There’s a new media leadership team in town, and they’re determined to reimagine what leadership looks like in the face of the “plethora of issues and challenges” currently besetting the media business.
Ken Varejes, Chris Hitchings and Sandra Gordon have teamed up to launch a new company called Pulse, with a payoff line capturing their positioning and intent – Media Leadership Reimagined.
“As a team, our collective years of experience across the media and marketing sector (plus our networks of course), have encouraged us to step up to the plate and launch an industry event that promises to embolden and inspire,” said Hitchings.
“A plethora of issues and challenges have been shared in discussions with media owners, marketers and agencies. Seismic advances in the development of AI, resilient and empowering leadership, identifying and retaining talent, shifting consumer purchasing habits, corruption claims, transparency, diversification and clients seeking extra value for their investment in advertising are current challenges.”
Anxious about the future
The idea to launch a new company developed over lunch, says Gordon. “Chris and I had had an informal chat over lunch and he commented on the number of people across the sector who were anxious about the future and in particular tech issues, leadership going forward, relationships, attracting and retaining talented staff,” she explains.
“Based on many discussions over the past six months, there is a lot of uncertainty (some topics mentioned above refer). A great deal revolves around company structure, talent retention, fragile relationships/networks and ability to remain relevant,” she adds. “Oh, and to add that, after our chat Chris and I decided that Ken would be a great partner. He enjoys giving back to a sector that he has worked in for decades. Similar to my belief -we want to give back and see the ‘gees’ again.”
To mark the launch of Pulse, the trio have planned a massive event for 26 February 2026. Media Leadership Reimagined’s speaker line-up is designed to deliver practical and thought-provoking content inspiring an audience of media, advertising and marketing leaders and up and coming talent.
The headliners
Headliners include renowned marketing expert and American author Seth Godin (streaming live from New York), business leader Michael Jordaan and Rassie Erasmus, current head coach of our Springbok team and winner of the 2019 Rugby Coach of the Year. Other notable and well-known speakers include Khensani Nobanda, Mike Abel, Chris Botha, Pepe Marais, Ivan Moroke, Mike Stopforth and Murray Legg. MC Aki Anastasiou will keep the programme flowing and moderate the Q&A sessions.
A Pulse panel of media agencies, marketers and media owners including Koo Govender (CEO Publicis Groupe Africa), Kagiso Musi (Group MD Metamedia) and Jacques DuPreez (CEO Provantage Group) has been confirmed with Kgaugelo Maphai (CEO Matrix Communications Group) leading a discussion on specific and often contentious matters relating to the sector.
The event is brought to you by headline sponsor eMedia and supported by Primedia Broadcasting, reveel and Park Advertising.
Registration is from 07h30 and the event closes at 17h00 to be followed by networking over cocktails. Classy and conveniently situated, The Galleria at 10 Eastern Service Road, Sandton, will accommodate and feed 500 delegates and VIPs.
Tickets at R3 995 including VAT, are available from TicketPro.
Watch this the video here:
