Media Moves: Rogerwilco launches AI search, Echo; Teboho Mokoena named Investec ambassador; Bravo Africa launches on 7 October

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

This week’s BIG move: Rogerwilco launches AI search, Echo

1. High-volume, low-discoverability
2. Control over brand messaging
3. Decluttered decision-making
4. Insight-driven content strategy

People moves

Brent Lindeque joins eNCA with weekly Friday segment

In a heartening move to brighten your Fridays, Brent Lindeque, affectionately known as the ‘Good Things Guy’, will now appear on eNCA in a brand-new segment devoted to celebrating uplifting news stories from across South Africa and beyond.

The Feel Good Friday spot will be live every Friday at 08:15am, offering viewers a refreshing respite from the often-heavy news cycle. Brent’s signature blend of positivity, optimism and human-interest storytelling promises a feel-good twist to the end of the week.

“I’m thrilled to share stories of kindness, courage and innovation with eNCA viewers every Friday,” said Lindeque. “Having the opportunity to bring good news to South Africa on such a prominent platform every week is truly special. While it’s important to stay informed about the tough news so we can be active citizens, I’ve always believed we also need balance — and that balance comes in the form of uplifting, positive stories. It’s an absolute honour, and I hope the segment inspires hope and positivity in everyone who watches.”

“Our partnership with Brent Lindeque and Good Things Guy couldn’t have come at a better time. Our country is going through a lot lately, and that comes across in the type of stories dominating the news. But we’re not a lost nation and there’s a lot of good that happens on a daily basis that we as mainstream media cannot always get to., said eNCA managing director, Ndivhuho Norman Munzhelele.

Avatar welcomes new managing partner

Avatar has appointed Nash Koosialee as its new managing partner, effective from the beginning of August 2025. Koosialee has more than 20 years of experience leading integrated marketing and communications for some of South Africa’s most prominent brands.

“As Avatar we find great pleasure in welcoming Nash to the company and are looking forward to seeing her immerse herself in the various campaigns and creative work that we handle daily. For us, staying ahead of the curve when it comes to delivering exceptional, creative work that moves audiences and elevates our clients, both in creative expression and technological innovation is why we brought her onboard” says Lynda Fiebiger, managing director of Avatar Johannesburg.

Koosialee’s career spans telecommunications, financial services, FMCG, retail, and healthcare, where she has consistently driven growth, built long-standing client relationships, and delivered award-winning campaigns. She has held senior leadership roles at agencies including Ogilvy and VML, working on flagship accounts such as Vodacom, DStv, Shell and Nestlé.

Robyn Campbell appointed senior vice president: communications

Publicis Groupe Africa has appointed Robyn Campbell as senior vice president: communications, strengthening its leadership team with one of the industry’s most dynamic and respected voices.

Publicis Groupe Africa will draw on Campbell’s years of experience as she leads creative transformation across the Groupe, partnering closely with clients to sharpen brand and marketing impact in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Campbell brings a deep insight into the industry and a proven commitment to shaping the future of advertising in South Africa and beyond. She has judged multiple awards such as Advertising Week Africa, The Loerie Awards, Effies, Assegai Awards and The Bookmarks Awards; serves on the Loeries and Bookmarks committees; sits on the IAB South Africa board; and was named a 2025 South Africa Women Leaders Award winner by the World Women Leadership Congress.

She is equally passionate about transformation and mentorship, mentoring through SheSays Who’s Your Momma and co-launching The Forge, an educational transformation platform built by Machine, aimed at unlocking diverse talent pipelines for the industry.

Kagiso Trust appoints attorney Ayanda Khumalo to its board

Kagiso Trust appointed attorney Ayanda Khumalo to its board from 1 July 2025. Khumalo is partner pro bono at Webber Wentzel, where she provides legal services without charge to those who cannot afford them. She is a trustee of the Alliance for Rural Democracy, which protects land rights in the former Bantustans, and a former board member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. She is also the current Chairperson of Boxing South Africa.

Kagiso Trust board chairperson Mankone Ntsaba said Khumalo has worked at the intersection of civil society, government and the law, and her achievements include drafting the human rights goal in the National Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS, securing approval for the use of new TB and cancer drugs, and representing clients who had faced discrimination based on their HIV or TB status.

