All The Jurors for This Year's Most Prestigious Digital Media & Marketing Awards

(Cape Town, 4 April 2023): Now in its 15th year, the IAB SA Bookmark Awards continues to set the benchmark for digital media, marketing and technology by rewarding impactful digital work within the marketing sector. Ahead of the awards ceremony on Thursday, 27 July, The Bookmark Awards announces its 2023 Jury Panels, consisting of experts in the digital media and marketing industry.

The Jury Panels, each led by a Jury Chair selected for their experience and expertise in their respective fields, will evaluate and award the best of the best digital media, marketing and technology work from the past year. The awards are judged in eight categories: Platforms, Communities, Channels, Emerging Digital Technologies & Channels, Publishing, Campaigns, Craft Awards and Special Honours.

“This year’s selection of jurors is in keeping with the IAB South Africa’s mandate to transform the industry from within and is a fair representation of a diverse group of South Africans who work in the sector — all of whom are nominated by their peers,” says The Bookmark Awards’ Jury President, Khensani Nobanda. “This ensures each judging panel is not only indicative of and endorsed by the wider industry but that all work submitted for the Awards is judged fairly by those with the relevant expertise.”

The 2023 Bookmark Awards Jury Panels include:

MARKETERS PANEL

Jabulani Sigege, Executive Creative Director, Machine_ (Chair)

Matthew Van der Valk, Executive Creative Director, VMLY&R

Artwell Nwaila, Head of Creative, Google

Kyra Antrobus, Creative Director, King James / Accenture Song

Lesego Ngcamu, Executive Head: Digital and Interactive Marketing, Standard Bank

Elizabeth Mokwena, Marketing Director, Unilever

Zubeida Goolam, Creative Thought Leader

Alex Goldberg, Creative Director, Ogilvy South Africa

Tshepo Tumahole, Integrated Creative Director, Joe Public

Suhana Gordhan, Chief Creative Officer, DUKE 

Jineil Kandasamy, Creative Director, Grid Worldwide

Nonkululeko Mabena, Integrated Brand Strategist, Promise 

Sthabile ‘Star’ Kachisa, Head of Marketing, Spotify

PERFORMANCE MARKETING PANEL

Asha Patel, Sub-Saharan Africa Head: B2B Marketing & CMM South Africa, Google (Chair)

Nivasha Pillay, Head of Digital & Systems Acceleration, MediaCom

Niamh NicLiam, Director: Growth & Partnerships, Incubeta

Insaaf Khan, Chief Growth Officer, VMLY&R

Kuhle Verby, Programmatic Lead, Publicis

Lerato Modisakeng, Paid Search Director, Jellyfish

Pilira Mwambala, Chief Data Officer, GroupM South Africa

Samantha Qeja, Performance Lead, Dentsu

Bradley Hall, Managing Director, PHD Media

Lerato Zulu, Data Driven Marketing Manager, Standard Bank

PUBLISHERS PANEL

Rikashni Rangasamy, Senior Manager: Digital, SuperSport (Chair)

Joanne Hope, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, 2Stories

Basil Fortuin, Publisher: English and Afrikaans News Digital, Media24

Zainab Slemang van Rijmenant, Managing Partner, Chimera Creative

Nidha Narrandes, Creative Director, Reel Stories

Anton Marsh, Managing Director, Now Media

Naeem Imam, Owner/Founder, IMAMEDIA

Marc Hershowitz, Head of Business Development + Digital, Cars

Nadeem Joshua, Deputy Head: Advertising and Trade Marketing, Arena Holdings

Ron Derby, Editor-in-Chief, Mail & Guardian

SOCIAL, COMMUNITY & INFLUENCER MARKETING PANEL

 MJ Khan, Head of Group Digital Communications, Sasol Limited (Chair)

Lebo Moerane, Social and Digital Lead, VMLY&R

Nosipho Ginindza, Managing Director, SoulProviders Collective

Muchaneta Madavo, Social Lead, Dentsu

Nicole Manana, Brand Manager, Prequel Inc.

Maxinne Mboweni, Copywriter, King James Group / Accenture Song

Sylvester Chauke, Chief Architect & Founder, DNA Brand Architects

Jeanette Grove, Executive Creative Director: Content & Social, Grey Johannesburg

Amber Mackeurtan, Creative Business Director, Joe Public

Meagan Gallie, Senior Digital Manager, Hyundai South Africa

Luzuko Tena, Social Media Director: Africa, EssenceMediaCom

YOUTH ACTION PANEL

Senzo Xulu, Executive Creative Director, Conversation Lab (Chair)

