About the awards

Andrew Berry isn’t really an awards guy, which is ironic considering he co-founded one of South Africa’s most talked-about brand consultancies and is here to judge the New Gen Awards. He is, however, a creative guy, and a brand guy who’s been rewriting the playbook on how local youth culture intersects with commercial strategy for 15 years.

His career kicked off when he launched a culture-defining digital publication, we-are-awesome, while he was studying.

Andrew, alongside Anthea Poulos, started The Bread when they spotted what the industry was missing: a resonant connection between global brands and local culture. Over the past decade, The Bread has partnered with iconic brands like Vans, Levi's, Jack Black, Krone, SKYY Vodka, Girl Effect, Reebok, BULLDOG Gin, TuneCore and Ray-Ban, helping them build meaningful relationships with the South African youth. Throughout the journey, they’ve remained committed to projects that not only align with their values but also have the potential to make a genuine impact on both brands and consumers.

When he’s not crafting or selling the next big idea, Andrew’s living the good life—travelling with his wife and daughter, golfing, cooking, or enjoying a great beer. He might even start entering a few awards this year.

Emma is a digital and content strategist and team lead with 18 years of experience in creative, content marketing, and advertising – and all the grey areas in between. She is currently the Content Strategy Director of DENTSU CREATIVE South Africa, working on brands such as Old Mutual, Toyota, Unilever, Pick n Pay, Discovery, TikTok, and Beiersdorf. In 2021, she launched DENTSU CREATIVE's Influencer division and in 2024 opened the Dentsu School of Influence, an incubator for aspiring creators.

Arpan Sur is the Marketing Lead for Mondelēz International in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). He is a member of the SSA Business Unit Leadership team and is responsible for all marketing elements in the business unit. This includes driving the market plans, equity, innovation, insights & analytics, and ensuring that the consumers and brands remain at the heart of all business plans.

Arpan celebrated his 19-year tenure at Mondelēz International in May 2023. During his time with the company, he has held multiple commercial roles in India, AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa) region, and Southeast Asia, before taking on his current role in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In his current role, Arpan is leading marketing in SSA for Mondelez by keeping the brands and consumers at the heart of the plans and inspiring and influencing the rest of the organization to drive growth. Arpan is passionate about bold work that connects with consumers through technology as an enabler.

Arpan brings extensive experience in brand custodianship, marketing excellence, and sales across categories, as well as geographies. He played a pivotal role in Cadbury Dairy Milk winning a Cannes Gold for Malaysia's ‘Flags of Generosity’ campaign. Furthermore, he has driven exponential growth for the Oreo brand in Southeast Asia and led transformational share growth for the Cadbury Dairy Milk master brand in India.

Arpan holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai, India where he majored in Marketing. He loves sports and has his own sports blog. He likes to solve crossword puzzles and is fond of traveling and experiencing new cultures.

"With over two decades of experience in advertising, Marco is a dedicated professional known for his creative vision and commitment to innovation. Currently serving as the Group Executive Creative Director at Hoorah, Marco has had the privilege of leading teams in developing impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences and deliver measurable results.

Marco’s work has been recognized with both local and international awards, reflecting his dedication to pushing the boundaries of advertising possibilities.

Driven by a genuine passion for blending ideas with technology, Marco enjoys exploring new avenues for storytelling and engagement.

Marco is eager to continue contributing to transformative growth in the advertising industry, striving to elevate brands to new levels of success in the ever-evolving landscape."

Nadia is a Broadcast Media and Tourism Marketing Specialist, with a penchant for storytelling. She has lent her expertise to more than 50 brands, and is currently writing her thesis in Marketing Under Disruptive Conditions. Nadia is passionate about data-driven innovation, leveraging digital media and social networks to build dynamic innovation ecologies that are remaking how we think about Destination Marketing.

James is the CEO and co-founder at Promise, which he co-established with no clients or start-up capital in 2005. Since then, it has grown into an award-winning full-service through-the-line agency.

