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What an honour, winning this award twice in three years. Thank you MarkLives.com 💚

Every year the Loeries laud the same men! THE SEA OF MANNESS is one the advertising industry applauds, and yet strategy tells us that to be distinctive you must move away from the sea of SAMENESS! Why are there NO female Chief Creative Officers year after year.. (save for Fran Luckin). And more importantly why does no one seem to care?   Is it that we don’t want the roles that we so rightly deserve or do dominant male toxic environments hold us back? Or is it the reality that our biological clocks are often at odds with our career clocks and we choose family over our careers? It’s my belief that the system isn’t designed to allow us to succeed, and that historical gender bias and a culture that prioritises and celebrates the male ego, isn’t one that women easily fit into. When there are so few female creatives at the top, it doesn’t bode well for representation, and for more women to believe that they too can rank at the upper echelons of the Loeries. The truth is, the transformation conversation is seldom about bringing more women into leading creative roles despite the statistics we already know.. that more than 60% of women are the primary purchaser within the household. Very much like the fashion world which remains the doyen of celebrated leading men, our creative industry is no different. I know this first hand, because even as a female owned agency I’ve struggled to find female creative leaders. And of the few that are there, they haven’t joined Riverbed. I would be interested to hear from you, because it’s my belief that this has to change... The question is, do we want it to, or am I alone in my failing quest to make it so. Steph Van Niekerk Bridget Johnson Roanna Williams MarkLives.com Dr Pepe Marais Xolisa Dyeshana Sbu Sitole Nkgabiseng Motau Sharleen James Shelley-Ann Atkinson Gillian Rightford Ann Nurock Sibu Mabena Suhana Gordhan The Loeries Preetesh Sewraj Nosipho Ginindza (GradICSA) Dale Hefer Jim Faulds Pete Case Carl Willoughby Neo Segola

We are in good company here! Super well done Vaughan Croeser. Thank you for being such an inspiration to our team and constantly allowing us to push the envelope. And a big fist pump to Khensani Nobanda CM (SA) for taking home some serious metal (sorry I didn't get to say hi at Creative X). And finally, big high fives to Bridget Harpur. Not only is Bridget a super smart world-class marketer, she knows how to get the best out of her agency partners. This is key to the client's return on investment in brand success. Authentic, honest and supportive of great work - so well deserved Bridget! https://lnkd.in/dW-z5dRn #agencyleaders

TBWA\ South Africa Group CEO Luca Gallarelli has been named Agency Leader of the Year by MarkLives.com. 🏴☠️ Speaking about why they voted for him, those around him said: “Luca is such an inspiring combination of a deeply kind and good person with huge ambition and an enormous respect for the creative product. His leadership of TBWA\ has seen the agency roar to so many successes and all by keeping the TBWA\ brand agile, strong and synonymous with creative excellence.” As to what leadership means to Luca, he has this to say: 💪 Give a s**t 🔥 Remain passionate about what you do 💭 Never forget why we got into this industry 👊 Never lose your idealism and optimism; fight cynicism wherever it appears 📈 Strive to make an impact in the agency and industry — and do it with dogged determination, honesty, humility and grace 🤝 Know that it is only through the talents of our people that we will ever succeed 🌎 Leave a legacy greater than the one you found “I think that the above are the ingredients for successful leadership in our industry,” he told MarkLives, “and certainly ones I aspire to embody. “Personally, I desperately want the heart returned to what we do — the desire to make something iconic and to pursue that with unwavering determination.”   Read more: https://lnkd.in/e9ng3tcX

#AgencyLeaders 2024: Congratulations to our contenders for Agency Leader of the Year this year. - Pete Case, Ogilvy South Africa CEO and creative chair: “Strong leadership in a difficult market.” - Koo Govender, Publicis Groupe Africa CEO: “Publicis is outperforming the other networks and it feels as though something significant is happening with Publicis Africa.” - Sharleen James, Accenture Song marketing practice lead: “Under-appreciated by… the industry. The chairperson of the ACA and a real stalwart of the industry.” - Gareth Leck, Joe Public co-founder and GCEO: “Behind every great creative genius, there needs to be someone who... follows through and puts creativity into practice.” - Sibu Mabena, Duma Collective founder and CCO: “Entrepreneur and trailblazer of note.” - Dr Pepe Marais, Joe Public co-founder and GCCO: “Purposeful. Consistent.” - Garreth van Vuuren 🏴, RAPT Creative Agency Group founder and GCEO: “Dynamic and visionary. Has built a very successful group in a short time. Leads a great team who love him.” - Carl Willoughby, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris\Jhb CCO: “Has stepped up and filled Pete Khoury’s big shoes very well [over the] past year!” https://lnkd.in/dZA_fkKN

Our pirates couldn't be prouder! Congrats to our SA agency leader Luca Gallarelli for this spectacular industry recognition! We're 100% thrilled! #MarkLives.com #TBWA\ South Africa

Young, Gifted & Killing It: Kabelo Moremi From blogging to a commissioning editor and podcasting gig, Veli Ngubane Ngibane finds out more about this student of life.

MarkLives #AgencyLeaders 2024 Marketer of the Year Runner-up: Bridget Harpur, Volkswagen South Africa “She has challenged Ogilvy and driven innovation and cut through with the likes of [Blind Spot Monitor] and Night School. Impressive briefs have led to impressive creative.” “Great work can’t happen in a vacuum. It needs a client champion to have faith in the agency, [someone] not afraid to take some risks on occasion and support big thinking with appropriate budgets. Clients like this need to navigate internal processes as well — not easy work!” “Bridget has been a pioneer in creative purpose-led work, both from Volkswagen and her agencies. She has consistently produced creative campaigns that not only stand out but which move the business needle both strategically and in their execution excellence.” https://lnkd.in/d8KMrymP Powered by RAPT Creative Agency