Media Moves: Daily Maverick’s The Gathering returns, Meta Media celebrates Claire Herman’s appointment to AMASA council, FFWD and Eclipse Communications join forces

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

This week’s BIG move: Daily Maverick’s flagship event, The Gathering, returns for its 15th edition

People moves

Meta Media celebrates Claire Herman’s appointment to the AMASA council

Meta Media, a leading full-service media agency is thrilled to announce the appointment of Claire Herman, Media Director at Meta Media Johannesburg, to the Advertising Media Association of South Africa (AMASA) Council.

Herman’s appointment is more than a personal milestone. It’s a powerful acknowledgment of her 25 years of industry leadership, unwavering dedication to media excellence, and her passion for nurturing the next generation of talent.

Known for her strategic clarity, calm under pressure, and collaborative leadership, Herman has helped define how brands connect with audiences — always with intention, insight, and impact. As a member of the AMASA Council, she will continue to drive innovation and excellence in the advertising and marketing industry.

“I am truly honoured to be joining the AMASA Council. As someone who is passionate about mentoring and training young media talent, I am excited to contribute to the growth and development of the industry. This opportunity aligns perfectly with my values, and I am looking forward to making a meaningful impact,” says Herman.

AMASA Council is committed to shaping the future of media and marketing in South Africa and Herman’s voice on the Council is not just a win for Meta Media — it’s a win for the industry.

Bruce Whitfield returns with bold new News24 business podcast

Acclaimed financial journalist Bruce Whitfield is launching a new weekly podcast on News24.

Whitfield spent two decades helping people understand and enjoy business news as the voice of the The Money Show. He has written three books (with a fourth coming out soon), is a keynote speaker, and has contributed widely to various South African media houses.

“I think what I’ve been able to do over many years – and I’ve fallen into the bad traps of jargon from time to time – is always putting myself in the position of 2000’s Bruce to ‘actually, why does that even matter? Why should anyone even care about it?'”

“My job is to tell the difference and deliver great business content without the boring bits,” he said.

He added that his podcast, Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week, would explain everything important that has happened in the world in 30 minutes.

“It’s good to be getting back into the saddle again in some form, and truly consolidating what’s important in the world and helping people understand what is worth worrying about and not worrying about,” he said.

Bruce Whitfield’s Business Week kicks off on Thursday 17 July at 17:00.

AdHive Group names first-ever human capital director

AdHive Group, the precision marketing agency supporting several international brands in South Africa, has appointed Poonam Ghela as its first Human Capital Director. This strategic move underscores the company’s commitment to placing culture and people at the heart of its next phase of growth.

Ghela joins as AdHive marks 10 years of innovation in the marketing space, with its divisions TechHive, IdeaHive, and Amplify Hive redefining how data, creativity, and experiences come together. Her role will focus on aligning people strategy with business strategy, building scalable systems that help teams thrive and strengthening the agency’s reputation as a great place to work.

“Precision marketing goes beyond the tools. It is also about the people who know how to use them,” says Ghela. “I am excited to help shape an environment where our values are felt, not just framed and where HR becomes a growth partner, not just a support function.”

Ghela holds degrees in both Clinical and Industrial Psychology, as well as an MBA.

FFWD and Eclipse Communications join forces to lead a new era in corporate communications

The Eclipse Communications Group of Companies has announced that Devlin Brown is rejoining Eclipse as managing partner to lead its revamped corporate division, FFWD Eclipse. Devlin returns after five years, in which time he launched and grew a successful communications consultancy and honed his strategic business acumen.

He brings significant senior strategy and oversight with a proven track record and reputation of providing the kind of trusted counsel that C-suites need, strengthening the agency’s ability to continue delivering exceptional results for its clients.

“It’s business as usual in the Eclipse Communications Corporate division, but with the added benefit of Devlin’s heavyweight experience and strategic insight guiding the business into its next chapter as FFWD Eclipse,” said Steve Powell, CEO of Eclipse Communications. “We’re committed to growing the business, letting our team’s talent shine and to making a positive impact in the businesses of our clients.”

