How Olanrewaju Alaka turned TWN Circle’s ‘Beyond Talent’ into a masterclass in brand positioning

On Friday, 3rd July 2026, Talented Women Network Africa, founded by Dr Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi, held the inaugural gathering of TWN Circle at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, under the theme Beyond Talent. Olanrewaju Alaka, Founder and CEO of Laerryblue Media, serves as Brand Director of TWN Circle, overseeing the brand and every dimension of the event built around it. Every decision carried a second purpose. The guest cap, the speaker lineup and the run of the show were not just logistics. They were brand and reputation strategy, applied to a room instead of a client.

The brief called for something distinct from a conventional conference: a room built for genuine conversation among high achieving women, not a stage for performance. As Brand Director, Olanrewaju’s mandate went beyond producing a single event. It was to take that vision and build it into a brand, covering guest list, speaker lineup, run of show, media plan and post event rollout, all of it consistent with what TWN Circle stands for.

Federal Palace Hotel was chosen for its prestige and its audio visual infrastructure, in keeping with the calibre of guests and speakers in the room.

Guest capacity was capped at 30 by design. Rather than open public registration, invitations were pushed through a curated WhatsApp broadcast list so the room stayed intentional and exclusive rather than filled by general sign up.

“Capping the room at thirty was not about the venue. It was a decision about credibility. A room that lets everyone in has no signal value. A room people cannot easily get into is the one people talk about.” Olanrewaju said.

The day was structured around three pillars: At Home, At Work, and In Your Community. Olanrewaju oversaw the process of matching each confirmed speaker and panelist to these themes and briefing them individually, with each brief covering the event’s purpose, the audience profile, and the length of their slot, confirmed weeks ahead of the event to allow proper promotion.

“I did not select speakers for their titles. I selected women whose lived experience already answered the themes we built the day around, at home, at work, and in community. Credibility on stage has to be earned, not appointed.” Olanrewaju explained.

The confirmed lineup: Dr Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi as convener and keynote speaker, with Biola Flow (Abiola Adediran), Dr Bolaji Mogaji, Princess Oghene and Toyin Bakare as speakers, and Mojisola Oladapo, CMO of Filmhouse Group, and Minister Anny on the panel.

Producing The Day

Olanrewaju led a small production team through the full run of the show, from red carpet arrivals through to send off. Peace Eze hosted, Olivia co-hosted and managed the red carpet, Obinna handled production, audio visual and photography, and Olanrewaju, as Brand Director, held oversight of the day end to end, without taking a stage role himself.

Media presence on the day included Arise Television, AIT and Guardian Woman, extending the reach of the room beyond the thirty guests inside it.

“This was not my first time producing a room like this. I convene Apex Network on the same principle, quarterly gatherings for founders and executives built to stay curated rather than filled by open registration. Beyond Talent was that same discipline applied to a new room.” Olanrewaju said.

The programme opened with red carpet arrivals and an on camera guest introduction moment, followed by the keynote, a full circle introduction round, speaker sessions interspersed with a music and networking break, the panel conversation, group photographs, and a closing send off.

The Outcome

Post event, the rollout Olanrewaju directed as Brand Director included distribution of the press release to media partners, release of edited photography and speaker highlight content across TWN Circle’s social channels, and a direct push to convert attendees into TWN Circle membership while the energy from the day was still fresh.

The room built for 30 outgrew its own cap before the day was done.

“We built for thirty and the room outgrew the plan. That is not an accident. That is what happens when positioning is done properly before the first invite goes out.” Olanrewaju added.

For Olanrewaju, Beyond Talent was proof of the same principle he applies to every client, reputation is infrastructure. Built with intention, it holds. Left to chance, it does not.

Olanrewaju Alaka is the Founder and CEO of Laerryblue Media, a PR, reputation management and authority positioning agency working with founders, executives and premium brands across Africa and the UK. He serves as Brand Director of Talented Women Network.