HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

AMC co-founder Gillian Rusike awarded honorary membership

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

‘Gillian is a remarkable man and marketing professional’, says confederation President in a tribute to former Secretary General.

Gillian Rusike, one of the founders of the African Marketing Confederation and founder/CEO of the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe, has been named as an Honorary Member of the AMC.

He was announced as only the third recipient of Honorary Membership during the 2024 AMC Awards ceremony in Mombasa, Kenya. The Awards marked the conclusion of the three-day AMC Marketing Forum.

Gillian Rusike addresses delegates in a recorded acceptance speech. Photo: AMC

Other holders of Honorary Membership of the confederation are Matongo Matamwambi from Zambia and Godfrey Dube from Zimbabwe.

“Gillian is a remarkable man and a remarkable marketing professional. He has been with the AMC from the beginning,” said AMC President, Helen McIntee, in a tribute to Rusike.

“He is the visionary founder and chief executive of MAZ. A highly respected marketer and multi-award-winning leader, he has significantly elevated the marketing profession in Zimbabwe. His burning desire to uplift marketing in the country led to the establishment of the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe in 2005.

“He later became the Secretary General of the AMC and has only recently resigned to go and study for his PhD in marketing.”

Rusike was unable to attend the 2024 Awards due to a prior commitment, but in a recorded acceptance speech played during the ceremony, he said he was honoured to accept the award.

“It is a testament not only to my efforts, but also to the incredible support I have received from my colleagues, my mentors and my loved ones. This recognition inspires me to continue to contribute positively to our field.

“I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to learn and grow alongside such talented and gifted individuals amongst you. I thank you for the support I have always had from the AMC co-founders, Helen and Nigel, with whom I have worked to ensure that marketing in Africa is united. I want to thank you for believing in me and for this acknowledgement.”

He will be officially presented with his Honorary Membership at the 2025 AMC conference to be held in Ghana.

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.