Director, Meropa Communications

Donald is a Communications Strategist with an extensive background in Corporate Communications and Media Relations. Having started his career within a communications and PR agency, his experience includes 9 years with the Transnet Group serving as Public Affairs Manager for Transnet Corporate Social Investment, Communications Manager at Marine Data Systems and National Spokesperson and Stakeholder Relations Manager at the National Ports Authority of South Africa (NPA). He has extensive experience working with government at a senior level to drive issues in the fields of media, advertising and sponsorship as well as reputation management. His academic qualifications include a diploma in Public Relations from Witwatersrand Technikon, Graphic Design from the AAA School of Advertising as well as further studies in Media Management and Project Management. He has also successfully completed the Transnet Executive Development Programme from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and University of Pretoria.

What’s a typical workday for you?

I get into the office around 07h30 and do newspaper reading and scanning for client news. Most of the day is keeping in touch with consultancy teams where I have oversight on specific clients. It’s all about making sure we’re on strategy and that our clients are getting good value from us.

I’m also responsible for tracking and chasing prospects as well as leading new business pitch teams. That’s time to network, attend briefings and preparing submissions.

I’m ready to leave the office around 18h00.

What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

I love strategizing with the teams I work with. The teamwork can be fun but also stressful at times. I have broad responsibilities so I can enjoy several peaks on any given day from doing different things.

How do you handle work stresses?

I’m learning to pace myself since I stress easily. Also as I’ve grown and succeeded, I’m also trying not to take it all too seriously and personally. Laughter helps too, alternatively I just jump into my car and listen to a good cd.

What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Leadership is proving to be about constant learning, trust and self-confidence in the face of trying circumstances. The economic downturn has put survival skills at the fore and I’ve been tested more than I thought possible. I’m up for bigger challenges but right now I’m taking stock.

What is your No 1 industry peeve?

Badly written briefs!!!

What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Exclusive Books and the Blue Bulls.

How do you relax?

I read a lot, and watch a lot of sports on TV. I also keep two dogs who are hugely entertaining when I can get to spend time with them.

What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

I phone my family a lot. The rest is left to Facebook and weekend get-togethers mostly at the same places.

What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

I love driving through Mpumalanga so every year I’m up there at the end of winter.

What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

I wish there would be a Sunday morning without newspapers. Alternatively, lying in the grass over a breakfast is ultimate.

Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

I love international GQ and Vanity Fair…they have some great interviews. I hardly ever miss Fortune magazine and the Mail and Guardian. The rest is car magazines.

Do you have a favorite online site?

Springwise.com is a must for new business ideas and inspiration, You-Tube for all the music I can watch.

What’s your best dining out venue?

Bhukhara in Sandton Square is an indulgence I’m up for any day.

Moonyeenn Lee is undoubtedly the doyenne of South Africa’s showbiz agents. Trained by James Fraser in 1974 (then head of Fraser and Dunlop, London) to be an agent representing actors, writers and directors, Moonyeenn has practiced for the past 34 years – heading up the largest and most successful talent agency in South Africa – MLA. She is an artists’ manager as well representing over two hundred clients, many of whom are South African household names and multi-award winning artists. Her agency MLA places actors in film, television, theatre, commercials, voice-overs, industrial theatre, training films and corporate videos. She is also passionate about working with writers and developing film scripts from either original stories or novels. She formed Khulisa Productions seven years ago to make South African films. The first film was the highly acclaimed and award winning PROMISED LAND. In 2003, Moonyeenn was nominated to the National Executive Committee of The Independent Producers Organization and to the Film Board of Create South Africa.MLA is also listed as one of the TOP 300 Empowerment Companies.

What’s a typical workday for you?

There is no typical workday. Everyday is different.

What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

I love the actors we represent, watching them grow and succeed.

How do you handle work stresses?

There is always stress, I am used to it, I just deal with it. It helps to have one day in a week to be quiet – read and listen to music – usually on a Sunday. In summer I like to lie in the sun and swim, I find swimming very calming.

