Damilola Adeyemi

Damilola Adeyemi is the COO of a communications agency in Nigeria, following his graduation in MSc International Business and Management in 2017. He credits his time at Kent as laying a strong foundation for his curiosity, critical thinking, and global perspective to things — and these have shaped how he approaches business and campaigns today.

Where are you now and what is your current role?

I'm the Chief Operating Officer at Redrick PR in Nigeria. We partner with companies to provide 360 degree communications support ranging across multiple marketing channels. What I enjoy about the industry is the ability to work across different brands and industries.

Were you a UK or international student? If international, which is your home country?

I was an international student. My home country is Nigeria.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

As the COO of a communications agency in Nigeria, there are really no typical days. Some days, I'm out all day supervising the construction of an activation or event venue. On other days, I'm up all night supervising a content production campaign. When these extremes are not happening, I'm working with the team to develop a groundbreaking campaign for our clients or thinking through and optimising our process in the organisation.

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

There have been many highlights. I enjoy the thrill of seeing the audience react to the launch of a campaign that we have been planning with the client for years, but the most memorable will be playing an integral role in the growth of an agency in Nigeria from 2017 to 2022 and improving the revenue of stream of the last agency I worked at from 2022 to 2024.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

I got exposed to the foundation of marketing for the first time at the University of Kent, and that was the moment the seed was planted. Although unconscious but this was the beginning of what would blossom into almost a decade career in marketing and communications. I remember using some of the learnings to scale through my first interview for a marketing job when I returned to Nigeria.

My time at Kent also laid a strong foundation for my curiosity, critical thinking, and global perspective to things — and these have shaped how I approach business and campaigns today. The exposure to diverse cultures and ideas continues to influence how I build brands that connect across audiences.

For current business trends, I’m particularly excited by how African Gen Z consumers are redefining what it means to be aspirational. They’re blending our local heritage with global influence, and it's pushing brands to be more authentic, culturally relevant, and experience-driven. There's a growing expectation for brands not just to sell, but to have a voice and to be part of cultural or lifestyle conversations. It’s a great time to build with purpose and develop sustainable groundbreaking campaigns.

What advice would you give to current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

Marketing is a very fluid space that can take you into an industry you least expect, because every business needs an expert to guide them in communications - and the best marketing or communications experts are the ones who do not just understand marketing or communications but the intricacies of how the business works. So, pay attention to every module from Finance, Strategy, Business Management, Marketing, Operations, Business Analytics, etc. They make you a stronger marketing or communications person.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

Oh yes! I met some great friends in Kent, and it's exciting to witness the growth everyone's experiencing. Thanks to social media, I have been able to keep in touch with some in Thailand, Greece, Ghana and the UK.

What are your future ambitions?

My future ambitions are to continue to redefine the communications and marketing space in Nigeria, Africa and the world, while inspiring the next generation of marketing enthusiasts.