Marketing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Maureen Ifada, has been named among three leading African brand and marketing executives selected for the 2027 DARE Awards, placing her among a growing network of industry leaders shaping the future of brands, creativity and communications.
Ifada was unveiled as a member of the Africa 2 Class of Black At’s 2027 DARE Awards initiative at the organisation’s Executive Dinner in Lagos on August 24. Her selection recognises her leadership, influence and contribution to the marketing and brand communications industry, alongside Mabel Adeteye, Head of Brand and Marketing at Wema Bank, and Amaechi Okobi, Chief Communications Officer at Access Bank.
The recognition marks another milestone in Ifada’s career at FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, where she serves as Marketing Director. Her inclusion in the DARE Awards class places her on a global platform designed to spotlight executives whose leadership and ideas are influencing the direction of their industries.
The Lagos event brought together senior brand and marketing executives to celebrate creative excellence and leadership while formally introducing the Africa 2 cohort to Black At’s expanding global DARE community. The announcement followed the launch of the 2027 DARE Awards journey in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Over the next year, Ifada and the other Africa 2 executives will participate in Black At’s global DARE platform, connecting with fellow executives and cohorts across Africa, North America, Europe and other international markets. The programme will create opportunities for global visibility, thought leadership, industry engagement and collaboration, while providing a platform for participants to contribute to conversations shaping the future of brands, creativity and culture.
Unlike conventional industry awards focused solely on past achievements, the DARE Awards seeks to identify executives who are actively driving meaningful change within their industries. Through the platform, participants are given a global stage to share their leadership experiences, ideas and perspectives.
For Ifada, the recognition provides an opportunity to extend her influence beyond Nigeria’s marketing landscape and engage with a wider community of global brand leaders. Her selection also highlights the growing recognition of African marketing executives whose work is contributing to the evolution of brands and consumer engagement on the continent.
The DARE Awards global journey will continue in New York City on September 22, 2026, during the United Nations General Assembly week, where Black At is expected to announce a new North American DARE class.
With the expansion of the initiative across major global markets, Black At is positioning the DARE Awards as a platform for building connections among influential executives and elevating the leaders shaping the future of the global creative, marketing and brand industries.