What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Probably when I started – to get directors to trust my judgment and to get actors to respect themselves.

What is your No 1 industry peeve?

My number one industry peeve is that South African producers, directors and companies like NFVF and DTI don’t respect local talent. They fawn all over international talent. We have to build our own stars. Overseas directors are always so impressed by our actors

What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

I don’t do brands.

How do you relax?

By reading, listening to music, watching movies. I love long lunches with great friends and great wine

What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

I prefer the telephone or Skype if not in Johannesburg.

What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

Don’t take holidays

What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Sleeping in – reading the newspapers – a late breakfast

Which is your favorite must-have printed media titles?

Time Magazine, Sight and Sound, Vanity Fair

No I don’t. I spend as little time as possible on the laptop!

What’s your best dining out venue?

I have several favourites. It depends on what I feel like eating and what the weather is like

Sarah Leftwich is a driven woman, big on the detail but with an eye for the big picture. Effervescent and bubbly, Sarah studied drama at Wits before starting her long love affair with producing indelible experiences in the events industry. She has been with Blue Moon for the last 11 years and loves the challenges; despairs of but revels in the constant deadlines that characterise her portfolio. By her own admission, she is something of a control freak as all great producers are and if she had to have a theme song it would be “10 seconds to a Nervous Breakdown” by Prime Circle!

 
 
 
 
 
• What’s a typical workday for you?

There’s no such thing – no two days are ever the same! One day I’m in meetings with clients discussing a strategically positioned two year communication plan and the next day I’m drafting production schedules or campaign budgets. Or liaising with designers and writers, sitting in a recording studio or setting up an event – great fun!

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

All our clients are in different businesses in different industries, and each company’s culture is totally unique so, although I’ve been at Blue Moon for eleven years, I feel like I am always learning something new.

• How do you handle work stresses?

Blue Moon is an extremely collaborative environment filled with wonderful people so that even when everyone is at their most stressed, there is always someone offering help so that you never feel alone in it.
Then there are lists – for myself, my team and sometimes even clients. My family is less responsive to them though!

I also try to ensure that even though I might work late every weeknight, weekends are sacrosanct – time for family and friends which is the best way to de-stress. Tequila works quite well too.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

There have been quite a few along the way which is probably why I am still there. Eight years ago, Blue Moon shifted focus from once-off events and theatre into long term sustained employee engagement campaigns. The first campaign was a huge challenge but one of the best learning curves of my life.

More recently, I have shifted into a management role. Sadly, I’m a bit of a control freak so I’m very happy managing a project but not quite as comfortable managing people (all extremely competent and running their own projects I might add) so it has been quite an adjustment letting them get on with it their way!

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

Cruisers. Everyone in this business works very hard indeed so the people who are in it for the imagined glamour and aren’t prepared to put in time and effort to gain experience should move on.

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Apple for the iPod, Lindt for the chocolate, Patron for the tequila and Woolworths for everything else.

• How do you relax?

Horizontally with a book in my hand.

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

Mobile (my phone bill is ridiculous) for family and close friends, Skype for the out-of-towners, Facebook for the quick catch ups and to stay up to date with what people are up to.

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

Zinkwazi on the North coast is my current favourite – beautiful beaches, out of town but not too remote. Failing that, Joburg in December is fabulous.

• What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Sleep late (if kids, hadedas and dogs allow), good coffee and nowhere to go but the couch with the Sunday Times.

• Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

I don’t really have one – I prefer to get my teeth into a fat book.

• Do you have a favorite online site?

Google’s the default and Wikipedia even though I know they might be talking rot some of the time.

• What’s your best dining out venue?

We’re thankfully nearly done with Spur. Espresso in Parkhurst, Doppio Zero in Greenside and anywhere that serves good seafood.

