Ogechi Okwechime, Divisional Head of Growth Marketing – Enterprise at Interswitch Group, has been named among the “Top 10 Exceptional Professionals of the Year in Sales and Marketing” at the Iconic Brand Africa (TIBA) Conference 2025, held under the theme “Thriving in Business and Career Through Innovation and Resilience.”
Okwechime’s work spans the fintech sector, covering enterprise solutions, fraud analysis, product management, growth marketing, and innovation. She leads the positioning and market expansion of Interswitch’s enterprise products, including fraud solutions, platform security, real-time payments, cross-border transactions, and acceptance growth across Africa.
“This award affirms my journey of perseverance, purpose, and consistent growth. It inspires me to keep pushing boundaries, delivering meaningful impact, and showing up with excellence every single day forward,” she said.
Her career highlights include contributing to Verve’s expansion across 22 African countries, launching digital loan products for 50,000 borrowers at Access Bank, and scaling Fidelity Bank’s Instant Banking service to over 600,000 users.
The event also recognised Linda Ochugbua, Digital Sales Manager at BusinessDay Media, among the Top 10 Exceptional Professionals of the Year in Branding and Communications.
Ochugbua has over 17 years of professional experience, including 12 years in the media industry. She oversees digital sales strategy, leads a team of sales executives and customer service representatives, drives digital revenue, develops products, manages client relationships, and introduces tailored advertising solutions.
“Receiving this award affirms the bold risks, strategic choices, and countless late nights. It reminds me why I show up fully every day, to create meaningful results, build real value, and keep stretching what’s possible in my field,” Ochugbua said.
TIBA Founder Omababinrin Adeola Osideko reflected on the evolution of the organisation from an award platform in 2019 to a broader learning and development initiative, including an academy and capacity-building programmes.
She shared lessons from her journey, stating, “Do not seek to be liked, seek to be respected,” and advised participants to focus on building professional relevance, continuous learning, and personal development.
Speakers at the conference included Dr Chizor Malize, Managing Director/CEO of FITC; Ayodele Solomon, Head of Innovation at Wema Bank; Chiamaka Ige, Lead Consultant and Strategist at Advance Consulting; and Dr Precious Oshideko, Vice President of Operations at Arete-Zale Consulting.
