Homecoming: The return of Snooze, Hermola and more to FCB

7 Sep 2022

Over the years, FCB has seen a continuous cycle of employees that join the agency, leave, and eventually return home. This is no surprise, as talent across the board continuously looks for an organisation that first, increases their knowledge base, equipping them with skills that grow their careers, and later, that best fits employee personalities through its culture.

Mbeu 'Snooze' Kambuwa, executive creative director, FCB Joburg

As work dynamics change, the idea of an inclusive organisational culture that fosters strong working relationships has become something that’s sought after by employees across all specialities. More so, companies with environments that align with employees’ values and principles are regarded as attractive.

For FCB Joburg, there has been a resurgence of familiar faces, which attests to the brilliance of the culture that has been cultivated at FCB. We call them boomerangs: employees that leave and come back.

This year, FCB has welcomed back several boomerangs to the agency. One of the most recent boomerangs, executive creative director, Mbeu 'Snooze' Kambuwa, attributes his return to the people at FCB. He shares that he missed his team, and that coming back to FCB is like seeing an old friend and coming back to a place that feels just like home. Snooze has recently returned to FCB after spending time at Johannes Leonardo in New York where he worked on Adidas Originals, Instagram and other accounts.

Hermola Mengstab, head of client partnerships, FCB Joburg

Hermola Mengstab, head of client partnerships, describes being back with the FCB family as the "same feeling you have when you’re visiting your hometown, or the feeling you get when putting on your old favourite dress; familiar, nostalgic, and filled with great memories.’’

Modjadji Mashatola, senior strategist, noted the leadership that Antonio Petra, head of strategy, provided during her time at FCB Joburg, greatly influenced her return to the agency.

Other boomerangs who have made their return to the FCB family include account director, Narissa Rajagopal; art director, Thato Moatlhodi; account manager, Raeesah Benefeldt; and Matthys Esterhuysen, digital platform and innovation partner.

“We are pleased to welcome our boomerangs back to the agency, and we are further thrilled to have them return with a wealth of knowledge and experience, thanks to seeking out new creative challenges. Our boomerangs will play an important role in the growth of the agency, both creatively and strategically. Their return truly signifies that FCB Joburg takes great care of its employees and is a trusted partner in career development,” says Joey Khuvutlu, Group MD of FCB and Hellocomputer Joburg.

“Looking at everyone who’s returned home to FCB, reminds me of my own boomerang journey, having left to come back years later. And adding to my delight of seeing familiar face, is the notion that people feel welcomed and part of a bigger organisational culture that creates camaraderie among all who work with us. Here’s to many more years of creating, solving, evolving. Welcome back,” smiled Tseliso Rangaka, chief creative officer of FCB and Hellocomputer Joburg.

With so many of our people making a full circle return to the agency, one thing remains clear. FCB has created an environment that not only cherishes diversity and inclusion, but leaves an imprint on all that walk the never finished path, and creates a safe haven for creatives to do what they do best: create!