Promise is The One Show's number-1-ranked creative agency in South Africa and won Best Digital Agency and a Black Pixel at the 2021 IAB Bookmark Awards, as well as Gold & Silver at Cannes in 2021. We have also won the Financial Mail AdFocus Medium Agency of the Year award. Our client base ranges from large blue-chip organisations to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Promise is an independent, owner-managed agency and is a Level 2 B-BBEE business.

Visit www.promisegroup.co.za

Monique leads the digital team at Levergy and has 11 years of digital marketing experience. She has a keen eye for the finer details and is passionate about helping people to achieve professional growth, all while staying on the pulse of content creation trends, digital storytelling, and the delivery of high-quality social media strategies and outputs.

Connect with her in LinkedIn to learn more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mo...

Audrey is a digital marketing activist, podcaster, influencer, public speaker & and members of various professional bodies: Head IAB Brand Council, MMA, CMO Advisory Council for Africa & MASA Chartered Marketer. I have my own podcast called LetsTalkDigital, which aims to educate, share and open up digital conversations in the industry. Currently studying towards me doctorate in Marketing with the Swiss School of Business.

I am a professional modern marketer with extensive experience in the broader digital ecosystem with a focus on commercialization, data, tech, analytics, measurement, creative, strategy and digital marketing transformation. With advanced digital marketing knowledge and expertise, I have a proven record of accomplishment in delivering superior results, solve for complex marketing problems and continuously adapt and evolve.

Merissa Himraj the CEO of Wavemaker South Africa is focused on driving the agency's strategic vision and growth objectives to ensure business longevity and success,. She is also actively involved in growing the next generation of media talent across the SSA region.

Merissa is an experienced Communications Expert, passionate about helping deliver growth for clients. A Henley Business School alumni she has over 19 years of media & advertising Industry experience with extensive media, commercial and creative experience, she is passionate about all things creativity, strategic thinking, data and technology.

Astrid is passionate about work that performs and inspires and strives to deliver the unexpected for brands. Her interest lies in sustainable approaches and practices. Astrid thrives on leading a dynamic agency team, and in mentoring staff, whilst seeking commercial success. Astrid is passionate about our industry and its ever-evolving future.

Firdous Osman, Group Managing Director at Boomtown. Former Managing Director at Saatchi & Saatchi SA, Publicis Groupe | Global Woman Leader 2022, has 20 years’ experience in the ad industry. Most of which she spent at Ogilvy SA, where she served as a Managing Partner, as well as Head of Ogilvy Change, Ogilvy’s Behavioral Economics division. Before this, she was the founder of her own ad agency.

Her experience spans across brands and categories globally, regionally and locally, in both the private and public sectors, with a focus on impact and digital transformation. She has an undeniable passion for people, creativity and business. She believes that transformation and empowering people is key to running a successful Agency.

Her achievements include over 65 Effectiveness & Creativity Awards, which includes Grand Prix Loeries, Cannes, D&AD, Clios, Global Tourism Awards, Assegais, Apex, with #1 ranking in Account Management (Loeries 2019), amongst other. Clients worked on include American Express, Old Mutual, Gauteng Tourism Authority, BANKSETA, AGRISETA, Abu Dhabi Tourism, Mondelez, P&G, BP, Castrol, BAT, Coca Cola, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Philips, Revlon, Shoprite Checkers and WWF.

She has served on the judging panel for AdFocus in 2022, amongst other. Firdous was awarded SA’s Woman Leader in 2020 and 2021, as well as Global Woman Leader in 2022 by the World Women Leadership Congress.

After starting his career in copywriting, Tom moved into technology journalism at MyBroadband and, later, TechSmart. In February 2011, he co-founded Clockwork and began to nurture a growing freelance writing capacity in the tech, ICT, financial services and automotive sectors. His creative capabilities soon expanded to include content research and strategy, digital and social media, public relations, as well as web development and video.

Twelve years later, Clockwork is Africa's leading integrated communications agency, with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London, and over 150 permanent staff members. Clockwork’s portfolio of brands includes Microsoft, Netflix, Emirates, LG, Standard Bank, Hyundai, BMW, Meta (Facebook), Pernod Ricard, and Peroni.

Tom’s drive and keen eye for impactful, story-based creative has led to a strong industry standing. He is a PRCA Africa Network board member, and he has been part of the judging panel for several notable awards forums, including the SABRE, Bookmarks and PRISM Awards.

