“Amazing as always.
So slick, so strategic, so well done on all levels’’

Ilse Blank – Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Melagrana

Speakers

Our speakers are the very best in industry thought leadership – both local and global. We are hard at work preparing a line-up of highly relevant speakers who will share insight on how to be highly relevant!

We are proud to welcome our confirmed speakers:

Gugulethu Mfuphi

Your host for the day

Xolisa Dyeshana

Morning co-host Xolisa Dyeshana, Group Creative Director, Joe Public.

Preetesh Sewraj

Afternoon co-host Preetesh Sewraj
CEO The Loeries

Kathryn Williams

International Speaker

Managing Director, KMint, Australia

Topic: How much are your ideas really worth? The relevance of ROI, revenue and your IP.

Ron Thurston

International Speaker

Bestselling author of Retail Pride

Topic: Retail Pride. Retail Relevance.
Indispensable insight for anyone in (brick-and-mortar) retail.

Tyrona Heath

International Speaker

Director, Market Engagement, The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, New York

Topic: How Relevant Buying Situations Determine Brand Sales

Greg Hoffman

International Speaker

Global Brand Leader / Former NIKE CMO / Advisor / Speaker / Instructor / Author

Topic: Emotion by Design

Joeri Van den Bergh

International Speaker

Co-founder and Managing Partner, InSites Consulting

Topic: Achieving Brand Relevance with Gen Z

Ben Williams

International Speaker

Global Chief Creative Experience Officer,
TBWA Worldwide

Topic: Opening the aperture of Creativity: Staying relevant in a modern world

Monali Shah

International Speaker

Integrated Marketing & Communications Specialist

Topic: Making every Brand Experience relevant.

Scott Thwaites

International Speaker

Head of Emerging Markets for TikTok Global Business Solutions

Topic: Don’t just make ads, make TikToks: Understanding how TikTok is relevant for your brand

Maps Maponyane

Host, TV Presenter, Producer, Actor and Entrepreneur

Topic: Branding starts at home! How relevant is your personal brand?

Luca Gallarelli

Group CEO\TBWA South Africa

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with
Ben Williams.

Khensani Nobanda

Group Executive: Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Nedbank

Topic: Awarding of Bursaries and Conference Close

Mathe Okaba

CEO – Association for Communication and Advertising

Topic: The Relevance Effect

Warren Moss

Founder & CEO of Demographica

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with
Ty Heath

Thebe Ikalafeng

Founder and Chairman, Brand Africa and Brand Leadership Group

Topic: Africa: Relevant or Relegated?

Buli Ndlovu

Executive Head of Marketing for Retail and Business Banking at Nedbank

Topic: Reclaim your relevance by reading the room.

Lebo Madiba

Founder PR Powerhouse

Topic: From Ho Hum to Headline. Make your Story Real and Relevant

Clinton Middleton

CEO of GrowThrough

Topic: Neurodiversity in advertising: your relevance advantage.

Bernice Samuels

Group Marketing Executive at MTN Group

Topic: Relevance – Neurons and Narratives.

Tshego Tshukutswane

Senior Director: Consulting by Kantar, Amsterdam.

Topic: Top of the Hour. Up Close and Relevant with Tshego Tshukutswane

Dale Hefer

IMC CEO

Topic: Awarding of Bursaries and Conference Close

Sphe Vundla

SAB’s Corporate Brand Director

Topic: The Power of Marketing Relevance to Drive Societal Change.

Saks Ntombela

Group CEO at Hollard Insurance

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite Relevant
A frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO

Heidi Brauer

CMO at Hollard Insurance

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite Relevant
A frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO

Karabo Songo

Non Executive Chairperson,
ACA SA

Topic: Facilitator of session between Heidi Brauer and Saks Ntombela (CMO/CEO discussion)

Sadika Fakir

Integrated Media and Digital Director at Tiger Brands

Topic: Reach and Relevance. Bridging the Gap Between Traditional and Digital Media

Faheem Chaudhry

Partner & Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Abel JHB

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with Kathryn Williams

Greg Maloka

Culture Activist

Topic: Top of the hour. Up close and relevant with Greg Maloka.

To get a sense of the calibre of our speakers,
please have a look at our

SPEAKER ALUMNI

Gugulethu Mfuphi

Your host for the day

Gugulethu could have chosen a career as a chartered accountant, but the lure of broadcasting was too much to ignore. While studying towards a BCom Accounting at the University of Johannesburg, was yearning to merge her love of numbers with her passion for broadcasting.

Gugulethu Mfuphi was introduced to radio broadcasting by UJFM newsreader Mommy Mohlahlo, who opened the door for her and there she started as a newsreader.

Some of her career highlights include attending and reporting from the Annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and in Africa and moderating conferences for The World Bank and International Finance Corporation, The MasterCard Foundation, The International Labour Organisation, Investec Ltd, Standard Bank, Old Mutual to name a few.

Qualifications

BCom in Accounting
Public Relations, Advertising and Applied Communication
Post Graduate Diploma in Management Practice

Who is Gugulethu Mfuphi

Gugulethu is an award winner and well-versed orator, with plenty of experience in front of the cameras, behind the microphone and addressing many diverse audiences. This skill, together with her sound grasp of the Financial Markets, Economic Data and Current Affairs Issues and the impact this has on the Business Community, makes her the perfect candidate to speak to Industry Analysts or Political Leaders and C-suite Executives from all across the African continent.