Ignatius Muthien’s entire career has been steeped in the business of transport. Sitting tall and in control in the driver’s seat, he has worked in a hands-on capacity within every aspect of this challenging sector. He was a road transport all rounder , before specializing in passenger transport for the last decade. He was involved in various capacities, from operations to stakeholder management, scheduling, safety, compliance, training and marketing. This career passion culminated in the publication of his book this month that is based on his MBA dissertation. As Senior Manager: Hino Marketing of Toyota SA’ s – Hino Division. his considerable knowledge and hard won expertise made him the ideal person to spearhead the task of carving a new brand identity and marketing strategy for the Toyota Trucks Division now called Hino SA.

What’s a typical workday for you?

Hectic! It depends on what I’m busy with, sometimes its meeting intensive and other times I have to travel a lot.  I’m responsible for the marketing strategies of 54 Hino dealers in Southern Africa as well as Hino SA’ s corporate marketing strategies.  You constantly have to consult and advise the bigger Hino dealer groups, which have their own marketing divisions, to the little independent dealers, which need mentoring with respect to the Hino Corporate Image. In addition, I have to manage relationships with our advertising agency, and ensure execution of our communications and brand building strategies. We have the longest client/agency relationship in the motor industry, that I know of.

What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

Constantly meeting new people, the fact that the older generation in the industry has adopted me,  being part of the broader motor industry family.

How do you handle work stresses?

I tease a lot and laugh a lot; it helps me cope with the stress.

What has been your biggest professional challenge?

I was asked by my mentor to come to the City of Gold and migrate the then Toyota Trucks brand to Hino SA. I set myself a target of 5 years to achieve this mammoth task, and completed it in less than 4 years.

I recently completed my book, “The economic development impact of passenger transport in the Klipfontein Corridor”. This was my dissertation topic when I completed my MBA in 2005.  VDM publishing approached me to publish my book, which is available online at www.amazon.com. So now I’m looking for the next biggest professional challenge to come my way.

What is your No 1 industry peeve?

People sending me “Please call me” sms’s.  Maybe I’m a little jealous because I still don’t know how to send a “please call me”.

What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Johnson’s & Johnson’s, Nokia and Jack Daniels.

How do you relax?

I usually braai with the family, listen to jazz, or go for a round of golf with friends or family.

What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

I use all of the above. I have a big family, who spans a couple of generations. Some are BC (before computers), and others more technologically savvy.

What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. The Cape Town International Jazz Festival is a must.

What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

We start our day with the early service at our church, then head over to the local joint for a buffet breakfast, then back home, where I sit and read the newspaper or work on my laptop.

Do you have a favorite online site?

www.linkedin.com,

What’s your best dining out venue?

It depends on the day, for rugby fixtures if my team is playing away, we usually head to the local Dros to watch the match.  My teenage boys love Spur burgers and milkshakes; I personally prefer  something with a little kick, like Nando’s. I have to commend them, they have some amazing advertisements

Zayd has previously held positions at Unilever (South Africa, Turkey), Coca-Cola Enterprises (UK), L’Oreal (UK), Tiger Brands (South Africa), Calvin Klein (South Africa) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Some career highlights before joining Coca-Cola include successfully migrating South Africa’s Number 1 Deodorant brand Ego to Axe. He is passionate about portfolio management, coaching and nurturing talent, business model re-engineering, and repairing troubled brands. Zayd is born, bred and educated.

• What’s a typical workday for you?

