African investor, philanthropist, and leading advocate of Africapitalism, Tony Elumelu, has urged business leaders and entrepreneurs to take personal responsibility for their brands, warning that the success or failure of any enterprise often depends less on numbers and more on perception.
Speaking on the role of branding in business growth, Elumelu described brand power as the real currency of trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships between companies and their customers. According to him, a brand is not confined to logos, slogans, or glossy adverts; rather, it is the living DNA of a business, reflected in its culture, its environment, and its people.
From the look and feel of an office, to the attire of staff, the cleanliness of company facilities, and even the way a phone call is answered, all these details, he insists, make up the true personality of a brand.
“I am the Chief Marketing Officer of every business I lead,” Elumelu said, stressing that while marketing teams and experts are important, leaders themselves must embody and champion the brand every day. “A great brand is built from the top down and reflects the essential DNA of the organisation.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Elumelu explained that his personal brand, now recognised across Africa and beyond, was deliberately and consistently cultivated over decades. Intentionality, consistency, and a value-driven approach, he said, were key to building a reputation that commands trust. Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which has empowered thousands of entrepreneurs across the continent, and through long-term investments in strategic sectors such as energy, healthcare, insurance, and financial services under Heirs Holdings, he has sought to match belief with action.
“My personal brand is intrinsic to my business brand. It is the spine that connects everything I touch,” he said. “That is why we do not cut corners. That is why we are obsessed with quality. That is why, even in challenging markets, we continue to grow. Because when you are known for excellence, opportunity seeks you.”
Elumelu stressed that the values which underpin his businesses, execution, enterprise, and excellence, are not just words etched on office walls but principles that shape how his organisations recruit, serve, reward, and grow. He described a culture of ownership in which every team member, from the front desk to the executive suite, understands that they are custodians of the brand. In his view, brand is built as much by daily actions and behaviours as by strategy and marketing campaigns.
For him, the little details are never trivial. He is known to walk into company offices and pay close attention to how visitors are received, how quickly calls are answered, and how well the environment reflects the standards his companies claim to represent. Those touchpoints, he argues, are what customers remember, and they define the credibility of the entire business.
His message to leaders was clear: branding cannot be outsourced. It is a responsibility that must be owned at the highest level. “Do not leave branding to your marketing department. Take ownership. Walk in your customers’ shoes. Feel what they feel. See what they see. Fix what they suffer. Strengthen what they love. And amplify what you do well,” he said.
Elumelu’s philosophy underscores a wider truth about leadership in today’s competitive world, that brand is not merely a corporate asset but an extension of the leader’s own identity and values. As he put it in his closing words, “Your brand is not just what you sell. Your brand is who you are.”
