Bukola Ayeni, Team Lead, External Communications at Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, has earned a spot amongst Nigeria’s excellent younger advertising and marketing communications professionals following her recognition on the 2026 BrandComm 35 Under 35 Awards.
The honour recognises her contributions to company communications, model improvement, public relations and status administration, marking one other milestone in a profession spanning practically a decade.
Ayeni has constructed a powerful skilled background in built-in advertising and marketing communications, enterprise technique, digital advertising and marketing, disaster communication and stakeholder engagement, combining creativity with sensible enterprise options.
At Union Bank, she has contributed to main communication campaigns, government visibility, stakeholder relations and initiatives aimed toward strengthening the financial institution’s status.
One of her notable contributions was offering communications and public relations help for the financial institution’s Endless Possibilities marketing campaign, which highlights Union Bank’s dedication to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians.
Speaking on the occasion, the convener, Joshua Ajayi, emphasised the significance of belief and significant relationships between manufacturers and customers.
“You cannot buy connection with volume alone. You earn it through relevance, honesty and respect,” he mentioned.
The keynote speaker, Dr Victor Gbenga Afolabi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Hazon Holdings and GDM Group, mentioned profitable model constructing should transcend promoting and public relations to incorporate high quality merchandise, efficient service supply and constructive buyer experiences.
Before becoming a member of Union Bank, Ayeni spent six years at Business School Netherlands (BSN), the place she gained expertise in model administration, digital advertising and marketing and company communications. She labored with groups within the Netherlands and South Africa on initiatives overlaying Europe, Africa and Asia.
During this era, she developed and executed BSN Transformation Moment, a 12-month radio programme on Inspiration FM, Lagos. The 49-episode programme featured enterprise leaders and entrepreneurs who shared insights on enterprise development and management.