“Ayanda was also instrumental in establishing an advice line through Legal Aid SA for individuals discriminated against based on their HIV and TB status, and she has represented clients from various African countries seeking refugee status.”

Maria Pouroullis Carpenter appointed head of Momentum Multiply

Multiply, a vital component of the broader Momentum Health ecosystem, proudly announces the appointment of Maria Pouroullis Carpenter as head of its wellness rewards programme. Multiply plays a pivotal role in transforming healthcare in South Africa, from reactive sick care to proactive health and wellbeing.

Pouroullis Carpenter’s appointment marks an important step forward in Multiply’s mission to reshape how South Africans live healthy lives. As a recognised leader in product strategy and design, she brings a unique philosophy and proven methodologies that foster high-performance work environments while promoting genuine wellbeing.

Her extensive track record spans entrepreneurial ventures and corporate leadership roles within the financial services and insurance sectors. Pouroullis Carpenter’s impressive portfolio includes collaborations with numerous blue-chip companies listed on the JSE. She has designed and implemented electronic health record platforms across Africa and led over 250 technologists in delivering health solutions serving millions in South Africa.

Teboho Mokoena named Investec ambassador to champion legacy-building

Investec has announced professional footballer and Bafana Bafana midfielder, Teboho Mokoena, as its new ambassador.

As part of this multi-year ambassadorship, Mokoena represents Investec as both a client and ambassador – giving him access to local and international expertise, bespoke financial solutions and resources to support his personal wealth journey and long-term financial goals. Mokoena will work closely with Investec on initiatives that promote financial literacy, particularly among young South Africans, as well as participate in Investec events and marketing campaigns.

Mokoena believes young people need to be exposed to a wider range of financial strategies – from investing to wealth management – that can set them up for long-term security. This is very much aligned to Investec’s purpose of creating enduring worth for clients, communities, and the broader South African economy.

“This ambassadorship is built on shared principles of legacy, empowerment, and integrity – demonstrating that when values align, success is not only possible, but sustainable. Together, we want to inspire South Africans – especially young professionals and athletes – to think beyond the present and help support them in building lasting legacies that extend far beyond themselves,” says Itumeleng Merafe, head of Private Bank at Investec.

Business moves

Bravo Africa launches on 7 October 2025

NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-To-Consumer announced that Bravo Africa will debut on 7 October, 2025, providing DStv subscribers with even more of the most iconic and talked-about reality programming. The channel will replace E! Africa, which has steadily increased its offering of Bravo content.

As part of the rebrand, the channel will offer a huge range of exciting, new content including the return of the wildly popular Dating #NoFilter South Africa, alongside the exclusive territory premiere of The Real Housewives of London – the 30^th international instalment of the globally renowned The Real Housewives franchise.

Bravo Africa will feature a broad selection of global favourites, including further series within The Real Housewives franchise (Atlanta, DC and Salt Lake City) and the Below Deck franchise (Sailing Yacht, Mediterranean and Down Under). Additional titles span Married to Medicine, Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, and Botched: Plastic Surgery Rewind, delivering viewers a broad range of unmissable reality content.

Byron du Plessis, CEO at MultiChoice South Africa, said, “DStv subscribers that are fans of great reality programming are going to love Bravo Africa, and we’re delighted to be able to give these hugely popular shows a home on our platforms. The channel will be available down to DStv Access, as we continue to improve our customer value proposition across our packages.”

Zapper and Flow bring commerce media to fintech

Zapper, South Africa’s mobile payments, loyalty and lending platform, has launched a new offsite commerce media solution in partnership with Flow – giving its merchants the ability to run highly targeted digital ad campaigns to verified Zapper shoppers across Meta, Google, and TikTok, driving traffic back to their ecommerce stores.

Exclusive to Zapper’s merchant network, this offering is a powerful new extension of Zapper’s commitment to helping businesses grow by connecting them more meaningfully with their customers – both at and beyond the point of sale.

Zapper joins a growing global trend led by fintech trailblazers like Klarna, who are redefining what it means to connect commerce and media. Now, Zapper brings that same future-focused capability to South African merchants.