Away from the office, Tom is a family man who loves fishing, art and music. Very occasionally, his rock vocalist past rears its head at the office as well.

Head Judge, Astrid Ascar has over 30 years’ experience in marketing, communications and media. She started her career as a journalist, presenter and radio & TV executive producer, and over the years has worked for media brands including DStv, Carte Blanche, Summit TV (now Business Day TV), The Home Channel, CNBC Africa, SABC TV, SAfm, Highveld and Hot919 fm.

In 2004 she made the transition from TV and radio to digital, working alongside MTN, Vodacom and Cell C, handset manufacturers and content providers to trial South Africa’s first ever mobile TV offering, DStv Mobile. It marked her entry into the mobile and digital landscape and laid the foundations for the rest of her career.

By 2009 Astrid was working as an independent business strategy consultant helping clients and agencies across a range of disciplines – traditional and digital marketing and communications strategies, content creation and production, key messaging and copy, site audits and optimisation including UI and UX consulting, integrated digital marketing strategies across owned, earned and paid tactics, and data analytics and insights. She also continued to MC, give talks, and facilitate workshops and conferences, and offered training in media interview skills, presentation skills, crisis comms, and a host of digital marketig and strategy topics.

Astrid is a firm believer in a brand or business never doing anything that doesn’t make strategic sense, and brings a disciplined “no jargon business principle” approach to recommendations she offers. She still likes to be ‘hands on’ involved and is equally at ease writing SEM copy and selecting keywords, as she is presenting a strategy to Boards and Excos.

In February 2018 Wunderman South Africa, now Wunderman Thompson 'convinced her to join their team as Chief Strategy Officer, a role that offers her the strategic, creative thinking and operational inputs she thrives on.

MJ Khan is an award-winning digital strategist, academic, keynote speaker and proud husband and father. He heads up group digital communications at Sasol, a global chemical and energy company and is responsible for social media, online platforms and digital campaigns across the 23 countries that Sasol operates in.

MJ wrote his first radio ad in 2001 and worked on a number of local and international brands across a variety of industries. He was selected as one of the Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans, chosen as one of the 100 Brightest Young Minds, Bookmarks Vice Jury Chair, member of the Golden Key Honours society and was ranked in the global top 10 of the Digital Marketing Aptitude Test (DMAT). He is passionate about helping small businesses utilise digital communication. Connect with him on all popular social media platforms @concerningmj

Ray is a marketing professional who has grown into one of South Africa's leading advertising agency leaders. Having previously been the Managing Director of Levergy, he has continued his journey as a Partner and Managing Director in the Leagas Delaney Group where he has been tasked to grow the African arm of the business.

His experience includes working on an array of local and global brands. Ray’s ambition is to continue leading from the front and ultimately show the youth that they too can achieve their dreams while growing the creative industry across the African continent.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RayLangs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raylangs/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-langa-4114a862/

Tracy Jones is the founder and MD of Dialogue, an independent full-service strategic communications consultancy.

A problem-solver at heart and a creative strategist by nature, Tracy has worked on numerous local and international blue-chip brands on Dialogue's multiple award-winning journeys from a pure-play PR agency into a digitally relevant, 360-degree communications company. Tracy champions the power of PR and authentic content and storytelling as an intrinsic cog in a business's marketing strategy.

Tracy is a board member of the Entrepreneurs Organisation, the Businesswoman Association of South Africa, as well as PRCA (PR Communications Association for Africa)

Over a career spanning 20 years, she has been asked to judge local and international PR and marketing industry awards multiple times.

Prakash Patel is an established and award winning accomplished Senior Marketing and Digital Executive – one whose expertise spans both the digital, data, traditional marketing, branding and strategy realms – with over 25 years’ experience both in the UK and South Africa. Previously MD and Chief Digital Strategist for Fogg Cape Town, CEO of Prezence Digital SA and Head of Digital for FCB.

A strategist and innovator, a creative in disguise and a firm believer that all things are possible using technology as the enabler, creative as the idea-tor and data as the incubator of insights. Working in a world that is changing faster than ever before. Trying to keep up with tomorrow today and helping brands come to life in the Digital Era.

