

• Emmanuel Adediran, Business Unit Director, +Acuity Ltd, is celebrated for his innovative strategies across various sectors, including FMCG, Banking, FinTech, e-Commerce, and Telecoms.

• Baruch Apata, Creative Specialist and Marketing Expert, has over a decade of experience in advertising and marketing communications. His journey in the industry has seen him transition from an Account Manager to a copywriting expert.

• Stanislaus Martins, Managing Director, Aleph West Africa, with over 20 years of experience at the crossroads of marketing, technology, and business, is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) UK and the National Institute of Marketing.

• Kelvin Onyeka, Head of Strategy and Planning, Intense Group, Lagos, believes in understanding what drives individuals to achieve genuine connections. He has honed his skills in integrated marketing communication strategy, brand strategy and management, and digital transformation.

• Jesujoba Popoola, Deputy Creative Director, Noah's Ark, with over a decade of experience in advertising and marketing communications, has been instrumental in developing creative solutions for various brands.

• Anthony Eigbe, Vice President: Creative & Comms, UACN, is a highly awarded creative leader and the first Cannes-winning Creative Director in Nigeria and West Africa. Twice named Nigeria's Most Creative Person of the Year, Anthony has built a distinguished career developing groundbreaking campaigns.

The Young Professionals Academy is a bespoke learning programme for practitioners who are 30 years or below. In addition to the intensive learning opportunities, members can also participate in highly rewarding competitions like the Young Lions Competitions, where winners have the chance to represent their countries in Cannes, and the Young Pitcher Competition, where individual competitors can be recognized as Young Pitcher of the Year in areas such as Copywriting, Art Direction, Media, and Digital Craft.

See detailed profiles of the Dean and Session Leaders here.