This forms the basis of her tasks and responsibilities as Presenter of Kaya FM’s prime time, award-winning business show, Kaya Bizz and her experience as a Senior Anchor on CNBC Africa, Gugulethu has also severed as an experienced Conference Chair, Panel Discussion Moderator and Programme Director, at various industry gatherings that impact the business and investment landscape.

She has facilitated the second annual South Africa Investment Conference in 2019, hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Having previously worked for other institutions like Talk Radio 702, SAfm, Lotus FM and The City Press Newspaper, through affiliation with Moneyweb, Gugulethu has gained a wealth of experience in financial journalism through radio, TV, print and online media.

Xolisa Dyeshana

With co-host Xolisa Dyeshana,
Group Creative Director, Joe Public.

Xolisa is Chief Creative Officer and partner at Joe Public United and has been an invaluable part of the agency group’s growth story, having begun his journey with the agency as far back as 2006 and becoming a shareholder in 2013.

He contributes a wealth of experience gained over 17 years, working on iconic brands like Mercedes-Benz, Ford Motor Company, Nedbank, Dialdirect, P&G, Renault, 3M, Chicken Licken, UberEats, Converse, Distell, Momentum, Santam, Elizabeth Arden and Toyota.

Xolisa’s passion lies in the world of creativity. To this end, he has actively contributed to the industry as Chairperson of Creative Circle, the highest decision-making body for advertising creativity in South Africa and served as Chairman of the Loeries (2012–2014),

South Africa’s premier advertising awards show. He also strives to give a voice to African creativity on the global stage, having served on the juries of almost every renowned advertising award show across the world. Most recently, he was elected to the international board of the One Show – the premier advertising show in the United States.

His passion for creative excellence is evident in the numerous awards won throughout his career at both local and international awards festivals, including Cannes, D&AD, One Show,

Loeries and more – earning him recognition as South Africa’s No. 1 creative leader in 2018 and as one of Finweek’s ‘Top 6 People to Watch in Advertising’. In 2021, Xolisa was recognised as one of Adweek's Creative 100 - an annual global honour that has become one of the most respected accomplishments in the creative industry.

Xolisa lists opening the 20th Annual Design Indaba Conference alongside Pepe Marais among his personal career highlights. He is also proud to have been one of the creative minds behind Brothers for Life, one of South Africa’s biggest and most successful behavioural change campaigns – demonstrating another of Xolisa’s passion points, which is driving social change through creativity.

Xolisa is a founding member of Ikamva Lakusasa and has also been part of many industry committees aimed at helping young people from underprivileged backgrounds to gain access to the industry – actively engaging a new generation of creative minds in finding new solutions for a better South Africa.

Preetesh Sewraj

CEO The Loeries

Preetesh Sewraj, CEO of the Loeries, is an experienced business leader trusted by organisations across Africa and the Middle East with regards to insights on Creativity and Innovation. He is a regular contributor across media channels having been featured on CNN, SABC News, The Sunday Times, Destiny Man, 5FM, SAFM, Kaya FM, Channel Africa and Talk Radio 702. He co-hosted Power Soapbox/Power Edge on Power 98.7's Power Lunch for six years.

His passions include creative innovation that has the ability to move individuals, societies and individuals in a positive direction. He has spoken at a number of high-profile events including TEDx Soweto, TEDx Johannesburg, 3M Innovation Workshop, Shared Value Africa Summit, Annual Women's Leadership Conference & the Wired Women Conference.

Kathryn Williams

Managing Director, KMint, Australia

Kathryn is the go-to finance guru for Australia's peak industry bodies and creative agencies.

An internationally experienced business and financial consultant, mentor, workshop facilitator and keynote speaker - Kathryn liaises closely with industry councils, is involved in benchmark studies.

Whilst working in the field globally with a multitude of agencies, Kathryn has deep expertise as to how the industry is really performing, accumulating a volume of experiences.

Kathryn is the creator of The Money Wheel® keynote; and Show Me The Money^®a customised workshop specifically developed for the Innovation and Creative industry.

Over the years, fascinated by the rise of the knowledge economy, and the value of ideas in the creative sector – Kathryn is pioneering in the field of intellectual property and intangible assets, her global research cumulating in the authoring of a book which she is currently writing - entitled How To Sell Your Ideas™

Kathryn is an articulate and vibrant speaker passionate about the commercialisation of creative ideas. You will leave feeling inspired, enlightened and enabled to put Kathryn’s valuable teachings and techniques into practice.

Ron Thurston

Bestselling author of Retail Pride

Ron Thurston loves retail. And he's proud of it. Ron has led the retail teams for some of America's most prominent brands, inspired thousands of store employees, and travelled relentlessly across the country to sit and listen to what they have to say.

From a part-time sales associate to a vice president of stores, Ron has put in the hard work that a retail career requires and wrote this book to share what he learned along the way.

Ron is a fourth-generation Californian, but he and his husband now live in Manhattan.

He wrote Retail Pride as an indispensable guide for every retail employee, manager, and multi-store leader looking to accelerate their potential and grow their career. It’s filled with straightforward, practical tips for developing your talents, connecting with customers, and building your leadership skills.

Tyrona Heath

International Speaker

Director, Market Engagement, The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, New York

Ty is Director, Market Engagement, The B2B Institute at LinkedIn, a think tank funded by LinkedIn studying the future of B2B marketing and decision making. She is also Co-Founder of TransformHer, the premier conference for professional women of color and allies in technology. With research, Ty engages and educates the industry in partnership with the leading marketing effectiveness thinkers and organizations such as Cannes Lions, ANA, and IPA to help better define the category, and drive growth.

Ty is passionate about connecting people with information needed to make intelligent decisions, sharing research to help marketers be more productive and successful with a bit of humor. An award winning marketer, speaker and two time Olympic Trials qualifier in the 800 meters, Ty is a top B2B marketing influencer teaching B2B marketing as well as leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Marketers benefit from Ty’s marketing experience at Google Inc, consulting within IBM as a social business manager and leading her own B2B consulting practice where she authored "Marketers of Tomorrow: A Step-by-Step Toolkit for Inbound Marketing". Beyond marketing, Ty served as the President of LinkedIn's Black Inclusion Group (BIG).

Today, Ty serves on the Digital Marketing Institute's Global Advisory Council, on the Board of Directors for the American Advertising Federation and as an Adobe Insider with top executives, experts, and pioneers in technology. Ty is a frequent industry and academic speaker on the marketing circuit, having appeared at INBOUND, Festival of Marketing, ADCOLOR, Marketing Society Changemakers, Ghana Tech Summit, Adobe Summit and the Digital Summit events to name a few. In her career, she has delivered marketing education to thousands.

Greg Hoffman

Global Brand Leader / Former NIKE CMO / Advisor / Speaker / Instructor / Author

Greg Hoffman is a global brand leader, former NIKE Chief Marketing Officer, and founder and principal of the brand advisory group Modern Arena.

For over 27 years, Greg held marketing, design, and innovation leadership roles at NIKE, including time as the brand’s CMO. In his most recent role as NIKE’s Vice President of Global Brand Innovation, he led teams tasked with envisioning the future of storytelling and consumer experiences for the brand.

Greg oversaw NIKE’s brand communications and experiences as NIKE was solidifying its position as one of the preeminent brand storytellers of the modern era and the leading innovator in digital and physical brandzexperiences. His role in the rise of marketing and design through that period was recognized in 2015 when Fast Company named him one of the Most Creative People in Business. He’s also been recognized for his transformative leadership in the industry through the Business Insider’s 50 Most Innovative CMO’s and AdAge’s Power Players annual lists.

For over two decades, he was a major strategic and creative influence for Nike at every major global sporting event, for the launches of NIKE’s signature products and innovations, and for the building of the brands of its athletes.

Through his leadership, Nike drove themes of equality, sustainability, and empowerment through sport in some of its most significant brand communications. That work was, in part, driven by his role on the Advisory Board of the NIKE Black Employee Network and as a member of the NIKE Foundation Board of Directors.

Today as founder and principal of Modern Arena, Greg advises Fortune 1000 brands, startups, and nonprofits in creating brand strength, business growth, and social impact. He sits on the advisory boards of the brands' Shred Adventures and AO-Air and is a board member for Summit Impact, the philanthropic arm of Summit Series.

In addition, he is the Branding instructor at the University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business and the Innovation Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 2022, Greg brings all of his brand experience to the world through his new book Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons From a Life at Nike.

Joeri Van den Bergh

Co-founder and Managing Partner, InSites Consulting

As a NextGen expert, Joeri immerses global brands like Coca-Cola, Fererro and P&G in the future consumers’ reality, thus bringing to life the latest consumer trends and insights brands need to embrace.

As a Professor in Marketing at one of Europe’s leading business schools (Vlerick Business School), Joeri is continuously updating his insights and foresights on consumer behaviour.

Joeri is an awarded global thought leader, and marketing author on the impact of Millennials and Gen Z on marketing and businesses, and on consumer trends and futurism. He also has a degree in Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility from London Business School.

Ben Williams

Global Chief Creative Experience Officer,
TBWA Worldwide

Ben joined the TBWA collective to set the vision for TBWA’s global creative product, encompassing advertising, experience, design and innovation—the entire brand experience. Through his work, Ben continually hones processes and ways of working conducive to innovative work that resonates in culture, redefines categories and sets new standards.

He also leads TBWA’s global creative core, a roundtable composed of CCOs from the collective’s top agencies, which shapes world-class experience strategy, concept development, and creative execution for some of the world's most recognizable brands.

Ben joined TBWA after a decade at R/GA, where he was responsible for leading teams of strategists, designers, and writers to deliver best-in-class experience strategy, concept development, and creative execution for some of the world's most recognizable brands such as Nike, Jordan Brand, Oprah’s Book Club, American Express, Verizon, Equinox, Converse, and Samsung.

