The 2025 Global WiM Awards shortlist has been announced, celebrating women who continue to inspire through their creativity, leadership, and impact. This year’s theme — The Year of Age — invites us to reflect on experience, wisdom, and the power of evolution, recognising how age, in all its forms, shapes perspective, innovation, and influence. Across Africa, this year’s shortlisted women are redefining what it means to grow, adapt, and thrive in our industry. As we count down to the Awards Ceremony, we honour their journeys and the enduring mark they are making on marketing, communications, and the wider creative economy.
We spoke with Enniye Timibi – Consumer Marketing Manager at Spotify in Nigeria.
WiM Africa: This year’s awards theme is The Year of Age - WiM is using 2025 to shine a spotlight on longevity in marketing careers — especially for women. In an industry obsessed with the new and now, WiM is championing the wisdom and strength that come with age, and the importance of supporting women at every life stage. How does this resonate with you and your work?
ET: It resonates deeply, because longevity in marketing — especially for women — rarely follows a straight line. I studied Microbiology, started my career in customer service and sales, and only discovered marketing through friends who worked in experiential activations. I was fascinated by how they could make people feel something about a brand. That curiosity led me to take an unpaid internship, hoping it would open a door. It did slowly, and with a lot of learning along the way.
In an industry that often celebrates the “new and now,” this theme is a powerful reminder of the wisdom that comes with time and the importance of creating space for women to grow at every life stage. For me, age in this context isn’t just about how long you’ve worked, it’s about how deeply you’ve learned, how often you’ve evolved, and how intentionally you’ve brought others with you.
Today, I lead marketing campaigns that are culturally grounded, insight-driven, and human at the core. But I’m still evolving. This theme honours that ongoing journey — one that isn’t rushed, but rooted.
WiM Africa: In what ways has your background or heritage influenced your approach to marketing and leadership?
ET: My heritage has given me a strong lens for cultural translation, a skill that’s central to the kind of marketing I do today.
Being Nigerian means navigating a mix of traditions, languages, and shifting realities, often all in the same breath. It’s taught me to pay attention to nuance, to read between the lines, and to understand that resonance looks di?erent depending on who’s listening.
That cultural agility is what I bring into strategy. Whether I’m helping a global brand feel local, or co-creating with creators across West Africa, I think deeply about how things show up, what feels authentic, what feels forced, and what builds trust.
It’s also why I lead the way I do, with respect, flexibility, and a belief that cultural intelligence isjust as important as creative execution.
WiM Africa: What advice would you give to other women aspiring to make a mark in the marketing world?
ET: Back yourself. Do it early, often, and without apology.
This industry moves fast. It rewards initiative, curiosity, and clarity of voice. The sooner you give yourself permission to be seen, the more room you'll have to grow.
Say yes to learning, even when it’s uncomfortable. Ask better questions. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. And when you win — share the blueprint.
Check out all the 2025 Global WiM Awards Shortlisted nominees.