Babarinde Abiona
ADVAN Ex-officio/Coscharis Group
Abiona is the General Manager in charge of Marketing and Corporate Communications team of Coscharis Group, a Nigerian conglomerate that plays in diverse sectors of the economy like the automobile, information technology, logistics, beverages, agro – allied amongst others representing various globally respected iconic brands in Nigeria.
Before joining the Coscharis Group, he was the Head, PR & Media Relations of Publicis Consultants | SoulComm, the Public Relations and Event Activation arm of the SO&U Group in Nigeria; one of the leading integrated marketing communications firms in Nigeria affiliated to Saatchi & Saatchi global network of marketing communications agencies.
He is a Sociology graduate of the University of Ilorin. He also holds a Certificate in Advertising from Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON). He has for over 19 years garnered extensive experience in marketing, public / media relations, advertising, sponsorship, crisis and event management.
He had, before joining Dunlop Nigeria Plc in 2005 as Public Relations Manager, served as a member of the Business Development Team at DN Meyer Plc, formerly a subsidiary of Dunlop Group in Nigeria for two years (2000 – 2002). Within his two years at DN Meyer Plc, he won the prestigious monthly business leadership award of the ‘Businessman of the month twice.
He later served as the Group Head, Business Development at Intermedia Consulting, a Lagos based Marketing Communications firm between 2002 – 2005. His years at Intermedia Consulting witnessed the transformation of the business development / client service team from just a service provider to a client-focused, result-oriented team, leading to handling of new accounts (Brands) like DN Meyer, CAPL, Union Registrars, Trade Bank, Omega Savings & Loan and Odua’tel. He led the agency to take brands like Union Bank, O’dua Group of Companies, Omega Bank and Union Assurance amongst others to the next level of corporate image rebranding.
He returned to the Dunlop Group as the Public Relations Manager of Dunlop Nigeria Plc in May 2005. As the Public Relations Manager at Dunlop, he successfully managed the media relations operations of the Company for significant enhancement on the overall brand reputation of the Dunlop brand with very cost-effective strategies. He was subsequently appointed Manager, External Communications of Dunlop Group in January, 2008 where he oversees the overall Dunlop Group’s corporate communications’ policies and programmes.
In April 2009, he joined SO&U Saatchi and Saatchi as the Manager, Public Relations and Events in charge of perception management of the SO&U group and its clients in Nigeria. He was later seconded to the PR arm of the group, Publicis|SoulComm (West Africa hub-Publicis Consultants Worldwide Network) in October, 2009 as the Head of the Public Relations and Media Team. He successfully managed clients / reputable brands like Guaranty Trust Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Access Bank, Ecobank, Central Bank of Nigeria, Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel, Polo Limited, Procter & Gamble and DN Tyre & Rubber Plc (Formerly Dunlop Nig. Plc) amongst others; having successfully handled projects as the team leader like the Lagos Economic Summit (Ehingbeti), Rivers State Investors Forum, Nigerian Bar Association – Section on Business Law Conference, International Arbitration Conference in Nigeria amongst others.
An Associate member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Advertising Practitioners Council Of Nigeria (APCON) and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
He was reappointed the 2009 AGM Committee Chairman of Advertisers’ Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) after a successful tenure on similar capacity as the Chairman in 1996. Member of the organizing committee and marketing sub-committee of the 2010 Lagos State Economic Summit Group (Ehingbeti 2010). Patron to the University of Ilorin Junior Chamber International (Jaycees) affiliated to Junior Chamber International (JCI) – a world wide leadership developmental organization.
In the course of his professional career enhancement, he has equally attended various leadership management programmes.
As a member of Methodist Church Nigeria, he is the current Public Relations Adviser to the Conference of Methodist Church Nigeria.
He is happily married with two boys.
