
Kick off 2025 by working towards Chartered Marketer (Africa) status
CM(A) is a high-level pan-African professional designation awarded to senior marketers in recognition of their experiences and skills.
EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Matras has experience of the African market, having previously led Meta’s business operations in Africa, the Middle East and Turkey.
Derya Matras has been announced as the new Vice President for Meta in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Meta owns companies such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Derya Matras. Photo: Meta
She is taking over from Angie Gifford, who announced that she will be leaving her role as VP of EMEA at the end of this year.
Matras brings extensive experience of leading diverse markets and teams. She joined Meta in 2015 and led the business in Africa, the Middle East and Turkey, where she built a successful track record of helping businesses to use Meta’s various platforms.
This led to her assuming additional responsibilities for overseeing the UK and Northern Europe regions as well, managing the company’s business operations in more than 80 countries.
Prior to joining Meta, Matras held leadership roles in media, retail and management consulting, primarily at McKinsey & Company.
Assuming new responsibilities in December
She will assume full responsibilities for her new role in December, working closely with Gifford to ensure a seamless transition.
“I’m delighted to take up the role of Vice President of Global Business Group (GBG) for EMEA,” Matras says in a press release.
“Having had the privilege of working within this diverse and dynamic region for the past nine years, I’ve witnessed first-hand the impact our tools and platforms have on businesses of all sizes.
“I look forward to now working with our partners across the whole region to unlock their full growth potential.”
Comments Nicola Mendelsohn, Meta’s Global Head of Global Business Group: “Since she joined Meta in 2015, Derya has become a leader known for putting people first.
“[She] has deep industry expertise, makes data-driven decisions, and has skilfully built and led diverse markets.”
CM(A) is a high-level pan-African professional designation awarded to senior marketers in recognition of their experiences and skills.
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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.