Skhumbuzo Tuswa, Creative Group Head, King James Group / Accenture Song

Andreas Shifotoka, Lead Digital Strategist, Publicis Groupe: Digitas

Lethu Zimu, Creative Group Head, Think Creative Africa

Koketso Masisi, Head of Design, Retroviral

Keneilwe Mekgwe, Strategic Marketing Manager: Beverages, Pepsico

Zodwa Gunuza, Creative Director, Hardy Boys

Roderick Laka, Creative Group Head, Machine_

Edwin Mbugua, Senior Digital Strategist, Wunderman Thompson South Africa

Kholofelo Mamabolo, Integrated Copy Lead, Oliver Africa (U-Studio)

BUILDERS PANEL

Genie Botha, Head of Product Design, MakeReign (Chair)
Vusi Khosa, Head of UX and UI Design, Hellocomputer

Walter Madzonga, Program / Agile Delivery Manager, Digital Strategy & Innovation, ShopriteX

Nimay Parekh, Digital CEO, King James Group / Accenture Song

Lara Pietersen, Experience Consultant, Equal Experts

Mitso Qalaba, Software Engineer, Superbalist

Charné Munien, Strategy Director, VMLY&R

Alex Krause, Experience Strategy Director, Ogilvy South Africa

Mia Roets, Experience Design Director, Joe Public

Mogomotsi Mogopodi, Head of CX, Sanlam

INNOVATIVE ENGINEERS PANEL

Tilesh Bhaga, Creative Technologist, Grey Johannesburg (Chair)

Mandisa Bohlela, Pillar Marketing Lead, FNB

Adrian Naidoo, Managing Partner – Strategy, Mindshare

Lauren Foster / Crook, Digital Director, Kintaro

Qhakaza Mohare, COO and Head of Strategy, Digify Africa

Ndumiso Nyoni, Creative Director, Retroviral

Hadlay McLean, Senior Digital Strategist, King James Group / Accenture Song

Dareen Farghaly, Executive Creative Director, Levergy

Brandon Govender, Digital and Integrated Executive Creative Director, Joe Public

Andrew Louw, Checkers Sixty60 Marketing Manager, ShopriteX 

Merissa Himraj, CEO, Wavemaker

SPECIAL HONOURS PANEL

Paula Hulley, Managing Director, Digitas Liquorice (Chair)

Dineo Mofokeng, Manager: Digital, Direct & Social Media Marketing, Standard Bank

Vincent Maher, Group Executive / Head of Digital, Multichoice Africa

Viwe Mfaku, Creative Director, Prime Video

Jarred Cinman, CEO, VMLY&R

Pippa Misplon, Managing Director, Retroviral

Robyn Campbell, Managing Director, Machine_

Zetu Damane, Chief Strategy Officer, McCann Joburg

Wendy Bedforth, Brand Director (Castle Lager & Castle Milk Stout), ABinBev (SAB)

Refilwe Maluleke, Managing Director, Yellowwood

Romy Townsend, Marketing Executive: Nedbank Corporate & Investment Bank, Nedbank

Adetutu Laditan, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Google

Download the full list of jurors here.

BECOME A BOOKMARK AWARDS NOMINEE

Entries for the Bookmark Awards are open until Monday, 24 April 2023. Entries submitted past the entry deadline will be subject to a 10% late penalty fee. Late fees are applicable from Tuesday, 25 April until Monday, 8 May. The awards ceremony is set to take place on Thursday, 27 July.

ENTER THE IAB SA BOOKMARK AWARDS 2023 HERE.

For more information on the Bookmark Awards 2023, visit thebookmarks.co.za. Companies interested in sponsoring the Bookmark Awards 2023 categories can email razia@iabsa.net.

//ends

Issued by Chimera Creative on behalf of IAB South Africa and The Bookmark Awards 2023. 

Download the full jury panel list here. For media enquiries, contact zainab@chimeracreative.co.za.

About The Bookmark Awards

The Bookmark Awards is an IAB South Africa initiative that celebrates innovation, creativity and effectiveness within the media and marketing industry. It is the unrivalled benchmark of local advertising excellence. While The Bookmarks have always stood for prestige digital work, it also aims to drive digital change. Winning a Bookmark Award is a recognition of work that helps move the industry forward. thebookmarks.co.za

About the IAB SA

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa, formerly known as the DMMA, is an independent, voluntary, non-profit association focused on growing and sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry within South Africa. The IAB South Africa empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy and comprises 150 leading media companies, brands and technology firms working in digital marketing and media. The non-profit, non-government trade group fields critical research on interactive advertising while also educating brands, agencies, publishers and the wider business community on the importance of digital marketing. 
The IAB Global Network brings together 45 national IABs and three regional IABs to share challenges, develop global solutions and advance the digital advertising industry worldwide. IABs are located in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Asia Pacific and Europe. Each association is independently owned and operated, functioning under bylaws consonant with local market needs. To subscribe to the IAB South Africa newsletter, click here or visit iabsa.net.