Bakani is a seasoned South African marketing professional with 16 years of industry experience. A self-proclaimed marketing ‘geek,’ he is passionate about creativity, brand-building, and elevating Africa’s talent to compete globally.

His marketing journey began at the University of Cape Town, where he majored in Marketing & Economics followed by early exposure to agency work as a junior. This was succeeded by a 12-year tenure at Unilever in South Africa and later North America which shaped his expertise in brand strategy and execution.

Specializing in the revitalization of legacy brands, Bakani has led growth initiatives for global icons such as Vaseline, Dove, Rama, Flora, and OMO at Unilever, as well as household names like All Gold, Crosse & Blackwell, and Mrs. H.S. Balls at Tiger Brands. His current focus includes Panado, Bioplus, Epi-max, E45 and more under Adcock Ingram.

His curiosity led him to spend five years in Shopper Marketing, both in South Africa and as a Global Shopper Marketing Manager in New Jersey, USA, before returning to brand management in South Arica.

Beyond his corporate career, Bakani is dedicated to academia and industry mentorship. In his personal time, he enjoys music, sports, illustration, and photography.