Meet the judges

    Sadika Fakir

    Sadika Fakir, Integrated Media & Digital Director at Tiger Brands is a firm believer of integrated and seamless marketing communications that focus on the customer. 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 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 totaling more than 17 years within integrated channel strategy and advertising.
    She has her BCOM Honours in Marketing (Cum Laude) and is a designated Chartered Marketer through the Marketing Association of South Africa. In 2022, Sadika was appointed Chairman of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB). She is exceptionally passionate about mentorship, education and career development. Sadika has been part time lecturing media & advertising for more than 15 years.

    Mosa Ntwampe

    Mosa is a Brand & Communications strategist with 9 years in the marketing industry. Though it doesn’t seem like much, Mosa’s passion and work ethic has catapulted his career astronomically in less than a decade. As a young and passionate marketer, he has worked with various brands in his career from state-owned entities, regulatory bodies, educational institutions, financial services as well as FMCG

    Living by the mantra “I Change Lives for A Living”, he is a public speaker that is well known to captivate his audience while delivering in a passionate & flamboyant way. His recent career growth achievements include being appointed the Group Head: Marketing & Corporate Communications for Sakhumnotho Group Holdings and all its sub-entities.

    Lebo Lion

    Lebo Lion is an award-winning digital marketer, iTunes podcasting pioneer, speaker, author, strategist & influencer whose viral twitter threads, digital marketing expertise, and courageous conversations, have led to her being one of the most sought-after speakers and business consultants in South Africa. She has transformed over 1000 South African Start-Ups and SMEs, through her global top 100 iTunes podcast charting platform; The Lebo Lion Show. Known as “THE VOICE OF MARKETING”, Lion delivers mindset shifting & empowering content, that disrupts the African learning landscape.

    Bulelani Balabala

    Bulelani Balabala is an awarded entrepreneur & business speaker. He has earned the name Township Entrepreneur Developer & Youth Ambassador because of the work he does through the TEA initiative. He is CEO of IAF Brands; a township-based Branding & Social Media Marketing company. Through his company he has serviced local and international brands. He is the founder of Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA) an initiative aimed at developing entrepreneurs in the township & rural areas, through this platform TEA has directly impacted over 48000+ small businesses in the formal and informal sector. He serves on public and private sector boards. He is a professional speaker who covers the township economy, branding, entrepreneurship & inspiration. He is featured on multiple media platforms where is gives thought leadership and insights. He has shared platforms with business, industry and government leaders. He lives by the simple motto #GetThingsDone

    Dr Beate Stiehler-Mulder

    Dr Beate Stiehler-Mulder is a Senior Lecturer, the Marketing Coordinator at the Department of Marketing Management at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and the W&R Seta Leadership Chair: Gauteng. She holds a PhD in Industrial Economics and Management from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. She has 16 years’ experience in Marketing Commerce, 9+ years’ experience in Marketing and Retail Lecturing and Academic management, she is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional (DMI International), the winner of an “Outstanding Paper” 2017 from the Emerald Literati Network Awards, and she was a main Jury Member for the 2020 & 2021 Financial Mail AdFocus Awards. She has built a strong background of work, research, and publications in South African and international journals and conference proceedings, where she has presented broad research on marketing, branding, retail, digital and consumer subjects. As the current W&R Seta Chair: Gauteng, she aims to provide a platform that develops critical thinkers and problem-solvers in the Retail industry, to conduct relevant retail and consumer research, and to launch innovative education and work-based learning experiences – all in the spirit of advancing and professionalizing the wholesale and retail industry.

    Neo Ramakutwane

    A seasoned performance marketer with over 16 years’ experience in financial services marketing. Ramakutwane is experienced in developing optimised and result focused marketing campaigns with various budgets with a proven ability and specialised knowledge in distribution and intermediary marketing. She has in-depth knowledge of the South African marketing landscape and trends. Neo says she is driven and willing to go above and beyond to deliver results.

