Looking for a job

Jude Gaya

@judegaya

A strategic, people-centric & results-driven marketing, brand and comms lead with 20+ years experience in various sectors across sub-Saharan Africa.

Kenya

Message

What I'm looking for

I'm looking for a new challenge to further enhance my skills and experience and to be in a position to mentor others. I'm looking to discover new markets and cultures to further continue to disrupt industries and markets to have a sustainable impact for the betterment of the global populace.

A Strategic, people-centred and results-driven Marketing, Brand and Communications Executive with more than 20 years of experience leading national and regional, organisation-wide functions across healthcare, FMCG, telecommunications, media & publishing, technology, automotive and development-oriented sectors in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa.

Known for building high-performing multi-functional teams, developing integrated marketing & communication strategies and strengthening brand reputation & institutional trust at scale. Adept at providing C-suite advisory support, shaping organisational narratives, leading crisis management and cultivating strong relationships with media, stakeholders, communities and partners. Expert in leveraging AI-enabled workflows and data-driven strategies to optimise customer journeys and institutional reputation. Proven track record in executing high-impact events and activations plus high-value partnerships for local and global brands.

Proven ability to unify complex, multi-location organisations through coherent messaging, world-class internal & external communication systems and value-driven content. Skilled in digital transformation, customer experience leadership, public relations, executive communication and community engagement.

Well-prepared to deliver Group-level Marketing and Communication leadership for local and international brands, anchoring clarity, consistency, cohesion, accountability and community trust.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Deputy GM - Marketing, Branding & Comms

Current

LifeCare Hospitals

Sep 2023 - Present (2 years 5 months)

Lead the Group’s marketing, brand & comm's function across 7 hospitals & the academic institution, serving diverse communities. Serve as senior advisor to the CEO, ExCo & unit Directors on comm's, brand reputation, CX & stakeholder engagement
Key Responsibilities & Contributions:
Marketing Strategy & ROI
Tech & AI Transformation
Event Management
Customer Experience
Stakeholder & Partner Engagement

Marketing Brand Strategy Brand Management Community Management Community Engagement Community Building Communication Skills Community Outreach Communications Planning Communications Strategy Communications Management Marketing Collateral Marketing Operations Marketing Planning Marketing Technology Marketing Strategies Reputation Management Brand Reputation Corporate Reputation Monitoring

Current

Deputy General Manager

Current

LifeCare Hospitals

Sep 2023 - Present (2 years 5 months)

Lead the Group marketing, brand and communications function across seven hospitals and a new academic institution, delivering a unified integrated communications strategy that drove 35% growth in awareness and patient service uptake within six months.

Integrated Communications Brand Strategy Crisis Communications Digital Transformation Customer Experience Stakeholder Engagement Event Management

Current

Founding Partner & CMO

Current

Idea Nine Strategies

Feb 2016 - Present (10 years)

Founded and led a strategic marketing and communications consultancy delivering brand, fundraising and donor communication strategies for clients including Safaricom and Nairobi Hospital.

Brand Strategy Fundraising Communications Consultancy Stakeholder Engagement Digital Strategy

BD Manager – Private Sector (SSA)

Coseke Kenya Limited

Mar 2022 - Aug 2023 (1 year 5 months)

Led communication-driven business development for enterprise digital solutions across the region.
Key Achievements:
•
Negotiated, secured and managed multi-million-shilling partnerships with Canon, CFAO, Telkom Kenya and others through executive communication materials, pitches and corporate positioning.

B2B B2B SaaS Business Development Business Development Strategy Business Development Management

Business Development Manager

Coseke (K) Ltd

Mar 2022 - Aug 2023 (1 year 5 months)

Led communication-driven business development for enterprise digital solutions across Sub-Saharan Africa, negotiating and securing multi-million-shilling partnerships with Canon, CFAO and Telkom Kenya.

Business Development Executive Communication Negotiation Sales Strategy Stakeholder Management B2B Sales Proposal Development Account Management

Customer Retention Manager (Consultancy)

Smart Applications International Limited

Apr 2021 - Jun 2021 (2 months)

Focused on retention, upselling & lifecycle engagement with Corp. partners, donor-funded & enterprise Prog's.
Achievements:
CX: Developed & implemented a strategy aligned mainly with upselling, improving client loyalty & established a CX Dpt, embedding systems for sustainable partner & donor-facing engagement
Stakeholder Engagement: Structured & negotiated a high-value loyalty partnership with KQ

CRM Customer Retention Customer Relations Management Customer Relationship Management B2C Marketing

Customer Retention Manager

Smart Applications International Ltd

Apr 2021 - Jun 2021 (2 months)

Consulted on retention, upselling and lifecycle engagement, creating a customer retention department and negotiating a high-value loyalty partnership with Kenya Airways.

Customer Retention Upselling Lifecycle Marketing Negotiation Loyalty Programs Process Design Stakeholder Engagement

Head of Sales & Marketing

Skeme Advertising Group

Jun 2015 - Nov 2015 (5 months)

Led experiential marketing, launch activations and stakeholder campaigns for blue-chip brands, delivering high-ROI activations for clients including Unilever and Safaricom.

Experiential Marketing Campaign Management Stakeholder Management Team Leadership Agency Management

Group Commercial & Creative Manager

Media 7 Group Kenya

Oct 2008 - Feb 2015 (6 years 4 months)

Directed commercial strategy, advertising and sponsorship acquisition, securing partnerships with KICC and CMC Motors to drive integrated media and event-linked brand campaigns.

Commercial Strategy Sponsorship Sales Advertising Sales Partnerships Client Relationship Management Revenue Growth

Advertising Manager & Editor

Media 7 Group Kenya

Oct 2005 - Sep 2008 (2 years 11 months)

Managed integrated advertising campaigns across print and digital, authored sponsorship proposals and delivered partner-funded initiatives to meet client objectives.

Advertising Management Campaign Execution Partner Management Content Strategy Revenue Generation

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Chartered Institute of Marketing

CIM Level 6, Marketing

2025 -

Enrolled in CIM Level 6 studies beginning in 2025 (ongoing).

Academy of Graphic Technologies

Certificate, Electronic Publishing

Completed a Certificate in Electronic Publishing at the Academy of Graphic Technologies in 2005.

United States International University - Africa

Bachelor of Science, Information Systems and Technology

2000 - 2003

Grade: 3.5

Graduated with honours, specialised in Marketing and Networking

International School of Advertising

CIM(UK), CIM (Level 6)

2025 -

CIM has supported, represented & developed marketers, teams & leaders globally in marketing.
The CIM Curriculum was developed following extensive employer-led research across a range of sectors; qualification providers; academics & students.
After successful completion of the program, ISA guarantees certified global recognition, which can culminate into the respected title of ‘Chartered Marketer’