This week’s Comms Spotlight features Adeyemo Adeleye, Group Head of PR at Integrated Indigo Limited, where he leads strategic communications and integrated campaigns for global brands. He has built a career dedicated to ensuring that communications drive both measurable business growth and meaningful societal impact. In this interview, he shares perspectives from a career shaped by curiosity, discipline, and newsroom grit.
How did you begin your career in communications and PR?
My journey into Communications and PR was neither accidental nor linear; it was a deliberate evolution. As the son of a teacher, I grew up surrounded by books, developing an early flair for reading and writing that naturally led me to the ‘Art Department’ in secondary school. There, I led the Literary and Debate Society and founded our school’s maiden press club, complete with mock ‘NTA-style’ news broadcasts from behind a desk.
By the time I entered UNILAG to study Mass Communication, my path was clear. In my third year, I chose to specialise in PRAD (Public Relations and Advertising). I was captivated by the ‘mystique’ of the industry’s creatives, the professionals behind the iconic “Golden Era” ads like “My Friend Udeme.” I wanted to know how those magic spells were cast.
While still a student, I had the privilege of working with Femi Salawu at Entertainment Express. Working under the mentorship of legends like Mike Awoyinfa and the late Dimgba Igwe was a masterclass in high-pressure storytelling and the art of the ‘human angle.’
Armed with that newsroom grit and my academic foundation, I began ‘hunting’ for the perfect place to start my career. I compiled a list of the top firms and visited them in person, which eventually led me to Integrated Indigo Limited, then a rising force within the Noah’s Ark Communication group. Today, that curiosity I had as a boy in the press club remains the engine of my career in strategic communications.
What does your role as Group Head of PR & Integrated at Indigo Limited demand of you that most people do not realise?
Most people see the ‘front of house’: the media hits, the high-profile events, and the brand visibility. What remains largely invisible is the strategic calibration required to keep those wheels turning.
As Group Head, my role is a balancing act of business objectives, stakeholder interests, and ever-shifting regulatory landscapes. It demands a rare blend of commercial acumen and emotional intelligence; you have to be as comfortable reading a balance sheet as you are reading a room during a crisis.
Beyond the creative execution, the bulk of my work involves scenario planning and risk mapping. I am not just managing outputs; I am responsible for outcomes, ensuring that every piece of communication isn’t just ‘loud,’ but is tightly aligned with our clients’ growth and reputational health. It’s about maintaining message discipline when the pressure is high and ensuring internal alignment so that the agency moves as one cohesive unit. Ultimately, I don’t just manage PR; I manage certainty amidst uncertainty.
From your experience, what distinguishes truly strategic PR from routine publicity?
The distinction is simple: Routine publicity seeks attention; Strategic PR builds equity.
Routine publicity is often a one-off attempt to ‘be seen,’ but Strategic PR is a deliberate, insight-driven engine designed to shift perceptions and behaviours over the long term. It doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it starts with a deep dive into business objectives and stakeholder psychology.
Truly strategic work integrates multiple levers, advocacy, digital narrative, content, and partnerships into a single, coordinated force. Most importantly, it survives the ‘so what?’ test. If a campaign doesn’t tie back to business impact, policy influence, or reputational resilience, it’s just noise. Strategic PR answers the question: ‘To what end?’ before the first word is ever written.
How have you learned to handle pressure and uncertainty when a narrative doesn’t go the way you planned?
This is a reality of the job that only the ‘field’ can teach you, and it teaches you humility very quickly. No matter how robust a strategy is, the public arena is dynamic and often unpredictable.
I have learned that the secret to handling pressure is to separate ego from execution. When a narrative shifts unexpectedly, my first move is to pause. In moments of crisis or uncertainty, emotion is the enemy of strategy. I move immediately to objective data, what is actually being said, by whom, and where?
I then focus on rapid recalibration: mapping stakeholders to see who we can engage to pivot the conversation and stripping our messaging back to the core facts. I tell my team that communication isn’t a game of perfection; it’s a game of responsiveness and credibility. If you stay anchored to your core values and maintain your perspective, the pressure becomes a tool for focus rather than a cause for panic. You don’t just ‘survive’ the narrative shift; you manage it.
What is one piece of advice you received that changed how you think about your career growth and life overall?
‘Build competence, and recognition will chase you.’ This was the recurring wisdom from my mentors early on, but it was my MD, Mr Bolaji Abimbola, who truly anchored it for me. He often reminded me that reputation is sustained by depth, not noise.
In an industry that is literally about ‘visibility,’ it is easy to get caught up in chasing short-term recognition or titles. This advice forced me to pivot inward, to prioritise technical skill, industry knowledge, and strategic thinking above all else. I learned that growth isn’t a ladder you climb; it’s a capacity you build. When your competence begins to compound, the right opportunities don’t just find you; they pursue you.
What book are you currently reading or would you highly recommend to young communications professionals?
I would highly recommend ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen R. Covey. While there are many brilliant books specifically on PR and Advertising, I believe that to be an excellent communications professional, you must first understand the fundamentals of human effectiveness and leadership. Habits like “Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood” are at the very heart of what we do in PR.
As someone who grew up in a household where learning was prioritised, I’ve found that this book provides a timeless framework for personal and professional integrity. For a young professional, it helps you move from dependence (waiting for instructions) to interdependence (collaborating to create strategic value). It’s not just a book on productivity; it’s a manual for building the character and depth required to manage reputations—including your own.
