Melenie Gumbo is a powerhouse of marketing and branding innovation in the financial services and FMCG sector. With twenty years of experience as a marketer, locally and within the region. The brands that she has worked on have been recognized for many accolades while under her stewardship including, the CSR award, Best Bank supporting SMES, Marketing Association of Zimbabwe Super Brand runner up and the Megafest Best Bank.
She is a holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Management at the University of Hull and a MBA from Nottingham Trent University.
Melenie is the General Manager Group Marketing at Fidelity Life Assurance Group where she heads the group marketing function and is responsible for formulating and directing the marketing and corporate communications functions of the group.
She is the immediate past Vice President of the Marketer s Association of Zimbabwe.
Melenie is vastly experienced in Marketing and Brand-building in the Banking, FMCG, Insurance, and Financial Services arena. Melanie been responsible for building and communicating for such brands as Barclays Africa, Trust Bank Corporation and The Coca-Cola Company.
Her first job was a graduate trainee at Barclays Bank PLC in the UK, working for the then Barclays Africa Group where she gained basic banking and sales training. In 2001, Melenie moved to Trust Bank Corporation as a Business Development Manager and later moved to Group marketing as a Marketing Manager. There she successfully spearheaded the rebranding initiative as well as the launch of new retail products that increased revenue. She later joined the Coca-Cola Company where she gained valuable experience in marketing services as well brand management strategies of FMCGs; first as the Marketing Services Manager for the South Central Region, incorporating Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. Here she led successful regional campaigns and promotional activities encompassing music and sports and Coca Cola’s leading brands. Recognised for her efforts, she was then elevated to Senior Brand Manager for the same region.
In 2008, she joined ZB Financial Holdings as the Head of Group Marketing and Corporate Communications. In her role at ZB, Melenie had the overall responsibility for driving the presence, positioning, reputation and value of the ZB Brand, and its visibility and success in the market-place. Melenie also sat on the board of ZB Life Assurance and chaired the Board Marketing Committee