Kemi Leke-Bamtefa: Marketing, Governance and a Legacy in African Aviation - by Daisy BARRO

Kemi Leke-Bamtefa is South African Airways' (SAA) Country Manager for Nigeria. A prolific marketer, she is one of the most impactful women in Nigeria's aviation landscape, with airline executive experience of over two decades in sales management, marketing, governance and strategic planning.

Her qualifications in sales and marketing coupled with her many years of experience made her a perfect fit for her current role as Country Manager for SAA in Nigeria, where she is responsible for the airline's operations.
 
An alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School in Nigeria, Leke-Bamtefa furthered her education in Advanced Sales Management at the University of Cape town, South Africa; after which she joined South African Airways in 2007 as Head of Sales and Marketing, responsible for growing the airline's market share in Nigeria.

In September 2010, Kemi's stellar performance led to her appointment as the Regional Marketing Specialist for North West and Central Africa, to oversee SAA’s marketing activities, concepts and activations across the region. During this time, she worked closely with Country Managers in seven (7) countries across the region to develop local marketing content to drive sales and create demand for SAA in both Francophone and Anglophone African countries.
 
After joining the carrier's New Route Start-up team in the Republic of Benin as Country Manager in 2012, Kemi once again distinguished herself through her performance and doggedness, by successfully launching the Cotonou – Johannesburg route; establishing in-market sales and marketing, as well as developing and training the airline's sales team.
 Her achievements culminated in her nomination by The Guardian newspaper for the Seven Wonder Women Award in Aviation in 2024.

A passionate aviator and visionary, Kemi is actively involved in intra-African destination tours by promoting business and leisure travel on the continent. She is equally renowned for her involvement in youth empowerment schemes to help raise the next generation of aviators, and has championed several youth projects including SAA's Youth Career Day, as well as Secondary School Essay Competitions across both government and private schools in Lagos, Nigeria.

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