Amazon Installs Ukonwa Ojo As Chief Marketing Officer Of Prime Video, Amazon Studios

Dade Hayes
·4 min read

Seasoned marketer and corporate executive Ukonwa Ojo has joined Amazon as Chief Marketing Officer for Prime Video and Amazon Studios.

The former MAC Cosmetics and Coty CMO will be responsible for leading global brand and originals marketing, reporting to Mike Hopkins, SVP of Prime Video and Amazon Studios.

In a memo to staff (read it in full below), Hopkins said Andy Donkin will shift from his current position as head of global marketing for the video operation to a new, soon-to-be-announced position at Amazon. His direct reports will now report to Ukonwa. “I want to thank Andy for his significant contributions in helping to grow the Prime Video business over the last 2½ years and for his leadership of the marketing team,” Hopkins wrote.

“As an award-winning marketer, Ukonwa has a fantastic two-decade track record as a builder of top global brands,” Hopkins wrote. “Her wide-ranging experience will give us a broader perspective on how to connect customers to the Prime Video brand and grow our business by marketing our content in innovative ways to develop an even stronger emotional connection with our audiences.”

As one of the original streaming video incumbents, Amazon remains a powerful force, both in original video and distribution. And during COVID-19, Prime membership and usage has surged. But the streaming sector has gotten crowded, with Disney+, HBO Max, Apple TV+ and Peacock now jockeying with Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.

At MAC, Ukonwa focused on customer engagement and product innovation. At Coty, she led P&L, brand development strategy, advertising, innovation, social/digital, design, and media planning/buying.

Prior to those roles, she was an SVP at CoverGirl, and held brand and general management positions at Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, General Mills Corp. and Meadwestvaco Corp.

Here’s the full memo from Hopkins:

Hello Team –

I’m writing today to share some news. One of the world’s leading marketing executives, Ukonwa Ojo, is joining the Amazon team as Chief Marketing Officer, Prime Video and Amazon Studios. Ukonwa begins her new role leading our global brand and originals marketing on September 21st, reporting directly to me.

Andy Donkin will be moving into a new position at Amazon, which will be announced soon; in the interim, he will continue to report to me. Andy will help Ukonwa transition into her new role and get to know the marketing team. His direct reports will now report to Ukonwa. I want to thank Andy for his significant contributions in helping to grow the Prime Video business over the last 2½ years and for his leadership of the marketing team.

As an award-winning marketer, Ukonwa has a fantastic two-decade track record as a builder of top global brands. Her wide-ranging experience will give us a broader perspective on how to connect customers to the Prime Video brand and grow our business by marketing our content in innovative ways to develop an even stronger emotional connection with our audiences.

Ukonwa comes to us from M∙A∙C Cosmetics, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for championing M∙A∙C’s brand positioning and increasing its presence and appeal to a global consumer in growing markets around the world. She helped drive customer engagement strategies and delivered breakthrough product innovation in order to maximize consumer connection to the iconic brand.

Before joining MAC, Ukonwa was Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer Beauty at Coty, where she oversaw brand development strategy, advertising, innovation, social/digital and other areas including collaboration with some of the biggest names in the entertainment business. She also held brand and general management roles at Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser PLC and General Mills Corporation.

Over the course of her career, Ukonwa has been recognized with over 50 awards and honors for driving outstanding market-leading results and delivering creative campaigns and innovations that motivate people to act. Her recognition includes Business Insider’s Most Innovative CMOs, AdAge 50 and A List, Adweek 50, WWD Brand Builder of the Year, WFA Global Marketer of the Year List, Financial Times Upstanding 100 and Black Enterprise’s 25 Women Changing the World. She is also a member of the 2020 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.

I’m proud of our incredible marketing team and I’m looking forward to the exciting possibilities under Ukonwa’s leadership.

For a virtual introduction to Ukonwa and a preview of her marketing philosophy, click here. Please join me in welcoming her to the team.

Mike

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