The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Evolve Group Africa has confirmed the panel of speakers for Uganda’s inaugural State of Marketing Address, a new pre-event masterclass that will precede the 5th edition of the Uganda Marketing Excellence Awards (UMEAS). The address will be held on Thursday, 11 December 2025, from 2:00pm to 4:30pm at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Introduced as part of the UMEAs’ fifth anniversary celebrations, the State of Marketing Address is positioned as a landmark addition aimed at examining the performance and direction of Uganda’s marketing industry. For the past five years, the awards have recognised outstanding campaigns and individuals, but organisers say the new address will widen the lens to consider sector-wide challenges, opportunities and future priorities.
This year’s theme, Promoting Sustainable Marketing Excellence, reflects the need to embed long-term, ethical and resilient practices across the profession.
Paul Businge, a co-founder of Evolve Africa said that they decided to add the State of Marketing Address to the awards gala as a way of celebrating five years of the UMEAs.
“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 along way in shaping the future of marketing in Uganda.”
The event is expected to draw senior industry voices who will share insights on key trends shaping modern marketing, including digital marketing, artificial intelligence, social media dynamics, internet penetration and disruptive media channels. It targets CMOs, mar-tech entrepreneurs, brand managers, 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 noted.
The address will culminate in the launch of the State of Marketing Report Uganda 2025, which aims to equip industry professionals with actionable data for the year ahead.
The confirmed panel includes Robin Bairstow, CEO of I&M Bank Uganda; Barbra Arimi Teddy, Head of Marketing & Corporate Affairs and NSSF/Dfcu Group Board Member; John Paul Okwi, Senior Manager for Events and Sponsorships at MTN Uganda; and Jeffrey Amani, CEO of Zeus Group. They will be joined by Irene Byarugaba, Head of Business Development at Reel Analytics Uganda, and Emmanuel Otuko, Sustainability Manager at Centenary Bank.
Two panel sessions are planned: one unpacking the state of marketing in Uganda through current trends and statistics; and a C-suite panel examining future leadership skillsets and strategies for building competitive businesses. The masterclass will be moderated by Robert Victor Nsibirwa, Marketing Manager—Spirits at Diageo/UBL.
The State of Marketing Address will be followed by the UMEAs 2025 gala at 7:00pm, also at the Kampala Serena Hotel. A corporate table costs Shs 2.5 million, while individual tickets are priced at Shs 200,000.
Sponsors for the inaugural address and this year’s UMEAs include I&M Bank, NSSF, NBS TV, Afromobile, Nexcom, Centenary Bank, Crown Beverages (Pepsi and Aquafina), Vision Group, Equity Bank, Radio City, Matooke Republic, Kadanke Brand House, Datamine Technical Business School, Marketer Media and Women in Marketing Uganda.