Brown said, “I return to Eclipse after a highly successful, fast-paced and dynamic five years. I am thrilled to take on the Managing Partner role at FFWD Eclipse, with a priority being the growth of the agency’s staff, client base and service offering,” says Brown. “This new chapter is all about agility, growth, supporting clients and building on the strong foundation and reputation of a business founded by Jacki McEwen-Powell more than two decades ago.”

Pabi Moloi to host The Insurance Apprentice on S3

S3 is introducing The Insurance Apprentice on Thursdays at 19:00, starting 17 July 2025, headlined by Sasria SOC Ltd.

Hosted by a dynamic media personality, Pabi Moloi, the series will feature eight high-impact episodes packed with real-world insurance challenges.

The Insurance Apprentice is a prestigious reality-style competition designed to identify and celebrate emerging talent in the insurance industry, while dispelling common misconceptions and fostering leadership.

Filmed over one week, ten contestants will face a series of real-world challenges, eliminations, and expert guidance, showcasing their skills, knowledge, and innovation as they compete for the coveted title of The Insurance Apprentice.

The Insurance Apprentice judges Simon Coleman, the CEO of The Liability Company, with 30 years of experience in the insurance industry as a liability specialist and Nox Dlamini, co-founder of BYOR Insurance & Risk Specialists will guide the contestants through the weekly challenges.

“Hosting Season 11 of The Insurance Apprentice is an exciting and rewarding experience,” said Moloi. “Each episode gives me the chance to engage with dynamic young professionals who are not only passionate about the insurance industry but are also shaping its future.”

WPP appoints Baiju Shah as global CEO of AKQA

WPP has announced the appointment of Baiju Shah as the new global CEO of AKQA, WPP’s design and innovation company.

Shah joins from Accenture Song where he was most recently global chief strategy officer. His appointment reflects WPP’s mission to deliver outstanding creativity coupled with expertise in AI, data, and technology.

Shah will lead AKQA at a time when clients look to turn rapid cultural change and AI into new opportunities. His deep expertise across creativity, strategy, technology, and AI will help brands capture this moment and guide AKQA into its next chapter.

His appointment reinforces AKQA’s continued commitment to creative innovation on a global scale, with a focus on building products, services and experiences that inspire, drive growth and deliver lasting impact for people, brands and society.

Over 25 years, Baiju has worked with leading global brands to boost customer relevance and business performance. As a co-founder of Accenture Song (formerly Accenture Interactive), the creative division of Accenture, he served as Global Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Managing Director, shaping its vision, growth strategy, acquisitions and offerings.

Type Directors Club’s Carol Wahler transitions to executive director emeritus

As part of the succession plan at the Type Directors Club, the organisation has announced the transition of Carol Wahler, who for more than four decades served as the driving force behind the global club, to the role of executive director emeritus.

Artist, designer, and educator Joe Newton has been named as TDC’s new executive director.

Established in 1946 and part of The One Club for Creativity since 2020, TDC is the world’s leading typography organisation. The group exists to serve the global type community, and celebrates and amplifies the power of typography through its prestigious annual TDC competition and other programming during the year.

Wahler is widely recognised for successfully building a sense of community within the profession, and her unwavering passion for helping typographers and designers at all levels.

Business moves

PUBG MOBILE goes all-in for Africa

PUBG MOBILE, one of the world’s most popular mobile games, is deepening its commitment to African players with a groundbreaking set of upgrades, cultural integrations, and continent-wide community initiatives. With the rallying call For Africa, By Africa, this latest expansion delivers not just better gameplay—but a stronger sense of identity and pride for African gamers.

Over the past year, PUBG MOBILE has actively listened to its passionate African fanbase, addressing concerns ranging from latency issues to the desire for cultural representation in-game. Today, the brand is proud to unveil a robust suite of enhancements made with and forAfrican players.