    Mpho Maseko

    Mpho Maseko is a self-motived integrated marketing and communications professional with more than ten years strategic marketing and campaign development experience working on local and global brands. She’s been working in the financial services sector for five years. Her marketing and communications experience is also in the broadcasting, technology, and digital marketing services sectors. As a self-confessed “Marketing Maverick”, she ensures that marketing and communications aligns to both long- and short-term business objectives.
    Mpho honed in her management expertise after graduating in a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Wits Business School. In 2005 she joined the SABC where she held several management positions within marketing & communications. Her responsibilities in these roles extended to the strategic communications management for various SABC brands.
    Mpho’s commitment to South Africa’s Marketing and Communications industry is also demonstrated in her involvement in various industry bodies. In 2014, she was appointed committee member for the Advertising and Media Association of South Africa (AMASA), on which she still currently serves. 2017 to 2018 she served as Head of the Brand Council of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (iab). In 2020 she ended her tenure as Marketing Tourism committee member of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.

    David Tshabalala

    David Tshabalala has worked with, & independently collaborated with the biggest global brands, not limited to, but namely: KFC, Coca Cola, Adobe, Netflix, Converse, Audi, Smirnoff, Reebok, and many more. Despite his notable industry accolades and achievements – he says he’ll never proclaim to know it all. Perhaps these are the tenets of his relative success, the willingness to not only learn from those above him, but to absorb lessons from his juniors too. David says he’s a teachable spirit because he’s been trained to stay grounded by his mentors and industry peers. His natural disposition to stay humble has been largely influenced by his environment and the people in it.

    “My work is a kaleidoscope of colour and crafted content, driven by my penchant for
    consuming pop culture. I embody the ethos of being an independent self-starter; being able to work with major brands directly, while staying true to myself – telling the South African story in a meaningful and engaging way.” – David

    Thembi Sehloho

    Currently serving as the Marketing Director for Rice and Pasta at Tiger Brands SA, Thembi is a seasoned marketing specialist with a passion for meaningful and impactful brand work.
    After graduating with a BCom-Accounting degree; she went on to build a formidable career in marketing spanning over 15-years. With the ability to run strategic and capital expansion project, Thembi has landed accolades which include the following:

    • Building the Mama KOO franchise which propelled the brand to being SA most loved brand
    • Maintaining Tastic’s position as the top brand within staple food
    • Winning a Silver PRISM Award for PR Campaign of The Year, and Tastic TVC voted 2020 the best liked TVC as voted by consumers – Kantar #MyHeritagecampaign.

    Thembi is passionate about leadership and mentorship and was recently awarded 3rd Positive Role Model Award – 9th Annual Gender Mainstreaming Awards. She has solidified herself as a formidable and seasoned marketer in South Africa with vast experience in SA’s leading iconic FMCG brands which include; All Gold, KOO, Bakers, Tastic and Fatti’s & Moni’s.

    Dr Marcia Lebambo

    Dr Marcia Lebambo holds a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from the Tshwane University of Technology, Business School. She is currently working as a Senior Lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology, in the department of Management and Entrepreneurship. With more than 10 years’ experience in Higher Education, Dr Lebambo published book chapters and articles in accredited journals and presented her work at local and international conferences including Tanzania, Botswana and Austria. Her research interests are in the areas of entrepreneurship and small business development, entrepreneurship policies, rural tourism and technological entrepreneurship.

    Apart from her work as an academic, Dr Lebambo is a trailblazer in youth community development. In 2012, she founded a non-profit organisation: Marcia Lebambo Foundation which focuses on improving literacy in South African township and rural schools. Her motto is; Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have!

    Katlego Ditlhokwe

    Katlego Ditlhokwe is a Researcher, Thought Leader, Marketing Guest Lecture, Strategic Planner and Simply a Storyteller.
    He describes himself as a true lover of advertising and a learner of the industry. Katlego has a degree in Marketing Communications. He is a certified Digital Marketer and Art Director.
    Ditlhokwe started his career as a Media Strategist at Joe Public United; changed his career path to practising Brand Strategy; and he is now a Lead Strategist at Brave Group.
    Basically, he is a creative that just chose to specialise in Strategic Communication.