Evolve Group Africa has unveiled the panel of speakers for the inaugural State of Marketing Address, a first-of-its-kind marketing masterclass that will precede the 5th edition of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS).
The Address is scheduled for Thursday, December 2025, from 2:00pm to 4:30pm at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
The new feature is part of the celebrations marking the 5th anniversary of the UMEAS.
The State of Marketing Address is being positioned as a landmark moment in Uganda’s marketing industry, and a natural extension of the awards program.
For the past five years, the UMEAS have recognised outstanding campaigns and leaders, and the new address expands this mandate by offering a platform to reflect on industry-wide challenges, opportunities, and the future.
According to Paul Businge, a co-founder of Evolve Africa, this year’s theme, Promoting Sustainable Marketing Excellence, reinforces the idea that marketing goes beyond campaigns and involves building resilient, ethical, and future-ready practices.
“This year, we decided to add the State of Marketing Address to the awards gala. It’s our way of celebrating five years of the UMEAs, but even more importantly, it’s critical that we start weighing the sector for everyone to understand and appreciate it. We believe that the address and the awards will go a long way in shaping the future of marketing in Uganda,” Businge said.
The event will feature speakers from the upper echelons of the marketing fraternity, sharing their expertise across various aspects of the profession.
Discussions will explore modern-day marketing concerns, including digital marketing, artificial intelligence, social media, internet penetration, and disruptive media.
The masterclass targets Chief Marketing Officers, mar-tech entrepreneurs, brand managers, marketing and creative agencies, publicists, and the broader business community.
“Essentially, anyone who has a stake in marketing and communications will find value in this event. Additionally, attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with the industry experts so that they can find insight to inform their 2026 vision boards and strategies,” Businge added.
The Address will also feature the launch of the State of Marketing Report Uganda 2025, a new resource designed to provide industry players with actionable data to guide their strategies for the coming year.
The panel for the first-ever Address includes distinguished industry leaders such as Robin Bairstow, CEO I&M Bank Uganda, Barbra Arimi Teddy, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs and NSSF/Dfcu Group Board Member, John Paul Okwi, Senior Manager Events and Sponsorships at MTN Uganda, and Jeffrey Amani, CEO Zeus Group.
Also speaking are Irene Byarugaba, Head of Business Development at Reel Analytics Uganda, and Emmanuel Otuko, Sustainability Manager at Centenary Bank.
The masterclass will feature two panels, one focusing on demystifying the state of marketing in Uganda, trends, and current statistics, and the second featuring C-suite executives discussing skillsets required for future leaders and how to craft winning business strategies.
Robert Victor Nsibirwa, Marketing Manager for Spirits at Diageo/UBL, will moderate the inaugural Address.
The masterclass will precede the 5th edition of the UMEAS, a black-tie event beginning at 7pm at the Kampala Serena Hotel. A corporate table is priced at Shs 2.5 million, and individual tickets cost Shs 200,000.
The inaugural State of Marketing Address and UMEAS 2025 are sponsored by I&M Bank, NSSF, NBS TV, AfroMobile, Nexcom, Centenary Bank, Crown Beverages (Pepsi and Aquafina), among others.
Vision Group, Equity Bank, Radio City, Matooke Republic, Kadanke Brand House, Datamine Technical Business School, Marketer Media, and Women in Marketing Uganda.