Thebe Ikalafeng
Thebe Ikalafeng is arguably the foremost global African branding authority. In a distinguished corporate career which started at Colgate Palmolive in New York and concluded as chief marketing officer for NIKE for Africa, he won over 75 awards in branding and marketing communication globally. He is the founder of the award-winning Brand Leadership Group and has worked on over 100 corporate, nation and political brands across Africa. Brand Leadership has been recognized by Fin Week Magazine as “Marketing Services Agency of the Year” in 2008 and was inducted into the Rebrand Hall of Fame for Excellence in Branding in 2015. A fellow of the Institute of Directors, he is a non-executive director at South African Tourism, Mercantile Bank Group, Cartrack and WWF South Africa. He has held directorships in the public and private sector, including Brand South Africa, Foodcorp and Nike South Africa. He has been recognized by New African Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans. He founded Brand Africa, an inter-generational movement to create a positive image of Africa, celebrate its diversity and drive its competitiveness and Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the only pan-African research and ranking of brands in Africa, to promote excellence in building brands in Africa. He is widely quoted and consulted globally as the pre-eminent authority on brands and branding in Africa. He has judged awards on design, branding and leadership globally, including the Red Dot Design awards in Germany and St. Gallen Symposium ‘Wings of Excellence’ in Switzerland. He has served as the inaugural vice-chairman of the Brand Council of Southern Africa and as the first indigenous African chairman of the Loeries. Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University in the USA, completed executive education at Wits Business School in South Africa and Harvard Business School in the US, and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). He has summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest mountain in Africa and Mount Elbrus in Russia, the highest mountain in Europe. An avid traveller he has been to over 100 countries globally. An Afro optimist and passionate champion of African tourism, trade, business and ‘Made in Africa’ Excellence, he has been to every country in Africa. He writes, speaks and consults on Africa-focused branding, leadership and related matters. www.ikalafeng.africa
Thebe Ikalafeng is arguably the foremost global African branding authority. In a distinguished corporate career which started at Colgate Palmolive in New York and concluded as chief marketing officer for NIKE for Africa, he won over 75 awards in branding and marketing communication globally. He is the founder of the award-winning Brand Leadership Group and has worked on over 100 corporate, nation and political brands across Africa. Brand Leadership has been recognized by Fin Week Magazine as “Marketing Services Agency of the Year” in 2008 and was inducted into the Rebrand Hall of Fame for Excellence in Branding in 2015. A fellow of the Institute of Directors, he is a non-executive director at South African Tourism, Mercantile Bank Group, Cartrack and WWF South Africa. He has held directorships in the public and private sector, including Brand South Africa, Foodcorp and Nike South Africa. He has been recognized by New African Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Africans. He founded Brand Africa, an inter-generational movement to create a positive image of Africa, celebrate its diversity and drive its competitiveness and Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the only pan-African research and ranking of brands in Africa, to promote excellence in building brands in Africa. He is widely quoted and consulted globally as the pre-eminent authority on brands and branding in Africa. He has judged awards on design, branding and leadership globally, including the Red Dot Design awards in Germany and St. Gallen Symposium ‘Wings of Excellence’ in Switzerland. He has served as the inaugural vice-chairman of the Brand Council of Southern Africa and as the first indigenous African chairman of the Loeries. Ikalafeng holds BSc and MBA degrees from Marquette University in the USA, completed executive education at Wits Business School in South Africa and Harvard Business School in the US, and is a Chartered Marketer (SA). He has summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest mountain in Africa and Mount Elbrus in Russia, the highest mountain in Europe. An avid traveller he has been to over 100 countries globally. An Afro optimist and passionate champion of African tourism, trade, business and ‘Made in Africa’ Excellence, he has been to every country in Africa. He writes, speaks and consults on Africa-focused branding, leadership and related matters. www.ikalafeng.africa