He is an active thought leadership writer, speaker and judge for both local and international awards (incl. Advisory Board Member for SXSW Innovations awards, The Webby’s, Bookmarks, Africa.com and New Generations Awards).

Darren Leishman is the Cofounder of Spitfire Inbound arguably the most successful inbound marketing, sales and service consultancy in South Africa. He has a long history in the traditional advertising space having run Penquin for 18 years.

He sold a majority share in Penquin to the management team and founded Spitfire as a niche agency focused specifically on solving complex marketing, sales and service challenges for some of South Africa's leading brands. With Spitfire he has executed successful campaigns that deliver exceptional returns for customers and have resulted in a string of awards over the past 3 years for the growth and success they have delivered for their diverse clientele.

Her career spans 20+ years, trained in International Communications, with further studies over the years to include entrepreneurship, board advisory and digital transformation. She has led multinational PR agencies including Ogilvy PR and Influence and DRAFT FCB Redline.

Her corporate experience includes her role as Chief Marketing Officer of digital technology solutions provider Etion. She is currently the Managing Director of PR Powerhouse, a corporate reputation management firm, offering communications solutions, transformative brand strategy and engagements for clients across multiple sectors including Aviation, Business and Commerce, Digital Technology, Engineering, Financial Services, Maritime, Manufacturing, Mining, Mobile and Telecommunications, Sports. Lebo has recently launched a Podcast - Influence Podcast - which focuses on open conversations on Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) principles.

She is active in the industry and has participated in various initiatives including ▪ Speaker: Nedbank IMC Conference 2022 ▪ Judge in the Standard Bank Top Women Awards ▪ Jury - Financial Mail AdFocus Awards ▪ Judge - New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards

Bringing an honest, robust opinion and understanding of what excellence should be in the field of performance media, innovation and technology, she has worked with, and helped grow, some of the best local and international companies, brands and agencies.

Prior to Standard Bank, Dani was Chief Executive Officer of Digital Optimization, a technology driven, digital media business called Digital Optimization, enabling robust performance media solutions through converging strategic media with innovative tech and creativity to accomplish real connections and conversions for clients.

Dani also started Joe Public Connect, a “green field” digital agency born to grow true connections for Joe Public United’s clients, and headed up the digital offering for the Brand and Communications group. Under her leadership, the agency flourished into a noticeable and award winning digital agency in South Africa.

Before Joe Public, she was at NXT Digital Innovation, based within the global Omnicom Group company – TBWA \ Tequila, and successfully grew their digital footprint from a commercial and business development perspective.

Career highlights include scooping up the prestigious Assegai 2018 Agency of the Year title and winning Digital Agency of the Year Twice in a row at the New Generation Awards (2017 & 2018). Dani credits these accolades – first and foremost – to the prodigious and hungry Digital talent South Africa has. “We have an entrepreneurial and creative spirit in Africa, that when driven by a shared purpose, a clients hunger for growth and executed with strategic & creative clout ….is where the magic happens.”

Tara Turkington founded Flow Communications in 2005. Flow specialises in social media, web and app development, content writing and editing, graphic design, digital marketing, public relations and media training. Today, Flow has more than 150 clients, including some well-known South African and international brands and organisations, and has completed work in more than 30 countries.

In the early part of her career, Tara was a journalist and university lecturer. Tara’s dream is to continue creating meaningful jobs, and to further develop Flow’s brand globally.

Stephen is an Entrepreneur and Marketing Professional with over 20 years of local & International experience. Before moving to South Africa in 2000, Stephen studied Art, Photography, and Graphic Design in the UK for 6 years, where he graduated with Higher National Merits.

Stephen spent the majority of his early career in London, working within the media and publishing sector on some of the World’s best-loved lifestyle, and sports magazines. After arriving in SA, he worked for a well-known publishing house as the associate publisher of a variety of leading B2B journals, and corporate events, before founding the New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards, in 2012.

His passion for Innovative Design, Typeface, Creativity, Technology, and Digital Marketing are just some of the reasons why he founded The Awards.