On Tuesday, September 5, Gooogle has announced the appointment of Alex Okosi as the new Managing Director of its activities on the African continent. Originally from Nigeria, he replaces his compatriot Juliet Ehimuan, who recently resigned from her position.
Google has been operating in Africa for over a decade and has offices in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. The company’s products and services are used by millions of people in Africa every day. In 2018, Google opened an artificial intelligence research center in Accra. The team at this center, says the tech giant, is focused on solving challenges relevant to Africa and the world, such as using AI to map buildings that are difficult to detect with traditional tools and adding 200,000 kilometers of roads to Google Maps.
In his new role, says Google, Alex Okosi will be responsible for Google’s operations in Africa, including programs to help the continent’s businesses and economies grow, as well as expanding access and providing tools to help the next billion users make the most of the web.
Meir Brand, Google’s Vice President for Emerging Markets in EMEA, said: “Alex Okosi is a proven leader with extensive experience in the media and technology sectors. He has an in-depth knowledge of African countries and a passion for using technology to empower people and businesses.
Reacting to his appointment, Alex Okosi said: “I am very excited to be leading Google’s team in Africa and to have the opportunity to participate even more closely in the life of this diverse and dynamic region that is so close to my heart. I firmly believe in the potential of technology, and in particular the internet, to improve people’s lives and help individuals and businesses in Africa to prosper.
Prior to his appointment, Alex Okosi was, since April 2020, Youtube’s Managing Director for Emerging Markets Europe,Middle East and Africa, based in London. In this position, he was responsible for managing YouTube’s sales teams and partnerships in emerging markets in the EMEA region, including Russia, the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The driving force behind Viacom’s development in Africa
Born in Enugu, Nigeria, Alex Okosi spent more than 20 years working for Viacom, the powerful American media conglomerate, which boasts several television channels, including BET, Nickeloedon and MTV.
Alex Okosi joined Viacom in 1998, when he joined the Trade Marketing team in New York, before moving to the MTV Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing division in Los Angeles in 2000. One of his key achievements during his tenure with the division was to secure distribution of MTV2 in key markets, helping to transform the niche “alternative” music niche into a core brand with broad appeal and distribution in the US market. In 2002, Alex Okosi convinced the MTV Networks management team to give him the opportunity to develop a business plan to launch MTV in Africa.
In mid-2003, he transferred to MTV Networks International’s Strategy and Business Development team as Director. During his tenure, he developed the business plan for MTV’s growth in Africa and, in 2004, obtained approval for the roll-out, which included the launch of a localized MTV service. He was then transferred to Johannesburg in 2006 to oversee the growth and development of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa.
Prior to his appointment, Alex Okosi was Executive Vice President and General Manager of Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN) and BET International. He led Viacom’s development on the continent, where the conglomerate provides more channels in Africa than any other international network – reaching 100 million viewers in 48 countries through channels such as MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET, tailored to the African market.
Alex Okosi has transformed Africa’s media, entertainment and music industries. In 2005, he led the launch of MTV Base Africa, the African version of MTV Europe’s urban music service, MTV Base. The channel played a huge role in the evolution of the African music landscape by elevating African music videos and youth lifestyle content to global standards, helping to make African music accessible to a global audience.
The channel featured live music with performances by local African and international artists. MTV Base Africa boosted the careers of artists such as D’banj, whose musical career was just beginning. With MTV Base Africa, Alex Okosi set out to create a platform that would not only showcase the diversity of African music and culture, but also create content that would appeal to the whole world. African music, particularly Nigeria’s at the time, was gaining in popularity, and Alex Okosi understood the potential of local talent. “When we launched MTV Base in 2005, our mission was to present a rethought Africa. An Africa that was beautiful, and we wanted to show that through music and talent. We’ve done a lot of work in this space that we’re very proud of,” he said recently at a BET event.
BET International
In 2008, three years after the launch of MTV Base Africa, Alex Okosi launched the MTV Africa Music Awards, often referred to as the MAMAs, a prestigious, world-renowned music event that showcased African talent to the world. Some of the big winners at the awards ceremony were mainly Nigerians like D’banj and 2Baba, and even international artists like Rick Ross, Kelly Rowland and Akon.
Alex Okosi took over as head of BET International in 2017, responsible for overseeing the growth of the BET brand internationally. Through BET’s linear channels and SVOD platforms, BET is accessible to over 40 million households in more than 60 countries worldwide including the UK, France, South Korea and Africa. He also continued to oversee the entertainment channels MTV Base, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., NickToons, VH1 Classic and BET on the African continent.
Alex Okosi has been instrumental in driving BET’s value internationally, enabling double-digit growth and improving profitability and margins. Under his leadership, BET International increased its presence at the BET Awards by incorporating the “Best international Act” award into the event, which was broadcast live in Africa for the first time in 2019. In addition, BET International expanded its presence at the BET “Hip Hop Awards” by launching a new category to honor artists from around the world.
Alex Okosi’s vision is to develop content and experiences for audiences to entertain, showcase the creativity and talents of young people and socially empower audiences in Africa and around the world. He has launched initiatives such as the MTV Africa Music Awards, MTV Shuga, MTV Base Meets, Nickelodeon Genius, BET Experience Africa and the BET Awards Best International Act category.
Alex Okosi graduated magna cum laude in Business Administration and Economics from St Michael’s College in Vermont, USA. He was also named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013.
In August 2019, he was named an Honorary Fellow by the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) for his role in launching numerous Viacom brands in Africa, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and BET.
