NBL Appoints Oriakhi New Marketing Director

Emmanuel Otaru

Nigerian Breweries Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Oriakhi as its new marketing director.

Oriakhi, who until his new appointment was the Business Development Manager, Heineken Global Commerce, Amsterdam replaced Mr. Franco Maria Maggi, who has been seconded by the brewer on expatriation to Heineken office in Amsterdam.

A statement by the company revealed that Oriakhi who will now be part of the NBL management team and, “will integrate and oversee the marketing and trade marketing functions in Nigerian Breweries.”

As part of his new brief, Emmanuel will be responsible for formulating marketing/trade marketing strategies, energizing the team to strengthen the company’s brands in Nigeria as well as expand the portfolio with relevant innovations.

Oriakhi joined Heineken in 2003 as a Commercial Management Trainee, where he has held increasingly senior roles within the Commercial Function of Nigerian Breweries.

He started out working in Retail Availability projects and Trade Census, then moved on to managing and relaunching the then biggest No Alcohol Malt brand in Africa, Maltina; managing the Gulder brand, “then second biggest beer brand in Nigeria”; and managing the Heineken brand.

He became Head of Marketing Strategy & Planning and Head “CMI, Media Innovation & Digital” at various times.
In September 2014, Oriakhi moved to Amsterdam to take up the role of Regional Marketing Manager Heineken within the AMEE region. He was responsible for driving equity and volume growth of the Heineken portfolio throughout the region.

He also worked in close collaboration with the other regional marketers in driving capability development programmes within the region, in line with global commerce tools and frameworks.

As at July 2015, Oriakhi was appointed to his former role of Business Development Manager Heineken Global Commerce (AMEE), directly supporting 24 countries and 54 export markets to develop the Heineken portfolio according to the Global Strategy and in line with the Brand Stage Model principles. He has since resumed early this month.