Applications for the Digital News Transformation Fund are officially open

The Digital News Transformation Fund (DNTF) has officially opened its first funding window, calling on South Africa’s independent and community publishers to take bold steps towards digital transformation.

The Fund offers three targeted funding streams:

• Build – Early-stage news publishers in need of foundational digital tools (such as websites, content management systems, cameras, audio-visual equipment) and guidance to formalise operations, up to R380 000 per year
• Grow – Mid-stage news publishers with an established online presence who require strategic and technical support to grow audiences, launch new products, or diversify revenue, up to R950 000 per year.
• Engage – Established publishers with fewer than one million monthly unique website users who are ready to experiment with sector-wide innovations or new business models that can be replicated, up to R1.9 million per year.

“Independent publishers are competing for attention in one of the toughest media landscapes South Africa has ever seen,” said Leanne Kunz, head of fund. “This first funding window is about backing projects that protect the voices of integrity our democracy depends on, while helping publishers find the digital pathways that will keep them relevant and resilient.”

Applications can only be submitted via the Fund’s website: dntfund.org.za.

Major grant awarded to SU’s Centre for Information Integrity in Africa

A grant of more than R20 million has been awarded to the Centre for Information Integrity in Africa (CINIA) at Stellenbosch University to convene multidisciplinary partnerships to strengthen information integrity in the Global South.

The grant, provided by the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), will support a three-year project to facilitate collaborations between various research organisations, practitioners and activists in Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Latin America and Asia.

The project’s Principal Investigator is Prof Herman Wasserman, director of CINIA. Wasserman will lead a team to coordinate projects on issues such as disinformation, media literacy, technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TGBV) and generative AI.

The project is motivated by the rapid changes in social media platforms in recent years that are posing profound implications for the integrity of the information ecosystem. Research is needed to understand the global dimensions of threats to this ecosystem, and the impacts on democratic resilience and development in particular.

The lack of governance of the digital public sphere is linked to national interests and issues of freedom of expression, communication rights, media literacy and data sovereignty.

eVOD launches download feature for local e.tv Shows

eVOD, the popular South African streaming platform from eMedia, is proud to announce the rollout of its brand-new download feature, now available on select e.tv local favourites.

In a game-changing move for the African streaming landscape, eVOD becomes the first platform on the continent to offer downloadable content embedded with advertising, ensuring that brand partners continue to gain value, even when users are offline.

“We’ve developed this feature with our audience in mind, and data costs remain a key barrier for many South Africans when it comes to streaming. With the new download functionality, we’re putting the power back in the hands of our viewers—giving them control over how and when they enjoy their favourite shows.” Said Junior Qwabe, eMedia’s chief technology officer.

Extensive testing has ensured a smooth, user-friendly experience that prioritises both convenience and accessibility. And this is just the beginning—plans are underway to expand the download feature across even more content on eVOD.

BulkSMS powers ahead under new parent brand, Celerity

BulkSMS, one of South Africa’s most established business messaging platforms, enters an exciting new chapter as part of Celerity, a newly launched parent brand focused on powering secure, scalable communications infrastructure across the continent and beyond.

With over two decades of experience delivering reliable SMS-based business messaging across retail, finance, healthcare, logistics, education, and public services, BulkSMS now anchors the Celerity portfolio as it moves into its next phase of innovation and growth.

“BulkSMS is the foundation on which Celerity is built,” says Richard Simpson, managing director. “Our launch of Celerity allows us to expand the proven strengths of BulkSMS – reliability, compliance, and ease of use – while creating room for next-generation messaging capabilities.”

Webber Wentzel selects Legora as anchor technology partner for Innovation Lab

South African law firm Webber Wentzel has today announced a multi-faceted partnership with leading legal AI platform Legora. The Legora platform has been rolled out across the firm – and this marks just the start of a deeper, long-term collaboration.

Aalia Manie, head of Fusion at Webber Wentzel, said: “We have been deeply impressed with Legora throughout the extensive evaluation process. What began as a pilot has become a hands-on partnership focused on shaping AI tools that reflect the realities of legal practice in Africa – where complexity, culture, and regulatory nuance demand more than off-the-shelf solutions.

