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| L-R: Convener, The Industry Women Conference/Publisher, The Industry Newspaper, Goddie Ofose; Founder/CEO, The Recharge Life Centre, Allen Ose-Ediale; Founder/CEO, Ladybird Advertising/Industry Amazon 2025, Bunmi Oke; and Veteran TV Presenter/Producer, Bimbo Oloyede at the 3rd edition of the Industry Women Conference/Changemaker Award held at Radisson Blu Ikeja Lagos recently. |
It was an evening of honour, elegance and intellectual depth as women from diverse professional backgrounds converged at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, for the third edition of the Industry Women Conference and Changemakers Awards, organised by The Industry newspaper.
The event, held on Friday, December 12, 2025, also featured the unveiling of the 2025 Top 50 Women Change Makers, recognising women who have distinguished themselves through leadership, innovation and impact across Nigeria’s business and creative industries.
Themed “Inspire. Achieve. Aspire,” the conference was designed to move conversations beyond motivation to actionable leadership, sustainability and measurable outcomes for women navigating professional and entrepreneurial spaces.
In his opening address, Mr. Goddie Ofose, Convener of the conference and Publisher of The Industry newspaper, said the platform was established to ensure that the stories of women shaping industries are preserved as educational tools, while creating a space where ideas can intersect and the next generation of women can find clear roadmaps to success.
According to him, the evolution of the conference reflects the changing realities of women in leadership. He recalled that the 2023 edition, themed “She Wins,” was anchored on the belief that the female child, regardless of the profession she chooses, possesses the capacity to succeed. He added that the maiden edition featured senior female executives from sectors including telecommunications, fintech and manufacturing.
Ofose further noted that the 2024 edition, themed “Tools Nigerian Women Need to Compete and Succeed,” focused on equipping women with practical strategies to navigate competitiveness, leadership and enterprise growth.
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| L-R: Head of Marketing, Mouka Foam/Event Panelist, Tolu Olanipekun; Head of Marketing, Simba Group/Event Panelist, Maureen Humphrey-Izzi; Veteran TV Presenter/Producer, Bimbo Oloyede; Convener, The Industry Women Conference/Publisher, Industry Newspaper, Goddie Ofose; President, Experiential Marketers Association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Tolulope Medebem; COO, Leo Burnett Lagos, Oluwaseyi Layade; and Founder/CEO, Ladybird Advertising/Industry Amazon 2025, Bunmi Oke at the 3rd edition of the Industry Women Conference/Changemaker Award held at Radisson Blu Ikeja, Lagos, recently. |
Explaining the relevance of the 2025 theme, he said “Inspire. Achieve. Aspire” captures the leadership cycle common to trailblazers. He explained that Inspire speaks to visibility and representation; Achieve reflects the discipline, resilience and strategic thinking required to translate ambition into results; while Aspire challenges women to continually imagine greater possibilities and lead others forward.
He added that this year’s programme was structured to ensure that inspiration translates into measurable outcomes, while the Changemakers Awards, now in their third year, continue to spotlight women turning bold ideas into lasting impact.
The conference gained momentum with a keynote address delivered by Mrs. Bunmi Oke, Chief Executive Officer of Ladybird Advertising Limited, who spoke extensively on the theme “Aspire, Inspire and Achieve,” drawing from her personal and professional journey to inspire women in attendance.
Oke emphasised the importance of visibility and self-confidence, urging women to deliberately position themselves for leadership roles and never shy away from projecting their competence. She advised women to “never forget to sell themselves,” stressing that consistent self-branding and presence are critical to career advancement.
She concluded her keynote by outlining 13 guiding principles for women’s leadership and professional growth, including setting clear career goals, defining vision, remaining passionate, continuous learning, staying curious and adaptable, building strong networks, taking calculated risks, developing resilience, embracing authenticity, empowering others, prioritising work-life balance, and paying it forward by opening doors for others.
A major highlight of the event was the interactive panel session, moderated by Maureen Humphrey-Izzi, Head of Marketing at Simba Group.
The panellists included Tolulope Apinke Mededem, President of EXMAN; Tolu Olanipekun, Head of Marketing at Mouka Foam; Omolara Banjoko, Marketing Manager at FrieslandCampina WAMCO; Oluwaseyi Layade, Chief Operating Officer of Leo Burnett; Ms. Aminat Abiola Yahaya, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lemonlime Nigeria Ltd; and Ayodele Alabi, Head of Integrated Communications at Nigerian Breweries Plc.
The discussion was candid and engaging, with panellists sharing personal experiences on navigating leadership in male-dominated industries, managing career pressure, sustaining relevance and maintaining mental well-being. They also spoke openly about balancing professional responsibilities with family life, handling setbacks and rising from low moments to remain resilient in leadership positions.
The session resonated strongly with participants, offering practical insights into leadership, self-awareness and sustainable success.
The conference concluded with the presentation of awards to 50 outstanding women, as organisers expressed appreciation to speakers, panellists and stakeholders for sustaining the vision of the conference and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing women-led leadership and inclusive growth across Nigeria’s business landscape.