Prior to joining R/GA, Ben spent a number of years at both Publicis and AKQA. Before moving to the U.S. from Australia, he partnered with agencies large and small before founding his own design studio that represented brands such as Ford, Yellow Pages, Toyota, Kraft, Subaru, Quiksilver, and Sneaker Freaker magazine. He also spent 10 years leading the creative design and execution of digital platforms and experiences for the biggest touring music festival in the world—Big Day Out.

Monali Shah

Integrated Marketing & Communications Specialist

Kenyan born and raised Marketing Communications Executive with over 20 years of experience in FMCG, Telco, Banking and Entertainment Industry having had experiences at MTV, Ogilvy and The Coca-Cola Company amongst others.

Some awards & recognitions include 2021 50 Leading African Corporate Women, 2020 Global 100 Under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent in Media and Culture, African Marketing

Professional of the year 2019, 2019 Top 10 Brand Representatives Loeries MENA.

Scott Thwaites

Head of Emerging Markets for TikTok Global Business Solutions

With a background in web and software development as well as advertising, Scott has focused his career on using data to make informed business decisions whilst building strong relationships with colleagues and partners to produce excellent results. After more than four years at Twitter, Scott took his career to an international level by joining TikTok, first as their Head of Gaming and New Markets and now as their Head of Emerging Markets for TikTok Global Business Solutions. Specialising in business market expansion, implementing business operations to build solid foundations for business efficiencies, and conceptualising forward-thinking ideas to scale and grow business, Scott is looking to propel TikTok for Business to new heights.

Maps Maponyane

Host, TV Presenter, Producer, Actor and Entrepreneur

Masego ‘Maps’ Maponyane is a South African born TV presenter, actor, producer, philanthropist, and business man. He obtained his Bachelor degree in Media Studies, French and English and International Human Rights (Majors) at the University of the Witwatersrand.

As an entrepreneur Maps has a passion for start-up SME’s, and love for education has led to him starting Bursary Network, and being a director of Silicon Maboneng and Tuta-Me. His passion for giving back and desire to change the lives of people around him for the better, inspired him to volunteer at the Ethembeni Children’s Home over the last 11 years, where he sits on their board. He also serves as a board member at WWF SA, and has recently become a UNICEF advocate.

Luca Gallarelli

TBWA South Africa

Luca Gallarelli is Group CEO of TBWA\South Africa, a multi-disciplinary group of agencies spanning the specialist to integrated spectrum. Over the last 20 years, Gallarelli has led complex multi-disciplinary teams, honing a natural ability to drive growth through organisational cohesion.

Two years into his role, Gallarelli was drawn to TBWA\ by the operational and creative potential in the collective’s multi-agency structure, including, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, GRID Worldwide, Yellowwood, Magna Carta and Sting Content. Leading the agency group through a period of unprecedented change, the agency collective has navigated the uncertainty emerging a stronger, more cohesive and connected collective standing as South Africa’s premier creative agency group. This has been achieved through forging an integrated operating dynamic literate in technology and rooted in the market and cultural idiom of change.

Prior to joining TBWA\South Africa, Gallarelli was Managing Director of Ogilvy Cape Town for four years and Group Managing Director of Ogilvy South Africa for two years where he led 700 multidisciplinary advertising professionals across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. A key achievement in this role was his successful consolidation of 14 operating companies into dynamically integrated campuses covering PR, digital, advertising and shopper across South Africa.

Gallarelli is passionate about the creative product that works – measurably. Getting this right means building partnerships that provide the platform for the best thinking and work to emerge, fuelled by the power of creativity and collaboration.

A sports-mad dad, Gallarelli is a passionate and proud product of Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape.

Khensani Nobanda

Group Executive: Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Nedbank

Khensani joined Nedbank in September 2017, as Executive Head of Group Marketing, before being promoted to her current role, and the Nedbank Group Exco, in May 2018. Her more than 20-year marketing career has afforded her invaluable experience in several leading South African and multinational organisations. After starting out as an assistant brand manager at Unilever, she rose through the ranks to eventually head up the Skin Category for Unilever in Africa, Middle East, and Turkey. This was followed by various leadership and executive roles in Diageo, South African Breweries and Vodacom, before joining Nedbank.

She is passionate about brands and the potential they have to deliver tangible value to consumers, and more broadly to society, by being purpose led and value driven.

Khensani has a BCom from the University of the Witwatersrand, and an MBA from GIBS. She is a member of the board of Effie Awards South Africa, a regular member of the judging panel for the Loeries and Bookmarks Awards, and a sought-after public speaker. Kensi has amassed several accolades in recognition of her contribution to the industry, including top honours as winner of the Loeries 2021 “Marketing Leadership & Innovation” award and the “Marketing Industry Leader of the Year” by AdFocus.

Mathe Okaba

CEO – Association for Communication and Advertising

Mathe Okaba is the CEO of the Association for Communication and Advertising. She has over 25 years’ experience spanning the advertising, media, sponsorship and events industries. With a passion for strategy, planning and project management, she has built a solid reputation as a successful leader and team player.

Warren Moss

Founder & CEO of Demographica

Warren Moss is the founder & CEO of Demographica, a full-service B2B marketing agency, and the most awarded one in Africa. Through Demographica, he consults to some of Africa's biggest B2B brands on their marketing and sales strategies.

