Leaders talk love, AI and authenticity

For those not in the know, this term of endearment was created by members of the Black and Latinx LGBTQI+ community to refer to a matriarchal figure in a chosen family, particularly in the underground ballroom scene.

Leadership style

“I discovered a side of me that I never knew I had, this maternal side, even though I don’t have any kids,” she says.

For van Niekerk, that nurturing role has shaped her leadership style, allowing her to guide her team with empathy, patience and purpose.

Leadership was the theme at the Heineken Masterclass at the Loeries on Thursday, where industry leaders in media and advertising gathered in Cape Town for an open conversation about what it means to lead effectively in 2025. The session was hosted by Willemijn Sneep, Heineken’s regional marketing excellence director for AME, and featured a panel including media personality and broadcaster Anele Mdoda, Air Agency managing director Ricardo de Costa, and marketing director at Nigerian Breweries Heineken PLC, Sarah Agha.

For Agha, leadership begins with personal experience. She draws on the lessons of growing up as the eldest of two girls in Nigeria.

“When you are a Nigerian girl, you always have to prove you’re worth the investment,” she said. “So for my team, we’re always building ourselves to be the best.”

No place for ego

Mdoda, who has been in the industry for 21 years, believes leadership is something that can be learned and modelled.

“I want people to know what they can do better than anyone else on a team — and one of the best ways to do that is by showing them how,” she said.

For her, leadership is not about ego.

“When you pick a team, you must pick a team that can do things better than you. Then your job as a leader is to support them and make sure they succeed.”

Loeries Creative Week

#Loeries2025 and City of Cape Town drive creative industry

Danette Breitenbach  1 day

She added that it’s easy for leaders to hire people who mirror themselves, but that’s not where real growth happens. “The easiest thing to do is hire copycats of yourself — but it’s not the best practice.”

De Costa reflected on the importance of building genuine client relationships.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that our relationships with clients should never be purely transactional,” he said.

He believes that if we reduce the work to just deliverables, we lose the creativity and trust that make campaigns truly great.

Van Niekerk echoed this sentiment, warning against the creative complacency that can come from overreliance on AI.

“AI will never replace us because it can’t care like us,” she said. “AI never questions itself — so it’s the care and love we bring to our work and our teams that drive excellence. But if we all default to AI, all work will eventually look the same. Even humans can fall into that trap by sticking too closely to a formula.”

Traditional values

Agha also touched on how traditional values intersect with corporate culture.

“In Africa, we’re raised to respect our elders — and that respect is beautiful — but in the workplace, it’s important to balance that with having your own voice,” she said. “You must still use your voice to push things forward. Of course, you hold on to your values, but you must be comfortable speaking up. That’s why I’m sitting on this stage today.”

Mdoda brought the discussion back to brand storytelling and communication.

“How do you make sure you stay distinct? You execute the brief,” she said. “By the time it gets to me, I always ask what the client really wants — is it brand recognition, or do you want people in stores? Because sometimes clients spend millions, but the result isn’t what they truly wanted.”

For her, clarity and authenticity go hand in hand. “The brand lives in the real story,” she said. “Even in leadership, when you’re leading, lead with yourself — and your own story.”