Restructuring at Publicis South Africa

Kevin Tromp:delighted to be returning to SA.

The Publicis Groupe is now seeking to maximise synergies across its various brands. “The move is a natural progression and in line with how our brands are managed on a global scale," said Pinder.

Kevin Tromp will report directly to Pinder and will resume his former links with Groovin Nchabeleng of the Leo Burnett Group to look for opportunities to collaborate more closely across the two operations.

Homeward bound

“I am delighted to return home to South Africa with Publicis, as the market is brimming with great creativity, energy and innovation. I am looking forward to being able to add value to our offering with the integrated communications experience I have gained from working in the US and Asia. It's a great opportunity to build our clients' businesses with group's philosophy of 'contagious ideas that change the conversation' in a relevant African context,” commented Tromp, who is South African.

His career spans both the agency and the client side of the business. He arrives with extensive international integrated marketing communications experience working, having worked with iconic brands such as McDonald's, Marlboro, United Airlines, Ford, Mercedes Benz, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol Myers Squibb.

In SA, his career fast tracked to board directorship of Sonnenberg Murphy Leo Burnett in Johannesburg, where he was client business director, direct marketing and led a highly successful multi-disciplinary business unit that managed the South African Airways business globally before moving to Chicago to lead the United account. Subsequently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he was MD of Leo Burnett and Arc there.

In his most recent role with the Brassfield Group, he has been responsible for managing corporate identity, brand development, digital and direct marketing strategy, and implementation, across more than thirty international markets for a range of healthcare, homecare and cosmetic brands.

“Kevin's South African heritage, his dual career as a client and agency head and his impressive track record across all marketing communications make him an excellent choice to set us on a path to achieve our long term goal to be a top ten player in the market,” adds Pinder.