He writes extensively on B2B marketing and sales topics, all of which can be found at www.demographica.co.za/blog.

Internationally, he is a judge for the Business Marketing Association's B2 Awards and the Global DMA's Echo Awards. In South Africa, he was a previous Chairman of the Direct Marketing Association’s Assegai Awards and was a judge for the Internet Advertising Bureau’s Bookmark Awards.

He is a previous Chairman of the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa and previously sat on the board of the Johannesburg chapter of Entrepreneurs Organisation (EO) as the Marketing and Communications Chair.

Outside of Demographica, his passion is African contemporary art and he is both a private dealer, and an avid collector.

Thebe Ikalafeng

Founder and Chairman, Brand Africa and Brand Leadership Group.

Thebe Ikalafeng is the pre-eminent global African thought leader and authoritative voice in branding in Africa. In a distinguished career which started over 25 years ago at Colgate Palmolive in New York, USA and a lauded tenure as chief marketing officer for NIKE for Africa, he won over 75 awards in branding and marketing communication globally. Ikalafeng is the founder of the award-winning Brand Leadership Group, a pan-African branding advisory firm; Brand Africa, an inter-generational movement to inspire a brand-led agenda to drive Africa’s image, reputation and competitiveness, and Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the widely referenced and only pan-African survey and ranking of brands in Africa.

Named one of the ‘100 Most Influential Africans’ by New African Magazine and one of the 100 Most Influential Creative People of African Descent in support of the United Nations ‘International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development,’ he has been to every country in Africa, worked in over 25 countries in Africa, and is widely acknowledged as the foremost advocate for a brand-led African renaissance to transform the continent’s wealth and stature. He was honoured with a Financial Mail AdFocus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 for his contributions to marketing, branding and the industry.

Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University in the USA and a LL.M (Intellectual Property Law) degree from the University of Turin in Italy in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Switzerland, and completed executive education at Wits Business School and Harvard Business School in the US, and is a Chartered Marketer (SA).

Buli Ndlovu

Executive Head of Marketing for Retail and Business Banking at Nedbank

Buli Ndlovu, Executive Head of Marketing for Retail and Business Banking at Nedbank is an experienced marketing professional based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has a demonstrated track record working across an array of industries including FMCG, Telecommunications as well as Financial Services on some of the country's most loved brands such as MTN, Samsung, South African Breweries and most recently Nedbank.

Alongside the vast experience of building world-class brands that form an integral part of people's lives and ultimately the nation's character, Buli is truly passionate about that which drives business strategy. She’s interested in understanding the dynamics of the environment in which businesses operate and subsequently using the discipline and science of marketing to solve for challenges thereby allowing the business to not only remain competitive, relevant and sustainable but to ultimately thrive.

Buli is a certified Chartered Marketer who holds an undergraduate and honours degree in Marketing from the University of Johannesburg, as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in General Management and an MBA from The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). She is currently pursuing a Post Graduate Diploma in Digital Business from MIT Sloane.

She is enthusiastically curious about life, a closet geek and when she’s not lecturing Marketing students at a local tertiary institution, she’s in constant pursuit of being a God-fearing wife and somewhat of a cool mom…the jury is still out.

Lebo Madiba

Founder PR Powerhouse

Lebo Madiba is a marketing and communications trailblazer, with business success that spans over a 20-year career journey.

In 2011 she established PR Powerhouse, a strategic public relations consultancy that grew over a period of time to handle the reputation management, crisis communication and transformation driven communications of blue-chip companies such as SAA, Nedbank, Cricket South Africa, South African Chamber of Commerce, Business Unity South African and the South African Civil Aviation Authority amongst others, prior to its acquisition by mid-cap JSE listed company Ansys Limited (not Etion).

As Chief Marketing Officer she handled the rebrand of Ansys to Etion, amalgamated its 4 subsidiaries under one brand, and took them on a journey of the design of a common culture and employee value proposition, successfully entrenching the brand with its customers, developing go-to-market strategies, as well as transitioning and landing the name change with shareholders, media and the investor community.

Upon the success of Etion, she was headhunted to Ogilvy South Africa's PR and Influence business, as Managing Partner.

She has re-established PR Powerhouse, as an agency built for the post-pandemic, disruption era.

Clinton Middleton

CEO of GrowThrough

Clinton Middleton is the former Managing Partner at Publicis Groupe, having spent 14 years in the advertising industry. In his career, he led large and multi-disciplinary teams for South African and Global brands.

Clinton is passionate about developing individuals’ potential. In 2022 he founded GrowThrough, a coaching organisation that works with creative, passionate and service-based individuals to reach their peak potential. He ignites others’ imagination of what is truly possible so that they can live more meaningful, purposeful and extraordinary lies.

Clinton is a dynamic and passionate speaker.

In his new book, YOUR ONLY LIMIT IS YOU, he openly shares his personal struggles with ADHD and how he was able to bounce back from a late diagnosis to reclaim his life and show others how they can do the same. The book is due out in March 2022.

Outside of his professional life, Clinton spends his time with his 2 boys and wife in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Bernice Samuels

Group Marketing Executive at MTN Group

Bernice is a Brand and Marketing professional with two decades of experience working with the intricacies of brand development and go to market strategy. A strong believer in the transformative role of brands in generating customer and company value, she has helped companies achieve brand leadership, customer advocacy and commercial returns.

