MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE 2003 – 2005 Evans Medical Nigeria Plc, Lagos
During my tenure as a Medical Representative at Evans Medical Nigeria Plc, I accomplished the following:
- Organized clinical meetings and symposia, effectively educating healthcare providers about new and enhanced pharmaceutical products. This ensured successful product introduction and market adoption.
- Garnered an impressive over 80% increase in sales returns within the South-West region of Nigeria. This achievement underscored my adeptness in sales strategies, relationship-building, and market expansion.
- Achieved an annual sales revenue of approximately USD 300,000, consistently demonstrating a robust ability to drive sales and meet revenue targets.
- Nurtured and maintained productive relationships with healthcare providers, fostering trust and loyalty. This led to enhanced product knowledge and increased prescription rates.
- Strategically executed marketing initiatives to position pharmaceutical products, resulting in heightened market share and increased brand recognition among healthcare professionals.
- Conducted vigilant monitoring of market trends, competitor activities, and customer feedback. These insights provided valuable inputs for product development, marketing strategies, and overall business growth.
BRAND SPECIALIST 2006 – 2007 Nestle Nigeria Plc., Lagos
As a Brand Specialist at Nestle Nigeria, I orchestrated impactful achievements:
Orchestrated brand events, consumer promotions, and activations for the Maggi portfolio, leading to heightened brand awareness and deeper customer engagement.
Managed the conception and execution of point of purchase materials, amplifying brand visibility and stimulating sales at retail outlets.
Skillfully coordinated below the line media endeavors for the Maggi brand, optimizing marketing strategies and effectively reaching the target audience with resonant messaging.
Conducted extensive market research and analysis, providing valuable insights on market trends, competition, regulations, and economic policies. These insights contributed to informed business planning and development.I took charge of brand events, consumer promotions, and activations for the entire Maggi range, resulting in elevated brand visibility and enhanced consumer engagement.
Exhibiting strong financial acumen, I efficiently managed an annual budget exceeding $3 million, optimizing resource allocation to achieve cost efficiencies and desired outcomes.
I played a pivotal role as a Marketing Business Analyst in implementing the SAP system across major countries within the Nestlé Central and West Africa Region. My contribution facilitated a seamless transition and received a 100% end user competency rating, enhancing operational efficiency and streamlined processes.
Overseeing an annual budget of approximately $5 million, I ensured optimal resource allocation to maximize returns and minimize costs while achieving desired business objectives. My role encompassed comprehensive communication strategies for category brands, elevating brand visibility, customer engagement, and market share.
Collaborating with cross-functional teams including sales, research and development, supply chain, and finance, I aligned strategies to drive overarching business goals. My strategic planning, market analysis, and competitive positioning efforts fueled substantial market growth for the category.
Guiding a high-performing team, I fostered a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Additionally, I managed relationships with key stakeholders, both internal teams and external business partners, to ensure the achievement of strategic goals.
BRAND MANAGER (Nestle Maggi) 2007 – 2009 Nestle Nigeria Plc, Lagos
During my tenure as Brand Manager for Nestle Maggi, I orchestrated substantial growth and advancement for the brand category. This effort led to increased market share and heightened revenue generation for the Maggi portfolio.
I took charge of brand events, consumer promotions, and activations for the entire Maggi range, resulting in elevated brand visibility and enhanced consumer engagement.
Exhibiting strong financial acumen, I efficiently managed an annual budget exceeding $3 million, optimizing resource allocation to achieve cost efficiencies and desired outcomes.
I played a pivotal role as a Marketing Business Analyst in implementing the SAP system across major countries within the Nestlé Central and West Africa Region. My contribution facilitated a seamless transition and received a 100% end user competency rating, enhancing operational efficiency and streamlined processes.
Overseeing an annual budget of approximately $5 million, I ensured optimal resource allocation to maximize returns and minimize costs while achieving desired business objectives. My role encompassed comprehensive communication strategies for category brands, elevating brand visibility, customer engagement, and market share.
Collaborating with cross-functional teams including sales, research and development, supply chain, and finance, I aligned strategies to drive overarching business goals. My strategic planning, market analysis, and competitive positioning efforts fueled substantial market growth for the category.
Guiding a high-performing team, I fostered a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Additionally, I managed relationships with key stakeholders, both internal teams and external business partners, to ensure the achievement of strategic goals.
BRAND MANAGER (Dairy) 2009 – 2010 Nestle Nigeria Plc, Lagos
As a Brand Manager at Nestle Nigeria Plc, I assumed profit and loss responsibility for the dairy category, consistently achieving positive financial outcomes and driving profitability. Through my leadership, I orchestrated the development and execution of a successful innovation and renovation pipeline for the category. This resulted in the successful launch of enhanced products that garnered substantial market traction and significantly contributed to revenue growth.
