Founder and chief executive officer of Black House Media (BHM), Ayeni Adekunle, has joined an elite class of distinguished Nigerian professionals following his induction as a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN).
A seasoned public relations practitioner, Journalist, and entrepreneur,
Adekunle has pushed the frontiers of integrated marketing communications practice in the country, having harnessed the disruptive power of new technology to birth innovative interventions in PR and marketing.
As CEO of BHM Group, which is today a flourishing group of disruptive fledgeling companies, the 43-year-old is one of the pioneers who led the industry into the digital-first strategy era of Marketing Communications in Nigeria.
Named Nigeria’s PR practitioner of the year in 2017, Ayeni Adekunle is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations UK (CIPR).
Among his numerous contributions are several interventions that have served to bolster the practice of the PR profession in Nigeria and the marketing sector at large. Chief among these is his introduction of the Nigerian PR Report – an empirical analysis of the public relations market and the country’s first-ever annual report dedicated exclusively to chronicling data on trends, perceptions, challenges and prospects within the PR industry among others.
The University of Ibadan graduate is also credited for the launch of the first PR app in Nigeria in 2014; the largest and most important gathering of Nigeria’s entertainment industry practitioners called the Nigeria Entertainment Conference (NEC Live); the BHM Guide to PR — a bible of sorts for professionals interested in learning the dynamics of smart PR practice; and the Concept of Virality: a case study on Olajumoke Orisaguna and other viral stars among others.
NIMN President and Chairman of Council, Tony Agenmonmen, while conferring the award, described Adekunle as “an outstanding marketing practitioner whose hard work has supported and grown our industry’s professionalism. Our Hall of Fame celebrates those who have worked on behalf of the industry and their leadership inside and outside of it and Ayeni Adekunle is without doubts highly deserving of this recognition.”
“This is a great honour, not just for me but everyone at BHM Group. I decided on PR because I saw a gap and an opportunity to make an impact and unlock value and that is exactly what we have done and continue to do at BHM. I am deeply appreciative of this recognition and want to express my appreciation to the council,” Adekunle said in his remarks.
BHM, which currently has on its roster some of the biggest brands in Nigeria, has recorded some impressive wins with its growing clientele. The Lagos-based agency was awarded PR agency of the year in 2017 and 2018 by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; Best Agency to Work in by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Lagos Chapter; and PR Agency of the Year in 2018 by Brandcom; and the best PR agency using New Media by the NIPR in 2018.
Started with zero capital 12 years ago, the agency is today one of the most valuable in the market having worked with clients in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Milan, Paris, Las Vegas, Ghana, and Barcelona among others.