Currently the Group Marketing Executive at MTN Group, Bernice oversees the marketing activities across the MTN operating footprint of twenty markets in Africa and the Middle East. In 2020, she was awarded the Financial Mail AdFocus Lifetime Achiever Award.
She was also recognized as Marketer of the Year in 2012 and 2021.

She holds a BSc Hons in Genetic Engineering, a PDM Bus Admin and MBA. Outside of work, she loves being outdoors and enjoys scuba-diving, hiking and is committed to animal rights and conservation.

Tshego Tshukutswane

Senior Director: Consulting by Kantar, Amsterdam

Tshego is an experienced consultant and marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience shaping and guiding brand thinking and growth strategies for organisations across industries, and African markets. Her experience spans a wide range of industries including Financial Services, FMCG, Education and Telecommunications. Her passion lies in work that helps transform organisations to unlock human-centred and planet-friendly growth.

Dale Hefer

IMC CEO

Dale is a best-selling author and former SA Businesswoman of the Year.

Dale started through-the-line agency Chillibush from a suburban garage in 1998. The agency was ranked a top three small South African agency by Finweek and the Financial Mail. Dale sold Chillibush in 2014 at which time it was billing more than R100m per year.

During her time running the agency Dale was a finalist in the Ernst and Young Global Emerging Entrepreneur Awards as well as in South Africa’s Most Empowered Females in Government and Business Awards. She was also SA Businesswoman of the Year.

She is the author of the critically acclaimed and bestselling marketing book “From Witblits to Vuvuzelas – Marketing in the New South Africa”.

The Sunday Times reviewed the book saying, “There is something special about reading an uncompromisingly South African book that could take its place with the best of its genre on international bookshelves”.

Her second book, “Hustling, Happiness and a Blow-Up Doll Named Percy” was published by Jonathan Ball in 2021 and launched to critical acclaim.

Dale acquired the IMC in 2018 and re-launched it in 2019 as the Nedbank IMC. Under here management, the conference has become Africa’s leading marketing conference.

She has successfully completed the Comrades, Two Oceans, Argus and 94.7 endurance events and is the mother of 13-year-old twins.

Sphe Vundla

SAB’s Corporate Brand Director

As SAB’s Corporate Brand Director, Sphe oversees the strengthening and protection of the organisation’s reputation through an integrated marketing communication strategy.

His journey of success has not been accidental but has been of deliberate actions that have landed him here including studying Marketing and Media at Wits University where he was lectured by respected media academics such as the Current Vice Chancellor of Pretoria University, Professor Tawana Kupe.

He has a full circle experience when it comes to Marketing Communications, having started as a Communications Specialist, and evolved to Group Digital Marketing Manager at Nedbank, and being the Integrated Media lead for mainstream and affordable brands at SAB amongst some of the key roles he has occupied.

Amongst some of the impactful campaigns that Sphe has managed are: Lion Lager’s iLobola Ngebhubesi digital series, 2019’s Carling Black Label Cup, pioneering Castle Free’s Becoming Imbokodo women’s’ rugby reality series, as well as the iconic Castle Lions Series for the British and Irish Lions tournament, which all received accolades.

With less than a year in his role and only 35, his impact has been widely felt on the SAB corporate brand as he has recently been awarded with Gold at the ABInBev Africa Creative X awards for the SAB Corporate Brand work on the “Lift the Ban” campaign and a Bronze Effie Award for Corporate Reputation in the “Responsibility: More Than Just a Footnote” campaign.

A constant source of inspiration in his leadership approach is a quote by Aristotle “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” This speaks of his commitment to the relentless pursuit of excellence in every role he occupies – something he colloquially terms Nyisism.

Saks Ntombela

Group CEO at Hollard Insurance

Saks joined Hollard over nine years ago as head of its fledgling life and investments area, having previously served as head of Retail Banking Product and Segments at Absa. Prior to that Ntombela held a number of executive positions at Nedbank, where he was most latterly responsible for the Bank’s retail business.

A Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Natal, Saks is also a graduate of the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. He also completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School in Boston.

He was appointed as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Hollard in October 2017. He leads the Hollard Group's efforts to deliver its financial and non-financial goals including growth into the rest of Africa and Asia.

Saks is married to Andrea and is the proud dad of daughters Analia and Thandwa. His passions are travelling, reading, running, technology and sport.

Heidi Brauer

CMO at Hollard Insurance

Passionate South African, wife and proud mother of two young men. Reader, writer, collaborator, practical explorer, fiercely loyal to the notion of the power of single actions enabling quantum changes. Wannabe ballerina, erstwhile boxer, speaker of some Greek & Latin, learner, teacher, mentor, mentee and deep believer in the power of brands and humans. Proud creator of the ‘sprinkles’ and ‘chocolate cake’ metaphors, and the idea that ‘it takes a village to raise a brand’.