Overseeing an annual budget of approximately $5 million, I ensured optimal resource allocation to maximize returns and minimize costs while achieving desired business objectives. My role encompassed comprehensive communication strategies for category brands, elevating brand visibility, customer engagement, and market share.
Collaborating with cross-functional teams including sales, research and development, supply chain, and finance, I aligned strategies to drive overarching business goals. My strategic planning, market analysis, and competitive positioning efforts fueled substantial market growth for the category.
Guiding a high-performing team, I fostered a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Additionally, I managed relationships with key stakeholders, both internal teams and external business partners, to ensure the achievement of strategic goals.
MANAGING DIRECTOR (2010 – 2020) GDM Group, Lagos (A Subsidiary of Hazon Holdings)
During my tenure as Managing Director at GDM Group, a subsidiary of Hazon Holdings, I spearheaded transformative initiatives that propelled operational excellence and growth. I devised strategic operating plans aligned with the board’s long-term goals, elevating organizational efficiency.
Operating across Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, and Ghana, I managed a team of 70 personnel and 6200 contract staff, fostering a high-performance culture and optimizing human resources. My formulation of transparent, accountable company policies in compliance with industry standards enhanced operational effectiveness.
The establishment of robust operational and financial control systems enabled informed decision-making and risk management. Through effective revenue generation strategies, including new business identification and relationship cultivation, I achieved an annual billing of $10.2 million.
I represented the company to major clients and professional associations, fostering partnerships and leveraging industry networks for business growth and reputation enhancement. By recruiting top talent, nurturing a collaborative work environment, and providing leadership development opportunities, I ensured an effective executive team, improved team performance, and succession planning.
Professional Achievements
Founder and Group CEO (2016 – Present) Hazon Holdings Limited, Lagos Subsidiaries: GDM Group (Marketing & Media Technology), Wellness Healthcare Group (Healthcare and Health Technology), A4&T Power Solutions (Renewable Energy and Power Solutions), Hazon Technologies (Telecom and Software Development), Eko Innovation Center (Innovation Hub).
As an accomplished visionary leader, I’ve championed executive collaboration, internal growth, and operational excellence within a diverse portfolio of companies across industries. I’ve strategically led and cultivated continuous value creation, developing comprehensive strategic plans and operational strategies that drive sustainable growth, profitability, and market expansion.
My executive oversight includes financial performance, budgeting, and optimal resource allocation across the group. I’ve effectively communicated with strategic stakeholders, government entities, and esteemed clients, forging strong partnerships and driving expansion. Robust governance and risk frameworks have been implemented to ensure compliance.
Notable accomplishments include curating a global tech conference attracting over 100,000 attendees, organizing a successful Marketing Hackathon with 5,000 participants, and offering strategic leadership for Eko Innovation Center, mentoring 250+ startups. Initiatives include energy-efficient solutions, health insurance projects, and an extensive healthcare supply chain, positively impacting thousands.
Victor Afolabi – My commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and positive societal impact underscores my role as a dynamic and accomplished business leader, fostering growth, development, and enhanced healthcare access.
VGA stands as an exceptional visionary with more than two decades of industry experience spanning Venture Building, Venture Scale-up, Technology Innovation, Angel Investing, Business Analysis, Strategy Development, and Market Expansion. His consistent record of achieving remarkable revenue growth and overall performance has solidified his position as an exemplary business leader.
As the driving force behind GDM Group, a renowned Marketing & Media Technology entity, VGA is celebrated for delivering tailored services, encompassing marketing tech solutions, big data management, and comprehensive integrated marketing for global brands, multinationals, and the public sector. A pioneer of marketing and media innovation across Nigeria and Africa, he garners prestigious executive awards for his exceptional advocacy and marketing communication campaigns. Notably, he played a pivotal role in designing and executing Africa’s largest social intervention program on behalf of Nigeria’s Federal Government.
Leveraging extensive expertise in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, VGA established the Eko Innovation Center. This hub provides pre-acceleration, acceleration, and incubation services to early-stage enterprises. His mission is to harness youth entrepreneurship and innovation to address poverty and unemployment. Under his guidance, the center has empowered over 250 startup teams, fostering the creation of thousands of jobs and collaborations with civic tech partners.
Victor Afolabi VGA’s leadership extends across a diverse portfolio of businesses, spanning telecoms, energy, healthcare, marketing, media, and software development. His passion lies in aligning these endeavors with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 5, and 7.
Educated with a Pharmacy degree from Ahmadu Bello University and an MBA from Alliance Business School at Manchester University, VGA is a current Doctoral student at Hult International Business School, focusing on entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategy. He is an Acumen Partner, a respected member of professional organizations, and a recipient of numerous awards.
VGA’s dedication to community and social good investment is evident. His involvement in shaping Lagos’ innovation landscape, curating tech events, and mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs underscores his commitment. VGA is a dynamic and accomplished business leader celebrated for his drive, talent development, and social impact, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.