PRISA appoints Dr Caroline Azionya as president
The Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) has appointed Dr Caroline Azionya as its new President following the Institute’s 69th Annual General Meeting. She succeeds Bradly Howland, who will now lead the rollout of the Africa Declaration on the Professionalisation of Public Relations and Responsible Communication across the continent.
Azionya takes over as PRISA continues to strengthen professional standards and expand its African footprint. During Howland’s one-year term, the Institute achieved a clean external audit, grew membership by 38%, revitalised its Accredited Public Relations (APR) certification programme and restored its membership of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO).
PepsiCo appoints Suraya Hamdulay to lead Corporate Affairs
PepsiCo has appointed Suraya Hamdulay as Corporate Affairs Senior Director for Southern Africa, effective 1 July.
Hamdulay brings extensive experience across FMCG, telecommunications and sustainability, having previously held senior roles at Mars and Vodacom Group. She will oversee stakeholder engagement and drive PepsiCo Positive (pep+), the company’s long-term sustainability strategy.
Publicis Groupe Africa appoints Gideon Khobane
Publicis Groupe Africa has appointed Gideon Khobane as managing Director: Rest of Africa (excluding West Africa).
Khobane joins the executive committee after leadership roles at Amazon Prime Video, SuperSport and MultiChoice Group.
Koo Govender said: “Gideon’s deep understanding of African markets, proven leadership capabilities and passion for building businesses make him exceptionally well positioned to lead and accelerate our growth ambitions across key African markets.”
Business moves
Riverbed wins Menlyn Park Shopping Centre account
Integrated communications agency Riverbed has been appointed public relations partner for Menlyn Park Shopping Centre.
The agency will lead reputation management, media relations and integrated communications for the retail destination.
Riverbed CEO Monalisa Zwambila said: “Menlyn Park is more than a shopping centre — it’s a landmark destination that reflects the pulse of modern South African consumer culture.”
Forge launches free AI playbook
AI-powered creative agency Forge has released a free AI Playbook for agencies and marketers, challenging what it calls “AI Theatre”, the superficial use of artificial intelligence.
The guide argues that while AI delivers speed and scale, human judgement, creativity and cultural insight remain the real competitive advantage.
BBC reaches record global audience
BBC has surpassed 500 million weekly global users for the first time, reaching 502 million people across BBC News, the BBC World Service and BBC Studios.
Interim BBC News CEO Jonathan Munro said: “People come to our journalism in record-breaking numbers for the breadth and depth of BBC reporting.”
Making moves
G-SHOCK opens first South African flagship store
G-SHOCK, in partnership with James Ralph (Pty) Ltd, has officially opened its first South African flagship store at Canal Walk.
The launch featured live entertainment, product showcases and interactive experiences celebrating the brand’s urban culture positioning.
A spokesperson said: “The response to the opening exceeded our expectations… reinforcing our confidence in the South African market.”
HäusHub launches AI platform for property professionals
South African proptech startup HäusHub has launched an AI-powered platform designed to streamline compliance, client management and deal tracking for estate agents and property managers.
Founder Eide van Zyl said: “I wasn’t seeing a lack of effort from agents. I was seeing a broken system around them.”
Cape Town to host Africa’s first GCUC conference
Cape Town has been named the official host city for GCUC Africa 2026, the first Global Coworking Unconference Conference to be held on the continent.
The September event will bring together African and international leaders to explore the future of flexible workspaces, entrepreneurship and innovation.
East Coast Radio House + Garden Show attracts 66 300 visitors
The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026 welcomed 66,300 visitors, up 2% on last year, generating an estimated R263 million for Durban’s economy.
Show director Lara Bezuidenhout said: “The Show generated around R263 million through travel, accommodation, restaurants and tourism.”
Woolworths Financial Services launches MyDifference PLUS
Woolworths Financial Services has launched MyDifference PLUS, a new loyalty programme rewarding Woolies Credit Card and Store Card customers with cashback, personalised offers and exclusive savings.
Chief Customer Officer Maré Louw said: “We’ve created a programme that is not only more rewarding but one that builds deeper, more enduring customer relationships.”
Meta rolls out Muse Image AI tool
Meta has launched Muse Image, its first image-generation model from Meta Superintelligence Labs.
The tool enables users to generate, edit and share AI-created images across Meta AI, with new creative features rolling out on Instagram and WhatsApp before expanding to Facebook, Messenger and advertising products.