Group Chief Marketing (Brand Mama) and Corporate Affairs Officer at Hollard Insurance
Previously Executive Manager, Group Marketing, Loyalty and Strategic Partnerships at Comair taking care of com, British Airways, kulula credit card, MTBeds, the jetsetters and Executive Club loyalty programme, and co-creator of SLOW lounges and Daddy’s Deals. Before that partner, Deputy CEO and Marketing Director at research house Ipsos Markinor, after some time in the pharmaceutical industry
Board Member Mobile Marketing Association. Previously Board member and Deputy Chair of the Marketing Association of South Africa and Board member of ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations)
Served on industry award juries including APEX, Prisms, FM AdFocus, MMA Smarties, Marketing Achievement Awards, Sports Industry Awards, BASA (Business & Arts SA) and the Loeries.
2021 Marketer of The Year finalist in the Marketing Achievement Awards, and 3^rd in SCOPEN SA’s Most Admired Marketing Professionals 2019 and Top 8 in 2021. Jewish Achievers Women in Business Finalist and nominated for a PRISM Lifetime Achievement award for PR. In 1976 I came 3^rd in a figure skating competition (there were only 3 contestants). I hope to win something one day ;-)
A silent partner at Halo Board member of insuretech startup Naked Insurance.
A regular writer in trade media, guest lecturer and local and international speaker. Former member of Vega Brand School National Advisory Council as well as advisor and friend to Umuzi (youth upliftment through creative & digital education). In 2018 business partner to the Principal of Summerwood Primary School on the Partners for Possibility Programme
Over the years my teams’ work has been recognised with various awards including PRISM PR Campaign of the Year for kulula.com, Loeries Grand Prix and Gold for SLOW Lounges, Bookmarks and Loeries for Hollard Instastory Books, and PRISM Sponsorship Gold for The Hollard Daredevil Run.

Education:

SAHETI school in Bedfordview: Prefect, distinction in English, Junior City Councilor for Bedfordview, started Edenvale Leo Club (youth division of Lions Club), matriculated 1983

BSc (Nursing) University of Witwatersrand 1988
CM(SA) Chartered Marketer of South Africa (by the invited process 2012)

Karabo Songa

Non Executive Chairperson, ACA SA

Karabo Songo is a qualified brand specialist & entrepreneur with business interests that focus on the advertising and marketing industry. With management experience that ranges from Technology Services, Hospitality/Leisure & marketing/advertising investments, he currently runs a marketing/communications investment group – Fastgro Marketing And Comms with its current largest investment being Brave Group with varied interests in the industry value chain and various corporate local & global clientele.

As part of contributing to the industry direction and driving thought leadership, he sits on various industry boards incl. Association for Communication and Advertising in SA, IAB South Africa. He has also been recognized by several corporate organizations through various business nominations, judging panels and awards such as EOY Entrepreneur of the Year, MTN App of the Year, Bookmark Awards & Apex Awards (Effie Awards) .
His passion is to be able to build innovative marketing businesses & brands within Africa with a difference and grow entities into profitable assets for shareholders. He has worked and managed brands in the following sectors: Telecomms, S.O.E's, Financial Services, F.M.C.G, Insurance, Banking, Manufacturing etc.

Sadika Fakir

Integrated Media and Digital Director at Tiger Brands

Sadika Fakir, Integrated Media & Digital Director at Tiger Brands is a firm believer of integrated and seamless marketing communications that focus on the customer. “As marketers, we are responsible for standing for more than just sales of products and services. We need to have a part of making the world a better place and help improve the lives of the customers as the brands we represent whether as agency or corporate.” With an ever-evolving customer base and shifting media landscape, she states that we must consistently reinvent our approach to market - taking customer shifts and nuances into consideration to drive seamless & integrated communication solutions. She is captivated by the power of the media & digital (she met her husband online) and believes it suits her disruptive approach to work. After a seven-year stint in a similar roles within financial services, Nedbank and FNB respectively, she joined the consumer goods category in her role at Tiger Brands in 2020. Prior to the corporate roles, she notched up ten years at numerous agencies building her integrated strategic media experience totalling more than 17 years’ within integrated channel strategy and advertising. Growing up, her dad was the only accountant on the South Coast, with a targeted offering for SME’s. She learnt from her father that entrepreneurship and seeking opportunity is key. It’s the kind of thinking that prompted Sadika to pitch working for no income at the beginning of her career to gain valuable experience at TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris. She began by working on multiple projects within the role of a Research Analyst which started the journey of discovery and passion for media arts, customer passion points and fundamental philosophy of Disruption. Sadika stresses the importance of personal development and learning. It’s important to remain curious to future proof oneself in these changing and erratic times. She has her BCOM Honours in Marketing (Cum Laude) and is a designated Chartered Marketer through the Marketing Association of South Africa. Through her association with the Marketing Association of South Africa, Sadika serves on the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) as a board member. She is exceptionally passionate about mentorship, education and career development. Sadika has been part time lecturing media & advertising for more than 15 years. Most recently, she was guest lecturer and assessor for the AMASA Media Management for Brand Building at Vega and still continues to mentor students and individuals within the media and advertising industry. Sadika has judged for the Loerie Awards (Middle East Africa) and for the MMA
(Mobile Marketing Association SA) Smarties in 2020 & 2021.