Typically my days are meeting-intense, so preparation and follow-up is key. A chunk of my day is spent on coaching and enabling team deliverables, engagement of senior business members, while keeping time to ensure that the future growth strategies are developed. It’s a collaborative culture, so a lot of time is spent consulting cross functionally co-developing or aligning. With 2010 on our doorsteps, there is a strong emphasis on delivering the now while planning the future

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

I am fortunate to lead an incredibly passionate and diverse team in Sparkling portfolio. Together we are custodians of a significant part of our total Beverage range, with an accountability of 15 brands, from the biggest – Coca-Cola – to the more niche. Within the portfolio, there is a good balance between big global brands, and smaller local brands. We represent a significant part of the global business, making every action incredibly significant on the bigger picture.
Each brand brings its own diversity of target market ranging through the demo and sociographics, different market behaviours, business challenges, opportunities, nuances and business models.
Coca-Cola allows me to fulfill my passion for community upliftment, celebrate my love for soccer and music, and Fanta and Sprite allow me to explore interesting other passions such as humour and hip-hop.

• How do you handle work stresses?

I try to get decent rest at night, and wake up at the same time everyday – when I don’t do this, things don’t really work out. I definitely try to reprioritize constantly, what’s important and urgent, what can be delegated, what needs to be escalated, and what needs to be done. I am a firm believer in seeking to understand – sometimes stress comes when we don’t spend the time on the actual issue is. I try to remain CALM under pressure, while being clear what my views are.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Each step in one’s career poses unique professional challenges – these are the things that drive us marketers to new heights. I will reference an example that set me up to deal with future challenges via personal growth and leadership capability: Changing the name of Ego to Axe in 2001 when I was at Unilever – turning a value chain opportunity into a consumer relevant, insight-driven proposition, high risk, laser sharp focus on strategy and execution, and a sustainable brand was born without compromising the core user base. Critical to success was full business engagement and involvement through the ranks, leading from the front, whiles bringing people along, and ultimately a united voice in the marketplace.

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

Getting asked for World Cup tickets.

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Coca-Cola, really! I have been in love with Coca-Cola I was 3 years old. It really does open happiness, so I am a true red believer. It is the only brand that I am truly loyal to.
PS. Apple is slowly creeping up there – between my IPods and my Mac, I’m hooked.

• How do you relax?

Unwind with friends, important for me-time too, try to get my heart pumping at least 3 times a week (gym being the most convenient), listen to lots of music across genres, read autobiographies, sometimes Blackberry off on Saturdays, go home to Durban once and a month – catch up with family, friends, and the sea. Holiday somewhere with sea and sun at least once a year.

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

SMS, Calls from my Mobile, Blackberry Messenger, Skype, Facebook, Twitter.

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

eThekwini and iKapa – different times of the year, different reasons, different experiences, but both ROCK!

• What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Catching up on life (coffee, breakfast with close ones, old DVD’s – Pulp Fiction is my favourite, listening to my best music on vinyl, chatting cross continental on Skype, catching up on Facebook and my personal mails).

• Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

Men’s Health, Harvard Business Review, Q Magazine, Destiny Man

• Do you have a favorite online site?

Wikipedia – everything I need to know anytime. Sometimes the references are inaccurate, but certainly my first stop before I delve deeper.
Billboard.com- almost all the world’s music news, and the US charts in such detail. The Daily Noise newsletter is definitely worth it.

• What’s your best dining out venue?

Indulge (Marriot Road, Durban), warm, smart, small. Perfect to catch up with close friends over fine food and amazing tastes. The BEST lamb shank ever. (I’ve had this delivered to Jozi twice already)

What’s a typical workday for you?

What is Typical?

What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

It’s forever changing, making me want to work harder and do more.

How do you handle work stresses?

I have a strong support structure at work and at home, so that helps a lot.

What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Trying to make it in the Middle East, wasn’t as easy as I thought… but I believe the difference between the impossible and what is possible is determination.  I can at least say I have achieved some of that.

What is your No 1 industry peeve?

Everyone feels as though they are deserving of something.

What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

God! There is no other that looks better on me.

How do you relax?

Sitting at home with family.

What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

Cape Town and Durban. Probably because I have not been to the other provinces yet.

What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Koeksisters, coffee and Sunday Times.

Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

Mens Health, GQ

Do you have a favorite online site?

Adage.com! Interesting to know what other markets are doing out there…

What’s your best dining out venue?

