At 20, BHM Group Announces New Leaders For Next Chapter

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

BHM Holdings, an African communications group, has announced a major leadership restructuring as it celebrates 20 years in business.

In a statement Friday November 6, the Holdings announced founder Ayeni Adekunle will assume the positions of Group Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair, while Iretomiwa Akintunde-Johnson and Njideka Akabogu Eke-Uche have been appointed Managing Directors of BHM and ID Africa respectively.

The announcement marks a significant transition for the Lagos-founded communications company, which is positioning itself for its next phase of growth through leadership succession, technology investment and expansion across African and international markets.

Under the new structure, Adekunle will oversee group strategy, corporate governance, investments, technology, talent development and international expansion, while stepping away from the day-to-day management of the group’s operating companies.

Akintunde-Johnson’s appointment as Managing Director of BHM, the group’s public relations and reputation management consultancy, and Akabogu’s appointment to lead ID Africa, its pan-African communications, media and intelligence company, will take effect on January 1, 2027.

The restructuring also formalises BHM Holdings’ holding-company model, with BHM, ID Africa and Plaqad operating as distinct businesses under dedicated leadership.

Speaking on the transition, Adekunle described the milestone as the culmination of two decades of building an African communications business with international ambitions.

“Twenty years ago, the ideas we had were much bigger than our resources. We wanted to build an African company that could do excellent work, develop great people, create useful platforms and compete with the best companies anywhere in the world,” he said.

He added that the new appointments and investments were part of a broader ambition to establish an institution capable of sustaining growth beyond its founder.

“We are building an institution that can outlive its founders, develop new leaders and create African solutions for the world,” Adekunle said.

Ms. Akintunde-Johnson’s appointment represents an internal leadership progression, having joined BHM in 2018 as an associate consultant before taking on consulting and regional leadership responsibilities.

A lawyer and communications adviser, she has worked across corporate communications, crisis management, stakeholder engagement, advocacy and industry development. She also led the development of the Africa PR and Communications Report.

In her new role, she will oversee BHM’s consultancy operations, client relationships, business development, talent development, innovation and international collaboration.

Reacting to her appointment, Akintunde-Johnson described the opportunity as a significant professional responsibility, expressing her commitment to strengthening the company’s position in the communications industry.

“BHM has always believed that the best communications work must combine intelligence, creativity, cultural understanding and measurable business value,” she said.

She added that her priorities would include strengthening specialist capabilities, deepening client relationships and developing the next generation of African communications professionals.

Similarly, Akabogu brings experience across content development, editorial, public relations, client leadership and regional management to her new position at ID Africa.

Having joined the company in 2016, she previously led its expansion into East Africa and managed communications programmes for entertainment, media, technology and consumer brands, including MultiChoice, DStv and Showmax.

As Managing Director, she will oversee ID Africa’s pan-African expansion, integrated communications services, media capabilities and market development.

Akabogu emphasised the importance of understanding African audiences and markets through local knowledge rather than relying on assumptions developed outside the continent.

“Africa does not need imported assumptions about its people, markets and cultures. It needs world-class communications built on local intelligence and delivered with a continental perspective,” she said.

The leadership changes also coincide with increased investment in artificial intelligence and communications technology through Plaqad, BHM Holdings’ technology subsidiary.

Plaqad is led by Joseph Enesu, who pioneered BHM AI Labs and oversees the development of Plaqad Intelligence, an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to support public relations, research, media monitoring and business intelligence.

The platform combines public information, specialised AI systems and BHM’s communications experience to help professionals improve research, reporting and workflow management.

Enesu said the objective was to use technology to strengthen the capabilities of communications professionals rather than replace human judgement and creativity.

“Plaqad Intelligence is the result of a long-term belief that technology should not replace communications professionals. It should give them better intelligence, greater capacity and more time for judgement and creativity,” he said.

Founded in Lagos in November 2006, BHM has evolved from a Nigerian public relations consultancy into an international communications group with operations and partnerships spanning Nigeria, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Its subsidiary, ID Africa, operates across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, providing communications advisory, media, intelligence and market support to organisations across the continent.

The group currently has more than 100 employees, including full-time staff, contract professionals and associate fellows, while its wider network of vendors, creators, influencers, freelancers, advisers and partners exceeds 500 people, according to the company.

Over the years, BHM has worked with major organisations and brands, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Interswitch, Mavin Records, Wema Bank, Shoprite and Flour Mills of Nigeria. Its current client portfolio includes MTN Nigeria, The Macallan, Nigerian Breweries and MultiChoice/DStv.

The company’s growth has also attracted international industry recognition.

BHM featured in the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies rankings in 2023 and 2024, placing 87th and 89th respectively.

PRovoke Media’s 2026 assessment also reported that BHM recorded more than 400 per cent revenue growth over the preceding decade, with a compound annual growth rate approaching 30 per cent.

The publication named the consultancy among Africa’s 11 best agencies for 2026.

Beyond its client work, BHM has developed platforms and initiatives aimed at strengthening the African communications and creative industries.

Among these is World PR Day, an annual global celebration of public relations and communications professionals, which the company says now reaches participants in more than 65 countries across six continents.

Another major initiative is NECLive, launched in 2013 as a platform for Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industries.

Across its first nine editions, the event recorded more than 100,000 participants, hosted over 500 industry experts and facilitated more than 1,000 deals and partnerships, according to BHM.

The company also developed the Africa PR and Communications Report, a research initiative examining the development and economic contribution of the public relations industry across 29 African markets.

In a further indication of its expansion plans, BHM Holdings disclosed that it completed its first private placement in August 2026.

Although the company declined to disclose the transaction’s value and the identities of participating investors, it said the proceeds would support investments in technology and the development of new services.

The group also announced plans to establish an educational scholarship programme from 2027 to support emerging African leaders in communications, media, technology and business.

Adekunle said the initiative would reflect the company’s commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation, with further details on eligibility and selection expected to be announced separately.

“Many people opened doors for me and for BHM when there was no obvious reason to believe we would succeed. The scholarship is one way of making sure we continue to open doors for others,” he said.

The announcement signals a shift from founder-led operational management towards a more distributed leadership structure, with dedicated executives overseeing the group’s major businesses.

As BHM enters its third decade, its ability to develop new leadership, expand its technology capabilities and sustain its presence across African markets will be central to the next chapter of its growth.