Faheem Chaudhry

Partner & Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Abel JHB

Faheem has a BSocSci in Politics and Organisational Psychology from the University of Cape Town and a post graduate in Marketing and Communications Management from the Red & Yellow Creative School of Business. He has won over 40 creative & effectiveness awards internationally including Gold Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show, D&AD, Loeries, Apex, Assegai’s and more. Faheem has worked in over 15 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, having spent 4 years at M&C Saatchi’s Global HQ in London. In 2017, he was named Rising Star by the South African Chamber of Commerce in the UK, having previously been ranked in the top ten strategists and named Young Marketer of the Year. He has twice addressed the United Nations on the power of communication to change the world. Faheem was part of the M&C Saatchi Abel team that founded The Street Store, helping clothe over half a million homeless people in 130 cities worldwide. As Partner & Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Abel JHB he leads an agency of 150 people, partnering with clients such as Standard Bank, Nando’s, Lexus and Pepsico. M&C Saatchi Abel has twice been named South Africa’s large agency of the year. He is the 2022 Chairperson of the Financial Mail’s Adfocus Awards.

Greg Maloka

Culture Activist

Greg Maloka was a founder member and ultimately GM of popular youth radio station YFM. Following his YFM tenure, he partnered at research and trends agency Instant Grass for three years and worked with global clients such as Kimberly Clark, Puma, MTN, South African Breweries and Levi Strauss & Co. before being head hunted by Kaya FM shareholders.

From 2007 to 2020 Greg served as Managing Director of Kaya FM where his role included the introduction of innovative concepts that took the Kaya business beyond FM radio.

During his tenure at Kaya Greg led a team that consistently grew the revenue and shareholder value of the business and under his leadership, Kaya won Commercial Radio Station of the Year a record four times in five years.

Describing himself as a true 'Afropolitan', Greg believes that Africans of all kinds are shaped by their motherland. As a collector, his love for the arts is not only visible on the walls of his home and office, it is also evident in the many artists he continues to support both personally and professionally.

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“Amazing as always.So slick, so strategic, so well done on all levels’’

Ilse Blank – Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Melagrana

Speakers

Gugulethu Mfuphi

Xolisa Dyeshana

Preetesh Sewraj

Kathryn Williams

International Speaker

Topic: How much are your ideas really worth? The relevance of ROI, revenue and your IP.

Ron Thurston

International Speaker

Topic: Retail Pride. Retail Relevance.Indispensable insight for anyone in (brick-and-mortar) retail.

Tyrona Heath

International Speaker

Topic: How Relevant Buying Situations Determine Brand Sales

Greg Hoffman

International Speaker

Topic: Emotion by Design

Joeri Van den Bergh

International Speaker

Topic: Achieving Brand Relevance with Gen Z

Ben Williams

International Speaker

Topic: Opening the aperture of Creativity: Staying relevant in a modern world

Monali Shah

International Speaker

Topic: Making every Brand Experience relevant.

Scott Thwaites

International Speaker

Topic: Don’t just make ads, make TikToks: Understanding how TikTok is relevant for your brand

Maps Maponyane

Topic: Branding starts at home! How relevant is your personal brand?

Luca Gallarelli

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A withBen Williams.

Khensani Nobanda

Topic: Awarding of Bursaries and Conference Close

Mathe Okaba

Topic: The Relevance Effect

Warren Moss

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with Ty Heath

Thebe Ikalafeng

Topic: Africa: Relevant or Relegated?

Buli Ndlovu

Topic: Reclaim your relevance by reading the room.

Lebo Madiba

Topic: From Ho Hum to Headline. Make your Story Real and Relevant

Clinton Middleton

Topic: Neurodiversity in advertising: your relevance advantage.

Bernice Samuels

Topic: Relevance – Neurons and Narratives.

Tshego Tshukutswane

Topic: Top of the Hour. Up Close and Relevant with Tshego Tshukutswane

Dale Hefer

Topic: Awarding of Bursaries and Conference Close

Sphe Vundla

Topic: The Power of Marketing Relevance to Drive Societal Change.

Saks Ntombela

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite RelevantA frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO

Heidi Brauer

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite Relevant A frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO

Karabo Songo

Topic: Facilitator of session between Heidi Brauer and Saks Ntombela (CMO/CEO discussion)

Sadika Fakir

Topic: Reach and Relevance. Bridging the Gap Between Traditional and Digital Media

Faheem Chaudhry

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with Kathryn Williams

Greg Maloka

Topic: Top of the hour. Up close and relevant with Greg Maloka.

Gugulethu Mfuphi

Xolisa Dyeshana

Preetesh Sewraj

Kathryn Williams

Ron Thurston

Tyrona Heath

International Speaker

Greg Hoffman

Joeri Van den Bergh

Ben Williams

Monali Shah

Scott Thwaites

“Amazing as always.
So slick, so strategic, so well done on all levels’’

Topic: Retail Pride. Retail Relevance.
Indispensable insight for anyone in (brick-and-mortar) retail.

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with
Ben Williams.

Topic: Facilitator, Q&A with
Ty Heath

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite Relevant
A frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO

Topic: CEO Buy-in. How to make your Marketing C-Suite Relevant
A frank discussion between Hollard’s CMO and CEO