Moyo’s.

• What’s a typical workday for you?

Very funny.

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

The plastic sleeves

• How do you handle work stresses?

Deep meditation and binge drinking. It’s called balance.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Stepping up to the challenge of running a legendary agency

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

The pettiness. And those who expect it all on a silver platter

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Apple and Omega (I collect watches)

• How do you relax?

Slowly

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

sms, e-mails, bit of Facebook, cellphone

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

Anywhere with Big ocean and small talk.

• What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

My kids waking up after 6am

• Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

Vanity Fair, Men’s Health, Farmers Weekly and Rooi Rose (o.k. just the first two)

• Do you have a favorite online site?

Postsecret.com and theonion.com

• What’s your best dining out venue?

Tsunami and Assagi

• What’s a typical workday for you?

9am-9pm with lots of action. Working with a tight-knit team in Joburg and a satellite team in Nigeria, over 20 cool clients and loads of kids, teens and young adults who are our market. Pace. Fun!

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

The creative thought and idea generation involved, and the dynamism of 3-23 year olds as a market.

• How do you handle work stresses?

Pulling good people into a collaborative environment to help solve things, there’s always a way…and chatting to kids – they are great at grounding us, adding perspective and generating a smile.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Creating shared belief, work ethic and passion in people. There have been some blow-by-blow skull-cracking incidents over the years, but if you have a dedicated, gung-ho team and good relationships, everything’s manageable.

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

One that is fast-changing, but the notion that execution should be paid for, but insight-fueled invention should be free (or at least cheap).

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Guess, CAR, Issey Miyaki, Levi’s, Lindt…(and a car-watch-shoe brand cluster too big to roll out here).

Movies, skiing, travel, rap jumping, gymnastics and lots of tea (oddly).

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

I’m pretty old school actually: e-mail and SMS, and only small doses of phone and SNS…almost never Faceballs if I can help it.

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

The KZN North Coast – good weather, great beaches, an ocean that you can stay in for more than 23 seconds…

• What’s your idea of a relaxing Sunday morning?

Weekend papers, car wash, sunshine, good brunch, sunshine, drop-top, sunshine, movies.

• Which are your favorite must-have printed media titles?

CAR Magazine, The Times, Sunday Times (most of the business and trade media I read online).

• Do you have a favorite online site?

Top 8 okay? Google (everyone’s?), TimesLive, IOL, BizCommunity, Wikipedia, AutoTrader for car drool and IMDB and M&G for movie trivia and entertainment reviews.

• What’s your best dining out venue?

Sugo in Partktown North (Joburg) is my ‘local’, Cnr. Café as the perfect brunch spot, and Roots at Forum Homini for special occasions. There are a lot more great places in Durbs and Cape Town though.

Lots of e-mail, lots of running around and meetings and of course lots of taste testing

• What do you enjoy most about your portfolio?

Firstly, the brand LINDT. I am lucky to work for such a fantastic brand that I truly believe in – it makes my job so much more enjoyable. I enjoy the strategizing part the most.



• How do you handle work stresses?

Deep breaths in the office and a long run after work. If I have had a stressful day, I find exercise the best stress reliever. A glass of ice cold white wine also does the trick.

• What has been your biggest professional challenge?

Always ensuring that the brand is one step ahead of the competitors especially in this volatile economic environment.

• What is your No 1 industry peeve?

The misunderstanding in business that marketing is all fluffy and pretty and up in the clouds.

• What are the favorite brands that you cannot live without?

Lindt of course. Woolies food, Dermalogica, and Vida coffee.

• How do you relax?

A glass of wine in the evenings with a good book or magazine after the kids have gone to sleep.

• What’s your chosen way to communicate with family and friends, (mobile, social networking pages like Facebook, Skype, emails, fixed lined telephone)?

E-mail as I am always on it and my mobile.

• What’s a favorite local holiday destination?

The Seychelles for a relaxing week in the sun.