For the first time ever, PUBG MOBILE has launched dedicated local servers in Nigeria and South Africa, drastically improving latency, connection stability, and overall gameplay quality for millions of African users.

“We understand that stable, smooth gameplay is critical for competitive players and always prioritize the needs of our African community. Brian Gu, head of PUBG Mobile Africa, said “To continuously optimize your experience, we’ve introduced a Server Node Selection feature based on diverse African player needs. Through a dedicated matchmaking interface, you can choose whether you want to compete within Africa or challenge global players rapidly, with a one-tap solution that delivers a faster, more stable connection – because you deserve millisecond-precise responsiveness”

MullenLowe South Africa helps LEGO South Africa hit 100 000 followers on Instagram

In 2020, MullenLowe South Africa was entrusted with leading the management of the LEGO® South Africa social media presence. As one of the world’s most beloved brands, for both children and adults, safeguarding and growing the voice of LEGO® in the local market came with both pride and responsibility.

In that time, the agency has helped cultivate a thriving community of fans, creators, collectors, and everyday builders. Toward the end of June, that work reached an exciting milestone: 100 000 followers on the LEGO® South Africa Instagram page.

While follower count is often considered a vanity metric, this number reflects more than just growth, it represents a highly engaged, passionate community. Over the past five years (April 2020 to June 2025), the page has seen:

• 1.3 million+ engagements
• 107 000 saves
• 29 000 comments
• Over 21 million organic impressions
• More than 310 million paid impressions
• 11 million video views

Helm ranked among top solutions providers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Intelligent customer experience company Helm has been recognised as the second-ranked Solutions Provider in Sub-Saharan Africa in the latest SMARTIES Business Impact Index (BII), released in July 2025. This is a prestigious global ranking that identifies companies delivering the most significant real-world business results.

Compiled annually by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the BII recognises outstanding performance across all Smarties Awards competitions, factoring in both award level and market competitiveness. Helm’s strong 2023 awards performance and continued focus on innovative, mobile-first marketing solutions secured its spot among the top agencies in the region last week.

“Being ranked among the top providers in Sub-Saharan Africa is a badge we wear proudly,” says Stef Adonis, head of marketing at Helm. “The results we’ve delivered on home soil are being recognised across the continent and beyond, showing that South African customer experience solutions are up there with the best. This ranking also reinforces our belief that solutions should be measured by real business impact.”

Takealot Group launches News24 benefit

A little over a year ago, the Takealot Group launched TakealotMORE, disrupting the market with a groundbreaking new loyalty subscription service that offers the best of South Africa’s favourite online stores, Takealot and Mr D.

Now, TakealotMORE members have something else to look forward to: the launch of an exclusive News24 benefit. Starting this July, all TakealotMORE Premium plan members will have access to South Africa’s largest trusted news site at no extra cost.

For just R99 per month, TakealotMORE members will now be able to unlock a News24 subscription valued at R109 per month, on top of their existing benefits like unlimited free same-day delivery and collect from Takealot, unlimited free Mr D restaurants and Pick n Pay grocery deliveries, exclusive MORE deals and even early access to some of the biggest sales of the year.

France 24 achieves record performance on YouTube in June

Thanks to its responsive and expert coverage of international news, France 24 recorded an exceptional June on YouTube, with 146 million video views and a record averageviewing time of 7 minutes and 3 seconds. This performance reinforces its status as the leading French media outlet on the platform.

June’s result confirms France 24’s dynamic performance on YouTube since the beginning of the year. Over the first half of 2025, France 24 accumulated 749 million views (+38.36% compared to the same period in 2024) and gained 1.2 million new subscribers(+22%). This success is driven by all of France 24’s channels, with remarkable growth in all its languages: +101% views in Arabic, +51% views in English, +25% views in French, and +21% views in Spanish.

