Ẹnitan Kẹhinde, General Manager and Lead Consultant of the UK operations of Africa’s first global integrated communications company, BHM, has just been announced as the winner of PRovoke’s Young Changemakers Award in partnership with WE Communications.
Now in its second year, The Young Changemakers award celebrates the next generation of communications leaders, helping to launch the careers of up-and-comers and creating better equity and more opportunity for those in marginalized groups.
“This award is about the chance to create that change and give those kinds of opportunities to people who may not have had them ever before — people who are brave enough really to shout out what all of us here in this room could do better to move the industry forward in bold and new directions,” said Melissa Waggener Zorkin, WE global CEO.
Ẹnitan, who is a member of the CIPR and PRCA and a proficient professional with over six years of experience working in the PR industry in the UK and across Africa, emerged top across the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions and was praised by the judges for her purpose-driven work aimed at building the global PR and communications industry.
“This is a humbling win for me as I have over the years worked hard with my team to build people, platforms, resources and initiatives that not only educate, upskill and develop new industry entrants, young consultants and leaders but also shape the future of the global PR and communications industry,” said Ẹnitan.
This is evident with Ẹnitan playing integral roles in initiatives like the World PR Day and Global Day of Influence, as well as a successful streak, producing Nigeria’s only PR Report for four years; PR workbooks and resources, BHM’s Guide to PR and The Concept of Virality and the significant impact BHM UK plans to achieve across Africa and the UK.
Ẹnitan who joins Mubashira Farooqi, the inaugural award winner, is passionate about helping women and young people in the marketing communications industry. From training new entrants in the industry to mentoring and speaking at events, Ẹnitan, in 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown, kick-started an initiative called WIM Connect to help and support young women in Marketing Communications. The close-knit community presented a safe virtual space for young African women between the ages of 21-35 to get support on the many challenges faced in the workplace.
The Young Changemakers Award received several submissions from diverse young communicators across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, who identify as women and are given annually – one per region in North America, UK/Europe, APAC/MEA – in alignment with the regional SABRE Award ceremonies.