Yinka Bakare has been named as the Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, a role that will see him orchestrate the portfolio and consumer acquisition strategy to grow the organisation’s profitability and market share
Bakare, who assumed the role on December 1, 2024, boasts of 24 years experience in marketing, brand development, communications, media planning, digital and buying, sales and general management. He studied Economics at the University of Ibadan (UI) and boasts a Master of Business Administration from the prestigious IMD. He’s fluent in English and basic French.
Bakare has over time spread his tentacles with strategies to other African countries and also the Middle East. His leadership quality sees accountability as vital, with the development of people, operations, P&L (revenue performance) as a major priority.
Bakare was formerly at British American Tobacco, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, and Nigeria Breweries before joining Guinness Nigeria Plc in 2018 during which he helped rearticulate the organisation’s participation within lager for the short, medium, and long term.
He’s credited for navigating the organisation out of the dilutive tail, to optimise the impact of the category on its P&L through value chain engineering and a well-integrated NRM programme.
As Head of Beer in 2019, Bakare helped Guinness Nigeria Plc to build and launch Guinness Gold starting in Lagos, delivering first-time-ever consumer metrics levels in the 1st year of launch. Under his leadership, Guinness regained the No.1 position as the strongest Brand in Nigeria, delivering the freshest beer to our consumers in five years, while growing the top line at near double-digit CAGR P3Ys.
He became the Head of Innovations and APNADs in August 2021, delivering Guinness Nigeria’s Innovation Strategy and Ambition. During his tenure, Captain Morgan, Smirnoff Pineapple RTD, Gordons Pink and Orange Gin and most recently Don Royale Spirits and Gordons Gin and Tonic Pre-mixes were launched.