The Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (the YOBAs) brought to you by Standard Bank have announced the 2023 jury.
Professionals, marketers and academics around South Africa applied to be a part of the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards judging panel. This year, the application for the judging panel was open to the public. The public could nominate either themselves or individuals who met a very strict criterion. The jury criteria included that the nominee should at least be an expert or an academic in the particular field they will be judging.
The YOBAs celebrates and recognises youth-owned brands in South Africa. It has enlisted 29 leaders in the marketing, communications, academia and entrepreneurship industry to assess and shortlist over 2 500 nominations.
Due to the success of the award ceremony last year, the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands have received a large number of nominations this year, which sparked the idea of getting more judges. The judges that have been selected are masters in their field and specialise in the categories that they will be judging.
“We are thankful for the industry giants for taking time off their hectic schedules to join our judging panel. It is encouraging to have people of their calibre support youth initiatives,” said Pat Mahlangu, the founder and CEO of the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards.
For the second year, the chairperson of the jury is the Integrated Media & Digital Director of Tiger Brands Sadika Fakir and the voice of marketing, Lebo Lion as the deputy chairperson.
The chairperson of the jury, Sadika Fakir says, “we are so honored to have such an exceptionally high calibre of judges for our Top16YOBA 2023 panel. Our judge panel brings excellence, skill and wisdom.”
The judges that will be a part of this year’s two-day festival are the following:
1. Sadika Fakir (Integrated Media & Digital Director Tiger Brands)
2. Lebo Lion (Voice of Marketing, Beople SA)
3. Dr Beate Stiehler-Mulder (Marketing Coordinator UJ)
4. David Tshabalala (Award Winning Graphic Designer, Illustrator & Content Creator Slaying Goliath)
5. Thembi Sehloho (Marketing Director Tiger Brands SA)
6. Mosa Ntwampe (Marketing & Corporate Communications Sakhumnotho)
7. Dr Marcia Lebambo (Senior Lecturer Tshwane University of Technology)
8. Bulelani Balabala (Creative Director IAF Brands)
9. Katlego Dithlokwe (Founder & Brand Strategy Consultant the Hyphen)
10. Lindy-Lou Alexander (Global Marketing Head for Personal and Private Banking Division
Standard Bank)
11. Masingita Mazibuko (Executive Brand & Marketing Telkom)
12. Palesa Mabuse (Senior Managing Partner Nalesa Media)
13. Yasira Cajee (Marketing Officer Wits Business School)
14. Cameron Belling (Head of Marketing Bluff Meat Supply)
15. Boitumelo Mohube (Marketing Executive and Communication specialist Founder of Mohube Media)
16. Thabani Khumalo (Brand Manager – Premium & Value Brands (Beverages) Tiger Brands)
17. Tammy Darroch (Marketing Director Kellogg South Africa)
18. Ponatshego Makhuza (Shopper Marketing Lead Unilever)
19. Bogosi Motshegwa (Chief Creative & Strategy Officer Brandreserve Co. Thinkeneur)
20. Kovini Moodley (Founder Boss Babes)
21. Shiko Mamotheti (Digital Strategist and Director Nerdware)
22. Deshnie Govender (Marketing & Culture Leader in Tech)
23. Albert Makoeng (Divisional Sales Director Nfinity Influencer)
24. Khanyi Tshume (Head of Strategy TLC Worldwide Middle East & Africa)
25. Wendy Silinyana (Founder and Director Virtue Business Solutions)
26. Lerato Selialia (Senior Experience Strategist Immersion Group logo)
27. Lebohang Matsoso (Lead: Brand Marketing Communications Mercedes-Benz South Africa)
28. Fatima Ouanssaidi (CEO and a co-founder On-Point PR)
29. Vuyokazi Mhlope (Marketing Manager Showmax)
The awards will be preceded by the Festival of Youth-Owned Brands on the 14th & 15th of June 2023 at Sandton Convention Centre. The awards show will follow on the evening of the 15th where the expressive visionaries will be celebrated and recognised also at the Sandton Convention Centre.
