Commercial capability and execution for consumer goods companies
Fifteen years inside Diageo, Unilever, Lipton, Philip Morris and Nestlé.
Now I help consumer goods companies close the gap between the plan and the shelf.
I'm Motunrayo Babalola. I've worked across frontline sales, key accounts, route to market, trade and shopper marketing, brand, innovation and P&L. I find where performance breaks down, then build the capability, routines and proof to fix it.
Top 50 Women in Management Africa 2023
Selected career results
- +23% profitability in the first year at Lipton Nigeria, through portfolio optimisation
- +60% retail coverage from route-to-market work
- 45% average incremental sales uplift in target accounts, from a $4.5M trade budget
Career achievements from employed leadership roles, not client case studies.
See all six career resultsThe problem I solve
Most consumer goods companies have a sound brand plan. Results are lost between the plan and the shelf.
Brand, trade and innovation budgets get spent, but revenue, market share or margin fall short of plan. Leaders typically bring me in at moments like these.
You have inherited an underperforming brand and team.
The numbers are behind plan and you need to know where to focus first.
A high-bet new product launch is coming.
Significant growth and investment are riding on it, and execution needs to be right from the start.
Trade investment is not delivering a clear return.
Spend is going up, but the incremental sales and margin impact are difficult to demonstrate.
How I help
Three ways to work with me, depending on the problem you need to solve.
The core of the practice
Diagnose & Build Commercial Capability
I don't start with a course list. I start with the commercial problem, find whether the gap sits in People, Process or Proof, then build around the real work your teams need to do better.
For leadership teams
Executive Workshops & Commercial Working Sessions
Bring the business question, not a training topic. Focused sessions for teams facing a live decision, ending in decisions, actions, owners and follow-through.
For commercial teams
Practical AI for Commercial Teams
AI applied to the commercial work your team already does, using the tools your organisation has already approved. Commercial judgement stays with people.
My approach
People. Process. Proof.
The numbers are symptoms. To understand the cause, I work backwards from the commercial result into the market, and use three lenses to find where to look first.
Start
The plan
Brand, trade and innovation investment
The gap
People, Process and Proof show where results are lost
- PeopleThe skill, confidence and judgement to execute to standard
- ProcessRoutines that turn priorities into repeatable action
- ProofTimely evidence of what happened and what needs correcting
Result
The shelf
Consistent customer, channel and shopper execution
Capability engagements run in four steps.
- Step 1Diagnose
- Step 2Build
- Step 3Apply
- Step 4Prove
Speaking at a conference, and on stage at the Women in Management Africa Awards, 2023
About me
I started in sales and trade, then moved into brand management. I have led teams on both sides.
- 15+years in multinational consumer goods
- 5global consumer goods companies
- 4professional awards
I've spent more than 15 years in multinational consumer goods, across Nigeria, West Africa and North America. Today I help consumer goods companies build the commercial capability to deliver their plans in market.
Alongside the commercial roles, I have trained and developed teams inside the business and spoken to industry audiences:
- Facilitated High Performers training for Lipton Nigeria employees
- Championed Gallup employee engagement for Lipton Africa in 2022 and 2023
- Spoke at the BrandSpark Best New Product Awards in June 2026
Insights
The 10-question execution check
Ten yes-or-no questions across People, Process and Proof. A cluster of “no” answers shows where to look more closely. There is no score and nothing to sign up for.
Next step
Book a conversation with your commercial leadership team.
Tell me about the commercial problem you need to solve. Every engagement starts with a conversation and is scoped by proposal.