Amaechi Okobi, Group Head, Communications & External Affairs, Access Bank Plc, has emerged the corporate communications professional of the year at the 2017 Corporate Communications Awards.

The Corporate Communications Awards, the first of its kind award event in Nigeria aimed at celebrating outstanding achievements in Nigeria’s Corporate Communications industry held on Saturday, April 1^st, 2017, at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

Winners emerged via nominations by Corporate Communications professionals, public voting as well as deliberations by members of the Advisory Board and from various industries including the media, academia and Corporate Communications.Winners were presented with an attractive plaque in recognition of their outstanding achievements in Corporate Communications.

Sesema PR, the organizers of the CCAS extends warm congratulations to all award winners. According to Tampiri Irimagha-Akemu, MD, Sesema PR; “The CCAs identified and rewarded the very best in Corporate Communications. The award event will be an annual feature of Nigeria’s corporate communications industry”. She added.

Other winners at the CCAS 2017 are Jago Milk,“ for the winner in you”, best use of video award; Wedding party- Elfike Film Collective, best use of PR in entertainment award; Keex Tribe(Jide Ipaye), best use of PR in SME; Funke Akindele, best use of individual PR award; Union Bank, best rebranding project award , Indomie’s “You Like No Other” campaign won the campaign of the year award.Special media recognition was also given to Guardian, Ebonylifetv, and Bellanaija. Francesca Uriri, founder, Leading Ladies Africa and PR Manager at Weber Shandwick, won the Alima Atta Excellence award.

In attendance were industry players such as Yomi Badejo-Okunsanya; Group CEO CMC Connect, Anudeep Sharma; Marketing Head Sosaco Nigeria Ltd, Otega Ogra; Group Head Corporate Communications BUA Group, Usman Imanal; Corporate Communications Manager; Stanbic IBTC, Irene Kayoma; Payporte Head corporate strategy, Toyin Egbebi; Corporate Communications; Ericsson, Dooyum Okwong; Marketing communications and Customer Experience Manager, Letshego amongst others.

The CCAS also featured a competition for young graduates- The Corporate Communications Pitch Competition (CCPC). Deniran Oghenemine, a graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin emerged winner in the IT/Digital aspect of the CCPC, while Steven Aghalu, a graduate of Mass Communication, also from the University of Benin emerged winner of the PR aspect of the CCPC. The winners were presented with cash prizes of N130, 000 each and a 6-months paid internship at Sesema Public relations.

To cap the event, Sesema PR marked its 15^th anniversary with the cutting of its celebration cake.

The award celebrates successful reputation management and corporate communications campaigns of organisations in all sectors, whilst acknowledging the different personalities behind them. The CCA is a yearly event. The Corporate communications award is an initiative of Sesema Public Relations. The CCA 2017 was supported by The International School of Communication and the School of Media & Communications, Pan Atlantic University.