Wavemaker South Africa’s chief strategy officer, Shaun Frazao, is heading to London to take up the prestigious position of strategy partner in the Wavemaker Worldwide team.
Frazao began his time at Wavemaker in 2019 as head of digital and content, with the mandate to head up the strategic product and offering for Wavemaker South Africa.
Frazao will join global head of strategy Chris Worrell’s team. “We are thrilled to welcome Shaun at Wavemaker Worldwide. Shaun’s experience, smarts and strategic philosophy will add enormous value to our team, the agency at large and, most importantly our clients as we seek to positively provoke growth,” Worrell said.
“Shaun was a standout candidate in the process, and I’m also delighted that we have been able to recruit from within the business – a testimony to the talent base of the agency, and the agile and forward-thinking way we do things at Wavemaker. Shaun joins at a time of accelerated transformation for global advertisers. Our clients are asking us to support them in a range of areas going through complex change, from data to eCommerce to addressable, and Shaun will be playing a key role in helping guide our clients, ensuring they are leveraging every opportunity for growth.”
The new role will require Frazao to develop strategy for global clients, assisting in developing the global strategy product as well as strategy for global pitches. Looking at sharing his expertise as well as finding professional growth in this new position, Frazao said he believes in taking initiative, and being open to learning throughout. “Being in a global role is different to that of a local role, and this is something that I am keen to understand and experience,” he said.
As part of “positively provoking growth”, the agency not only implements strategic alignment as part of their offering to clients, but to its own internal operations as well. “Being able to continue my growth with Wavemaker in their global team gives me the opportunity to not only share my skills to other markets but learn new skills,” Frazao said.
Global mobility has also allowed growth within the personal lives of employees who are willing to embrace new surroundings and opportunities. “I’m an eager and curious learner – I like new challenges,” he said. “This move will give me a lot of that from a professional point of view, but also a personal point of view, my partner and I will both be relocating to London, so it’s also a fun new adventure for our relationship.”
As a prime example of Global Mobility in action, Frazao’s journey emphasises the impact of strategic placement for Wavemaker. His appointment also demonstrates the quality of South African talent as growth now encompasses global roles, not just local positions.
“For the past three years, Shaun has been an instrumental part of the growth and success of Wavemaker South Africa, his commitment and drive is unmatched. We wish him the best on his new role as Strategic Partner at Wavemaker Worldwide in London” says Lwandile Qokweni, CEO of Wavemaker South Africa.
Frazao will continue the development and implementation of best-practice solutions from different markets and add to the global and local service offering that keeps Wavemaker world-class.
