Media Moves: Kieno Kammies hosts Innovate Africa, Babalwa Donkrag appointed managing director at KLA, entries open for Algoa FM Big Walk

The Media Online’s weekly round up of people, account and business moves in media.

This week’s BIG move: Kieno Kammies hosts comeback business show on Arena platforms

Veteran broadcaster Kieno Kammies making a comeback in the media in a partnership with Arena Holdings. Kammies, co-founder of Innovation City Cape Town, will host a weekly show called Innovate Africa, which focuses on innovation in Africa. The show is syndicated across the Arena news platforms.

“Having co-founded Innovation City Cape Town and working in the business daily, being immersed in the most amazing stories created by people turning challenges into reality, made me realise the way we cover business is too one dimensional, with the same CEOs being interviewed day in and day out,” he said.

“It’s time to change that and focus. We also need to speak to the innovative businesses building our future, and impacting lives, and the people who enable them.”

In his new show Innovate Africa, veteran Kammies tackles the question: Does South Africa continue to be investable? To answer, he will interview South African entrepreneurs and innovators to determine whether there are golden business ideas for investors to explore.

Kammies takes on the new show after working as a broadcaster for nearly three decades. He worked for Primedia and as an NBC New York correspondent.

Kammies told TimesLIVE: “The show is to connect growing businesses to other companies. If we can highlight the amazing investable, life-changing solutions these entrepreneurs cover then it would make the world a better place. It encourages our young people, affected by the high unemployment rate, to be innovative.”

 People moves

IAB SA Front Row welcomes 15 new delegates

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa’s Education Council has announced 15 delegates to its Front Row initiative for 2024.

The IAB SA Education Council’s Front Row initiative aims to identify and provide a platform for the 15 young, ambitious and talented members of the digital media and marketing industry, offering a springboard to launch their careers.

Through the programme, participants will receive sponsored access to awards ceremonies, digital media and marketing educational programmes, workshops and courses, and industry-leading events.

These activities and platforms further provide knowledge-sharing, networking and mentorship from respected giants in the South African digital media and marketing landscape. The experience aims to inspire and energise the participants for their future careers.

Nominated by industry peers and leaders, the following delegates were selected for their potential to lead and innovate:

Babalwa Donkrag appointed managing director at KLA

KLA, a consumer insights agency, has appointed Babalwa Donkrag as managing director.

Donkrag’s story is the stuff fairy tales are made of. She started working at KLA in 2012 as a survey programmer, and then moved on to become a data analyst from 2013 to 2015. In 2017, (having left the company for a while), she rejoined KLA in the operations department.

In 2020, she was promoted to systems director and was responsible for overseeing the technical department, Qual & Quant operations, the YourView consumer panel, and serving as an executive member.

Under her leadership, KLA pivoted its offerings allowing the business to continue its growth trajectory through Covid-19, and steered the growth of the KLA consumer panel from 10 000 to 120 000 panellists. With these accomplishments, and her natural leadership style, she was offered the opportunity to become a partner in the business and in July, was appointed as Managing Director of KLA.

She said, “I am honoured to take on this role. I look forward to leading the team, ensuring that KLA remains at the forefront of the industry.”

Mahoney to take over SA National Cross Country Motorcycle Championship

Motorsport South Africa (MSA) has announced that racing legend, Louwrens Mahoney, will be taking over the reins of the South African National Cross Country Motorcycle Championship.

Multiple South African national champion and 3 x Roof of Africa winner, Mahoney needs little introduction. Mahoney and his wife Marilyn, will officially take over as Chairman and Vice Chairperson of the MSA Cross Country Motorcycle Working Group, following the double header this weekend in Upington, from Kyle Enslin and Deanne Ballington respectively.

Business moves

Flow Communications appointed to promote ‘HerVenture’ mobile application for Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

Flow Communications has been appointed by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to promote the HerVenture mobile application in South Africa and Nigeria.

Blair, a committed campaigner for women’s rights and wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, founded the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in 2008. It is dedicated to creating a future where women worldwide have equal economic opportunities to thrive. Together with its partners globally, the foundation empowers women in low- and middle-income countries to start, sustain and grow successful enterprises, breaking through gendered barriers to reach their potential.

The free HerVenture app is tailor-made to support women entrepreneurs in micro and small enterprises across all sectors. This award-winning app offers essential business training and support on the go, fitting seamlessly into women’s busy lives. With a variety of learning tracks covering topics such as launching a business, accessing finance, market expansion, e-commerce and mobile money, HerVenture provides invaluable resources for women on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Primedia Sport leads with new masterclass featuring Harvard’s Professor Anita Elberse

Primedia Sport recently hosted the latest edition of the Primedia Sport & Entertainment Masterclass. This influential event featured Lincoln Filene Professor Anita Elberse from Harvard Business School, renowned for her globally popular Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sport Executive Education programme.

