Donald Mokgale is the newly appointed CEO for Out There Media Sub-Saharan Africa.
A former managing director of Carat Johannesburg, he has been in the industry for 13 years. Formerly development director of Posterscope SA, Mokgale has also worked in Ghana and Kenya. He currently sits on the board of the Advertising Media Forum, and judged the Media Innovation category at the 2019 Loeries Awards as well as the 2019 AMASA Awards.
I am 32 years old and so far in my career… I have experienced unbelievable growth and yet I still have so much more left. I have met the most incredible people, who have shaped me into the person I am today, from sleepless nights working on big client pitches to late nights in the heart of Lagos with the team. If I could go back to change one thing, it would certainly be nothing!
What excites you most about your new position at Out There Media? The product we are offering, a mobile solution on a mobile-first continent, the fact that we are looking at Africa and not just South Africa, and working with highly intelligent people who understand the power of tech to solve specific problems.
There are challenges attached to this job. What are the key issues you’re tackling and solutions you foresee? Stakeholder management, media budgets and bringing awareness of our product to clients. Solutions are building authentic relationships with all stakeholders and going on tour to raise awareness about our value proposition.
What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned on your business journey? Be authentic, be honest, be ethical, add value and never give up.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had and why? Sales executive at Media Foundry, because it wasn’t in line with what I wanted for myself and the company culture was misaligned with who I am.
The quality you most respect in people is… Respect for people regardless of position or stature.
Your pet hate is… Disrespect. I cannot tolerate this.
What scares you most… Not being myself.
Your best qualities are… Self-awareness, social intelligence and gift of the gab.
Your worst qualities are… Impatience, being too hard on myself and not switching off.
Your personal motto is… Excellence is perpetual motion with no arrival.
A perfect day would be… Abeach holiday with all my favourite people in my life, divine meals and music.
If you could have dinner with someone living or dead it would be… Kwame Nkrumah, best African leader ever to have lived.
The gadget/s you can’t live without and why… Phone, laptop, powerbank.
Your addiction is… Stimulating conversation, great food, style, Japanese sports cars, anime, battle rap, lo-fi hip-hop and neo soul music.
Your death-row meal would be… Jollof rice, fried plantain and goat meat.
You think the rest of 2020 will be… As unapologetically bizarre as it has been, and a provoker of innovation and change.