This achievement illustrates the benchmark character of the French international news channel, as well as the major role it plays in providing reliable, verified, and expert information worldwide.

BBC’s response to global news events drives audience growth

The BBC’s coverage of international conflicts, crises and elections has boosted its international audience year-on-year to reach 418 million people on average every week. The total BBC audience, including content made and distributed by BBC Studios, grew by three million to 453 million.

Audiences came to BBC News for the latest news and developments as elections, global conflicts and political unrest dominated the past year. The majority of the BBC’s international audience came to the BBC World Service (World Service English, World Service Languages) with content reaching 313m people on average every week.

In the Middle East, BBC News Arabic grew its weekly audience reach to 39.5 million – up nearly 13% – with growth across Arabic TV and digital programming as well as 1.2 million listeners tuning into the Gaza and Syrian lifeline radio services. The fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Israel-Gaza conflict both contributed to significant boosts in audiences seeking trusted news and information.

BBC News Persian saw audiences rise a staggering 38% to 24 million as Persian-speakers in Iran and around the world sought out the latest news amid unrest in the region. Despite the challenges of reaching audiences across Iran, the service’s TV channel – the largest international news channel in Iran – is viewed by a record audience of 14m. The BBC now reaches one in four people in Iran every week.

In the United States, the November election and subsequent news around President Trump saw spikes in the number of people coming to BBC News. Audiences increased on digital platforms with the country accounting for 55% of growth on BBC.com

With BBC World Service language services BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo also both experiencing audience boosts, the BBC now reaches 83m people across the Americas every week.

Making moves

Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels celebrates two decades of changing lives

Jacaranda FM is celebrating the monumental milestone of its community upliftment initiative, Good Morning Angels. For two decades, Good Morning Angels has stood as a pillar of good within the Jacaranda FM community, profoundly impacting and changing countless lives across South Africa every Wednesday morning on Jacaranda FM’s ‘Breakfast With Martin Bester’.

The success of Good Morning Angels is intrinsically linked to the compassion of the Jacaranda FM listeners and the unwavering support of corporates. These ‘angels’ consistently step up, donating through impactful fundraisers like the annual Good Morning Angels Golf Day, which famously raised over R4,85 million in 2024 alone, or donating throughout the year to assist those whose stories have resonated with them.

Over the past 20 years, more than R120 million has been raised and distributed to provide vital support across a diverse range of needs, including life-saving medical intervention, educational bursaries, assistance for families facing hardship and tragedy, and support for animal welfare.

To commemorate this incredible 20-year journey, Good Morning Angels is launching a special celebratory series titled ‘Good Morning Angels, The Legacy’. This series will feature 20 former recipients who were assisted over the past two decades, sharing their powerful stories of hope and overcoming adversity, in their own voices, thanks to the kindness they received. These inspiring accounts will play out every Monday morning for the next 20 weeks, offering listeners a powerful testament to the long-term impact of collective kindness. The traditional Good Morning Angels segment, where the station continues to address immediate community needs, will remain a cherished feature on Wednesday mornings.

SABC2 reveals channel refresh

SABC2 introduced a new channel look on Tuesday 15. Viewers were introduced to the latest brand imaging, highlighting the era of ‘Entertainment for the unconventional modern South African family’, paired with the tagline ‘You Belong’ to promote inclusivity and community.

This refreshed imaging for SABC 2, designed to appeal to modern South African families, reaffirms the channel’s position in targeting households that include single-parent households, skip-generation families, nuclear families, LGBTQI households, extended family households, interracial couples, polygamous families, and co-parent households.

SABC2’s new image aligns with brand-new family values of inclusivity, cultural celebration, community, tonality and style. The channel continues to offer free-to-air, family-friendly content, delivering programming that reflects South African life and values, with a focus on local storytelling.

The channel takes pride in being a home that celebrates South African culture and stories, instilling a sense of national and cultural pride among viewers.