For decades, the advertising, media and investment industries have largely looked to the same markets, the same playbooks and the same centres of power to predict what comes next. But the world has changed. The regions often described as “emerging” now represent the majority of the world’s population, the fastest-growing consumer markets, the youngest demographics and some of the most influential forces shaping global culture. From Africa and the Middle East to Asia and LATAM, a new era of growth, creativity and influence is already underway. Yet many global strategies, media investments and cultural narratives still lag behind reality. Welcome to 88Percent. This opening session sets the scene for why the Global Majority is no longer a future opportunity, it is the market-defining force of now. We’ll unpack the seismic shifts redefining business and culture: the rise of creator economies, changing consumer power, media fragmentation, cultural influence, technology leapfrogging, sport, entertainment and the growing importance of localisation in a world hungry for relevance.

Women are the most powerful and least understood force shaping consumption across the Global Majority, yet most brand strategies still fail to reflect that reality. Across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, women are not just consumers, they are decision-makers influencing households, communities, businesses and entire market ecosystems. They shape demand across categories from finance and healthcare to technology, education and FMCG. As these regions scale, women are redefining how trust is built, how products spread and how cultural influence moves. In many markets, purchasing decisions travel through networks, creators, peer validation and lived experience, with women sitting at the centre of those systems. For brands, this creates a new challenge: growth will depend on understanding women not as an audience segment, but as a driving force behind relevance, loyalty and long-term value. Arjoon Bose | CMO | Coach EMEA & India Thelma Ekiyor | International CEO | Women for Women International

Marketers are fearing AI would replace human creativity. But what if they’ve been asking the wrong question? Hear from Raja Rajamannar why he believes the future belongs not to humans or machines - but to human-machine collaboration, where AI removes friction, accelerates insight and expands imagination, while humans bring instinct, empathy, culture and meaning. This session explores how the smartest brands are moving beyond the hype to rethink creativity, consumer engagement and decision-making in an era where intelligence is becoming ubiquitous. The question is How do we stay human while scaling intelligence? Raja Rajamannar | Senior Fellow, Previous CMO | Mastercard Nikita Mishra | Editor | Campaign Asia

Africa is a defining force in global culture, and brands that don’t understand it risk falling behind fast. With the world’s youngest population, a mobile-first digital ecosystem, and cultural exports shaping music, fashion, sport, and entertainment globally, the continent is setting the pace for how influence is built and how consumers engage. From creator-led trust economies outperforming traditional media to innovation driven by necessity rather than legacy, Africa is rewriting the rules of growth, relevance, and connection. For CMOs, the challenge is how to do so with precision, credibility, and long-term intent. This session unpacks the markets, behaviours, and cultural dynamics driving Africa’s rise, and what global brands need to do now to build meaningful, scalable growth in one of the most influential regions shaping the future of consumer demand. Andrea Djan-Krofa | CEO | Women in Marketing Africa Bonang Matheba | Content Creator and Founder | House of BNG Addy Awfisayo | Head of Music Sub-Sahara Africa | YouTube

AI is removing the biggest barriers that kept brands out of the world’s fastest-growing markets and most aren’t ready for what happens next. As tools accelerate content production, localisation, and market entry at scale, the Global Majority is positioned to leapfrog legacy systems and emerge as the next creative and cultural powerhouses. This is a fundamental shift in who creates, who influences, and who captures value. As AI compresses time, cost, and access, CMOs face a new reality: markets once considered complex are becoming the most competitive, and the brands that move first will define the rules. This session unpacks how AI will reshape market entry, creator ecosystems, and media investment across these regions and what global brands need to build now to compete where the next wave of growth and cultural influence is already forming

Cesar Christofordis | Founder | Gravana Morgan James | Presenter | TikTok Cynthia Kleinbaum Milner | CMO | GameChanger Nengi Akinola | Head of Marketing | KingMakers

The next phase of global marketing, media and creative growth will be defined by ideas and where and how capital is deployed. As the industry surpasses $1 trillion in annual spend, attention is shifting toward Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, where consumer markets, creator ecosystems and cultural platforms are scaling rapidly. At the same time, a new class of investors is emerging, from private equity and venture to family offices and cultural leaders, reshaping how value is created, owned and monetised across the ecosystem. For CMOs, platforms and investors, the challenge is clear: understanding how capital, culture and distribution are converging in markets that are already outpacing traditional models. This session explores where investment is flowing, what makes Global Majority markets investable at scale, and how brands can align budgets, partnerships and platforms to capture growth in the regions shaping the future of the global economy.

Africa is no longer just a contributor to global culture, it is increasingly shaping it. Across marketing, media and creative industries, growth is being driven by Global Majority markets, with Africa playing a central role in defining cultural influence, consumer behaviour and future demand. Yet at the highest levels of global decision-making, Africa remains underrepresented in how capital is allocated, partnerships are formed and systems are built. For global leaders, the opportunity is clear: to move beyond viewing Africa as a market to be understood, and recognise it as a driver of global growth, creativity and commercial leadership. This session brings together a curated group of CEOs, CMOs, investors and cultural operators to explore how Africa can shape global systems of culture, capital and commerce, and what it will take for brands, institutions and leaders to engage at that level.