Lillian Mbayiwa

I have led marketing, public affairs and sustainability for some of Africa’s largest financial institutions and best-known brands, across 14 African markets. I have built marketing functions from scratch, steered brands through expansion and a stock-exchange relisting, and helped thousands of young businesses get started. I founded MarketLens Advisory to bring that experience to organisations facing their own big decisions.

On boards and in the profession

I am Vice Chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Zimbabwe and a board member of Island Hospice Zimbabwe. From 2022 to 2024 I served as the seventh President of the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe. During that term we launched the MAZ Business Institute, with dedicated institutes for digital, sales and customer-experience practitioners; formed an alliance with the Chartered Institute of Marketing; adopted an Environmental, Social and Governance policy statement; and published the Women in Marketing and Communications report.

Across Africa

From 2017 to 2019 I was Marketing Executive for the Rest of Africa at Old Mutual Africa, responsible for brand positioning and communication in 15 countries, including through Old Mutual Limited’s relisting on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Before that I spent six years building Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s strategic marketing, communication and customer functions, and led stakeholder engagement on the indigenisation agreement between Old Mutual and the Government of Zimbabwe.

At United Bank for Africa I developed the marketing and corporate affairs strategy behind the bank’s expansion into 13 more African countries. At Standard Chartered I ran corporate affairs across South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and we came through a period of high economic risk with zero negative publicity. I began in public relations at Delta Beverages and Delta Corporation, working on some of the country’s biggest brands.

I hold an MBA from Warwick Business School in the UK and a BA in Media Communications from Framingham State University in the United States.

Career

1. 2019–2026

   Group Marketing, Public Affairs & Sustainability Executive

   Old Mutual Zimbabwe

   Sustainability, public affairs, communication and customer experience across a diversified financial services group; the role grew to include innovation, diaspora business development and e-commerce.

2. 2017–2019

   Marketing Executive, Rest of Africa

   Old Mutual Africa

   Managed brand positioning and communication across 15 African countries, including through Old Mutual Limited’s relisting on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

3. 2011–2016

   Group Marketing Executive

   Old Mutual Zimbabwe

   Established the strategic marketing, communication and customer functions, and led stakeholder engagement for the indigenisation agreement with the Government of Zimbabwe.

4. 2007–2010

   Divisional Head, Corporate Communications

   United Bank for Africa

   Developed the marketing and corporate affairs strategy behind the bank’s expansion into 13 more African countries, and launched financial literacy programmes.

5. 2005–2007

   Head Corporate Affairs, Southern Africa

   Standard Chartered Bank

   Directed corporate affairs across South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe, with zero negative publicity through a period of high economic risk.

6. 2003–2005

   Public Relations & Communication Manager

   Delta Corporation

   Developed PR and communication strategies for major beverage brands and set up a consumer feedback centre.

7. 1998–2003

   Public Relations Manager

   Delta Beverages

   Ran national consumer engagement programmes promoting responsible consumption and brand integrity, and planned major product launches.

Why I founded MarketLens

In the press