As part of the partnership, Legora will also serve as the first official anchor technology in Webber Wentzel’s Innovation Lab, marking the start of a co-development journey to design solutions purpose-built for the South African and broader African legal markets.

The partnership follows a year-long evaluation of Legora, which included stringent security-first testing and assessment against other AI platforms. After extensive engagement and positive feedback from Webber Wentzel’s legal and business teams, Legora was selected to be deployed at scale across the firm.

The Innovation Lab sits at the heart of Webber Wentzel Fusion, the firm’s NewLaw and legal technology division. Fusion continues to build on nearly a decade of pioneering alternative legal service delivery and making early, significant investments in artificial intelligence.

Johannesburg welcomes global brand Time Out with star-studded launch

Time Out Johannesburg officially joined the global Time Out family with a glittering launch party at Rockets Bryanston. The celebration brought together an eclectic mix of guests, clients, media, and influencers, all gathered to toast the launch of the globally trusted brand dedicated to the best food, drink, culture, and experiences in cities around the world, now with its own digital edition dedicated to Joburg.

The evening was hosted by Jacaranda FM’s Philicity Reeken, who set the tone for a night filled with energy, excitement, and world-class entertainment.

Guests heard from a stellar line-up of speakers, including Tim Bulley, International Development Director at Time Out Group; Nick Grubb, Chief Executive of Kagiso Media Radio; Devesh Naidoo, Executive Head: Middle Market & Emerging Affluent Segment at FNB; Anthea Carstens, General Manager at Time Out South Africa; and Liesl Bartlett, City Editor for Time Out Johannesburg.

“We are delighted that so many people have turned out to support, and we hope to repay that by enabling everyone to enjoy the very best of this city,” said Tim Bulley, International Development Director of Time Out at the official launch of Time Out Johannesburg.

True to Time Out’s DNA of celebrating the best of the city, the entertainment hit all the right notes. Local superstar J’Something delivered a soulful live set that had the crowd singing along, while DJ Ankletap from Jacaranda FM kept the party going late into the night with an electric set.

“The night was a truly special moment for Time Out Johannesburg. To see the incredible support from our clients, corporate sponsors, media partners, and the city’s vibrant community made this launch unforgettable,” said Anthea Carstens, General Manager at Time Out South Africa.

“Time Out is all about connecting people to the best of their city, and it was inspiring to celebrate that mission with so many who share our vision. We are so grateful for the warm welcome and can’t wait to showcase everything Joburg has to offer,” said Carstens.

As proud sponsor of the launch, FNB’s Devesh Naidoo, Executive Head: Middle Market & Emerging Affluent Segment, underscored its commitment to celebrating and enabling the best experiences for its customers and communities.

“We share in the mission of Time Out, which is to inspire and enable people to live fully, and experience the best. It is something that deeply resonates with us at FNB,” said Naidoo.

Making moves

From boardrooms to communities: EmpowerHER 2025 puts women at the centre of growth

As South Africa commemorates Women’s Month, the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) will host the EmpowerHER Women’s Conference on 29 August 2025 in Johannesburg, a gathering set to drive powerful conversations about women’s leadership, systemic inclusion, and the future of growth in South Africa.

The conference, running under the theme Women-Centered Systems Thinking for Growth and Inclusion, will bring together leading voices from business, academia, and civil society to tackle some of the most urgent issues shaping women’s advancement. From the role of artificial intelligence in advancing gender equity to the neuroscience of leadership, from women’s health as a strategic imperative to the importance of investment readiness, the day-long programme is designed to shift mindsets and inspire action.

This year’s event will feature high-profile contributions from industry leaders, including Leanne Emery-Hunter, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Tshikululu Social Investments, who will speak to the transformative power of social investment in unlocking opportunities for women and communities across the country. Confirmed attendees include Queen Nomzamo Myeni of the Zulu Royal Family, Netball South Africa CEO Modiegi Komane, Miss Teen South Africa Sinakho Nkonzombi, and Rachel Kolisi, alongside a number of government ministers. Their presence underscores the importance of creating platforms where women from all sectors of society can collaborate and lead.