Marketing Achievement Awards' 2022 Marketer of the Year finalists announced

Supplied. The five finalists in the 2022 Marketing Achievement Awards’ (MAA) Marketer of the Year Award

The Awards’ most-coveted leadership award category recognises the best marketer in the South African marketing industry today; a person who has consistently delivered innovative marketing had a positive impact on business results and proactively driven the industry forward.

Five finalists

In no particular order, the finalists are:

• Firoze Bhorat, chief marketing officer at Discovery Group
  
• Tinyiko Mageza, executive head marketing at V&A Waterfront
  
• Sydney Mbhele, chief executive: brand at Sanlam Group
  
• Asha Patel, head of marketing at Google South Africa and Head of B2B marketing for sub-Saharan Africa
  
• Nontokozo Madonsela, Group CMO at Momentum Metropolitan Holdings

Marketing that means business

Prof Doug Mattheus, Adjunct Professor of marketing at the Nelson Mandela University and chairman of the Marketer of the Year selection committee, says the committee has its work cut out for it in deciding this year’s winner from these five incredible marketers.

“The adjudication panel has requested multiple written submissions and conducted online interviews with the nominees and their colleagues to better understand these marketers and their work.

“Whether a winner or a finalist, these five individuals are some of South Africa’s best marketers and should all be congratulated for producing outstanding work,” explains Mattheus.

He adds that this is a tightly contested MAA category, and ultimately the winner will be the marketer that best demonstrates this year’s theme: marketing that means business.

Gugu Ntuli, GE, corporate affairs and marketing at the SABC – the institution presenting this year’s Marketing Achievement Awards – concurs.

“The MAA are anchored in business strategy and have come to be respected as an influential platform showcasing South African marketing efforts as crucial contributors to business success. As such, the Marketer of the Year nominees will also be judged on demonstrable business results within the context of marketing as a strategic discipline,” she says.

Vital to MAA's objectives

Ivan Moroke, CEO of Kantar’s Insight Division, South Africa; lead inclusion and diversity Kantar EMEA; and current chairperson of the MAA, adds that this award is not only one of the most sought after in the industry, but it is also vital to the overall objectives of the MAA themselves.

“Ultimately, the vision of the MAA is to build marketing’s stature in business, help shape the industry and promote marketing as an illustrious career choice. “By highlighting visionary individuals whose marketing skills have generated a significant impact within their businesses, the Marketer of the Year Award does just that,” says Moroke.

The Marketer of the Year Award winner and other category winners will be announced on 13th July at a live stream awards presentation taking place on 13 July.