Ukonwa Ojo is the Founder and CEO of Zaia Ventures, a Venture Studio committed to building and scaling businesses that serve underrepresented
Marketing Officer and US General Manager for Amazon Prime Video & Studios. She is a creatively driven general manager and an experienced global operational P&L leader with a 25-year track record of leading large cross-functional organizations to scale multi-billion dollar businesses. Her achievements demonstrate her ability to consistently deliver operational results across geographies and industries through astute financial and portfolio management, market-leading innovation and product development, and award-winning marketing initiatives that resonate deeply with consumers.
During her tenure at Amazon Prime Video, she combined data-driven/analytical decision-making, cross-functional team leadership, and award-winning creativity to deliver the best performance in Prime Video history. She led a significant acceleration in customer acquisitions, which helped Amazon Prime Video replace Netflix as the #1 US streamer for the first time ever, launched 8 of the top 10 shows in Prime Video history, and improved marketing investment efficiency to its best. In addition, she helped the streamer garner 5 Golden Globes, 4 Oscar nominations and 2 wins, 50 Emmy nominations and 8 wins, and 111 Entertainment Clios.
Before this role, served as Global Chief Marketing Officer at M.A.C Cosmetics, a multi-billion dollar cultural icon and the world’s #1 makeup brand. Before that, she served as Global General Manager for an iconic portfolio of brands, including COVERGIRL, Clairol, Sally Hansen, Rimmel, and Lifestyle Scenting/Fragrances at Coty. Earlier in her career, she held general management roles at Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser PLC, General Mills Corporation, and MeadWestvaco Corporation.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized with over 60 awards and honors including Forbes’s Most Influential CMOs, Black Enterprise 25 Women Changing the World, Business Insider’s Most Innovative CMOs, Variety’s Most Influential Women in Entertainment, AdAge 50 and A-List, Adweek 50, WWD Brand Builder of the Year, WFA Global Marketer of the Year List, and Financial Times Upstanding 100.
She is a member of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, The Executive Leadership Council, Black Executive CMO Alliance, and Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute