Google has announced the appointment of Nigerian-born Alex Okosi as the new Managing Director for Google in Africa. Okosi, who is from Anambra State, will take on the role of overseeing Google’s operations across the continent, including programs to help businesses and economies grow, as well as expanding access and providing tools to help the next billion users get more from the web.
Okosi is a seasoned media, entertainment, and technology leader who has a deep understanding of African countries and a passion for using technology to empower people and businesses. He is currently the Managing Director for YouTube in EMEA Emerging Markets, where he oversees YouTube’s business and partnership development across 112 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Okosi joined Google in 2019 after a successful 20-year career at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (formerly MTV Networks Africa), where he was the Executive Vice President and Managing Director. He was responsible for managing the growth and development of ViacomCBS’s portfolio of brands in Africa, including MTV Base, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET. He also launched several initiatives to support African talent and content, such as the MTV Africa Music Awards, MTV Shuga, and BET A-List.
Okosi expressed his excitement at the prospect of leading Google’s team in Africa and being an even closer part of this diverse and dynamic region. He said: “I am thrilled to join Google’s leadership team in Africa and look forward to working with our teams across the continent to create more value for our users, partners, and communities. I believe that technology can play a vital role in transforming lives and creating opportunities for millions of Africans. I am passionate about Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful, and I can’t wait to contribute to this vision in Africa.”
Okosi will start his new role on September 15, 2023. He will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Google has its regional headquarters. He will report to Matt Brittin, President of Google EMEA.
Google has been operating in Africa since 2006, when it opened its first office in Johannesburg. Since then, it has expanded its presence to 15 countries across the continent, offering products and services such as Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Android, Google Play, Chrome, Google Cloud Platform, Google Ads, Google Workspace, and more. Google also supports various initiatives to promote digital skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, education, health, and social impact in Africa.