Thokozani Mijiga- Unyolo: Champion of Women’s Empowerment and Transformational Leadership
In a country where leadership rooms echoed mostly with male voices, Thokozani Mijiga- Unyolo quietly prepared. Not by waiting for permission, but by building vision, voice, and velocity. She emerged not only as a marketing powerhouse, transforming brands with rare insight and instinct, but as a beacon in boardrooms and communities alike. For over two decades, Thokozani has stood where few dared to rise, her path forged by brilliance and boldness—not entitlement.
Born the last of ten in the heart of Malawi, raised by resilience and purpose, she didn’t wait for change—she became it. Whether at the helm of major corporations or mentoring young girls to dream bigger, her story proves one thing: those who wait for the right moment might miss the woman who isthe moment.
Redefining Leadership and Brand Excellence Across Africa
In a country historically dominated by men in strategic leadership roles across both public and private sectors, Thokozani Unyolo emerges as a trailblazing marketer and CEO, recognized for her exceptional ability to transform major brands and businesses.
She is celebrated for her visionary foresight and strategic leadership, which have consistently delivered remarkable results across various industries over the past two decades. Her achievements include driving business growth and transformation, executing brand strategies with precision, increasing demand for products and services, optimizing product positioning, boosting revenue, and expanding market share.
A distinguished corporate leader, Unyolo has successfully navigated complex career landscapes across Africa. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership in Southern, Eastern and Western Africa and shattered the proverbial glass ceiling in her home country of Malawi. Rising swiftly through the ranks—from a young university graduate to holding demanding executive roles and ultimately occupying boardroom positions—she has learned from and worked alongside some of the industry’s top leaders.
Her extensive business acumen spans multiple sectors and geographies, with a track record of success in industries such as aviation, financial services, telecommunications, FMCG, and technology.
A Trailblazer in Global Marketing and Women’s Empowerment
Thokozani Unyolo’s career has left an indelible mark across global and regional markets, including Europe, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, East, West, and Southern Africa. Her track record of success stems from her work with globally and locally recognized brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Celtel, Zain, Airtel Malawi, and the Airtel Africa Group—spanning countries like Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, DRC, Gabon, Rwanda, and Zambia. She also contributed significantly to the Standard Bank Group’s operations in Malawi, Eswatini, Kenya, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. In Malawi, she played a pivotal role at Malawi Switch Center Limited (Malswitch), a key integrated technology firm specializing in electronic payments, IT infrastructure, and data communication.
Widely regarded as one of the highest-achieving women in her region, Unyolo stands out for her pioneering, trend-setting capabilities that have placed her at the forefront of several sectors. Her influence reaches beyond business, serving as a source of inspiration to both women and men across the continent.
A notable milestone in her journey was her historic appointment as the second female Chief Executive Officer of Air Cargo Malawi Limited, a role in which she currently leads a team of 100 employees and provides strategic direction for the company.
Across her 21-year career, Unyolo has spearheaded the launch of memorable and impactful brands and initiatives. These include Sobo Pineapple Squash, Fanta Passion, Blackberry 3G Network, Airtel Money, and the Rural Mentorship Toolkit—developed in partnership with UNICEF and Malawi’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. She also played a critical role in initiatives such as Be More Race, Unayo, Blue Mingoli, digital platform integrations (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn), and internal programs like Employee Engagement and Wellness, and the Luju Festival in Eswatini.
A passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, she led the creation of Women on the Rise and helped establish a landmark CSR partnership—a US$450,000 collaboration with UN Women to boost climate-smart agriculture and productivity, facilitating market access for up to 10,000 women farmers in Malawi.
Strategic Impact at Air Cargo Malawi and Beyond
Since her appointment as Chief Executive Officer of Air Cargo Malawi in September 2023, Thokozani Unyolo has earned widespread recognition for accelerating the company’s growth and deepening its financial turnaround. Under her leadership, the company recorded a Profit After Tax of K735.8 million in the 2023/2024 financial year—an impressive 55% increase from the K408 million recorded in the previous year. Her appointment was a strategic move by Air Cargo Malawi, aligned with its ambition to strengthen operations and deliver sustained profitability.
Unyolo’s impact as a corporate trailblazer has not been limited to her current role. She made history in 2017 as the first female Malawian to be named the Institute of Marketing in Malawi’s (IMM) Marketer of the Year—an achievement she repeated in 2020, solidifying her influence in the marketing space.
In 2022, her expertise gained international recognition when she was appointed to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council’s Advisory Board for the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The CMO Council is the world’s leading network for chief marketing executives, known for its robust knowledge-sharing platform and global reach. With over 16,000 members across 110 countries and a combined annual marketing spend of $1 trillion, the Council’s influence spans continents—placing Unyolo at the heart of global marketing strategy conversations.
A Legacy of Leadership
Thokozani Unyolo continues to garner recognition for her trailblazing leadership and strategic influence. In 2024, she was named among Malawi’s Top 100 Women by the Wealth Women Summit, and in 2025, she was honored as one of the Top Women in Leadership, a global celebration recognizing women making impactful contributions to leadership worldwide.
Her academic foundation is as impressive as her career achievements. Unyolo holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in South Africa, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Namibia. She has also enhanced her expertise in the digital space with a Certificate in Digital Marketing from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Currently, she is deepening her leadership and strategic acumen by pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration with UBIS Global in Switzerland—an endeavor that reflects her commitment to continuous growth and excellence.
Women’s Advancement in Malawi and Beyond
Born on April 23, 1981, at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi, Thokozani Unyolo is the youngest of ten children born to the late Steven Jailosi Foster Smith and Chrissie Leslie Mijiga. Her upbringing in a large family instilled in her the values of resilience, determination, and service—principles that have shaped her extraordinary professional and personal journey.
Beyond her role as a corporate executive, Unyolo is the Managing Director of BrandWorX, a boutique marketing consulting and business advisory firm she helped establish. Her entrepreneurial spirit complements her executive leadership, allowing her to extend her strategic impact across multiple sectors.
Deeply passionate about social change, Unyolo is also a committed advocate for the girl child and women’s empowerment. She dedicates her time and influence to mentoring and inspiring young girls, championing gender equity, and unlocking pathways for women to rise in leadership. Through her efforts, she continues to ignite transformation not just within communities and corporations, but across Malawi and the African continent at large.