Under the recent leadership of Tobie Badenhorst, the new Vice President of Primedia Sport, this masterclass is part of a series designed to establish Primedia as a thought leader in the sports and entertainment industries, sharing innovative insights and strategies to elevate the local market to global standards.

This Masterclass series, which Primedia Sport is actively developing, serves as a key resource for industry professionals, brands, sports federations, and the industry at large. It is a proposition designed for growth, offering partners the opportunity to extract maximum value and leverage their sports investments, sponsorships, and activations.

Radisson Hotel Group appoints Hook, Line & Sinker

Radisson Hotel Group has appointed award-winning and integrated public relations and marketing agency, Hook, Line & Sinker (HLS), to manage its South African hotel portfolio.

“We are excited and empowered by HLS’s creativity, digital know-how and PR industry expertise that will connect with key audiences as we continue to drive brand awareness in one of our key markets, South Africa,” said Saadiyah Hendricks, area director, PR & Social Media, Middle East, Africa, Mediterranean and South East Asia Pacific at Radisson Hotel Group.

“We look forward to embarking on this exciting PR-journey together, driving relevance with our core audiences through inspiring moments and stories as well as strategic collaborations that highlight our values, while showcasing our diverse portfolio and offerings.”

The Radisson Group is the latest win for HLS and joins several new client wins this quarter, including Business Partners, Motorvaps Holdings, Cisco, and inDrive.

Steenberg Farm unveils refreshed brand identity

Steenberg Farm in the Constantia wine region is rebranding to capture the essence of its storied evolution from historic farmland to premium lifestyle destination.

Centuries after its intrepid founder, Catharina ‘Tryn’ Ras, arrived in the area to become Southern Africa’s first female landowner, Steenberg has taken flight to shape its future as a traveller’s paradise, marrying prestige and playfulness with heritage and innovation.

This stunning transition is encapsulated in the rebrand, the focal point being the Farm’s famed goose logo—a callback to its original name of Swaaneweide, or The Feeding Place of Swans, as Catharina innocently named it as a 17th-century German unfamiliar with Africa’s birdlife.

“Our new brand identity expresses these qualities with a refreshed look and logo that is elegant and light-hearted,” says David Burford, CEO of Steenberg owner Beck Family Estates.

Making moves

PRISA Women in Power 2024: Women Leading for Change

The Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa is thrilled to announce its upcoming event themed, PRISA Women In Power- Women Leading For Change, a dynamic gathering designed to inspire, educate, and connect women from diverse backgrounds.

This impactful event aims to provide a platform for networking meaningful connections, offer insightful discussions on topics relevant to women’s empowerment, celebrate women’s achievements and success, fostering a personal and professional growth and to also promote inclusivity, diversity and equality.

Hosted by renowned broadcaster and public relations practioner, Masechaba Khumalo, the event brings together a distinguished panel of speakers including Mary Gearing, deputy manager at Magna Carta, Thabile Ngwato, the co-founder of Newzroom Africa, Marion Scher, writer/media trainer at Media Mentors, Dr Caroline Azionya, a senior lecturer in Strategic Communications at the University of Johannesburg, Ntandoyenkosinabadala Makhoba, assistant accountant executive at Burson Africa, Prof Tinuade Ojo, who is an associate professor at the University of Johannesburg and Aaliyah Abdoullah, a student at the University of Johannesburg.

To book your seat, please click on the Link. The event will take place on Friday, 30 August 2024, at Henley Business School, 1 Witkoppen Road, Paulshof Johannesburg from 14:00 to 17:00.

Entries now open for 2024 Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer presented by ISUZU Motors South Africa

Lace up and enter the annual Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer presented by ISUZU MOTORS South Africa. The event remains true to its cause and is held to increase cancer awareness.

In 2024 it will raise funds for the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC) and St Bernard’s Hospice in East London, and St Francis Hospice in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Over the past 10 years the event has raised more than R4 million for cancer charities, with participants walking around eight million steps in support of those affected by cancer.

For the 26th annual Algoa FM Big Walk for Cancer, the focus is on making an impact together – your participation matters, every step taken, every rand raised, is making a difference for our beneficiaries this year and to show support for those affected by cancer.

“When you’ve been supporting a cause of this magnitude for 26 out of your 38 years in business, the why is engrained in your DNA,” said Algoa FM managing director Alfie Jay.

CHOC East London plans to use the funds raised to upgrade its kitchens and cold storage facilities, which will allow the charity to accept large food donations which at present cannot be accommodated.

Entries are now open on www.algoafm.co.za.

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