Afda, the School for the Creative Economy, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen Drake as the new dean of Afda Cape Town.
Stephen Drake, newly appointed dean at Afda Cape Town
Drake brings more than three decades of experience across creative media, technology, business and higher education to the leadership of the campus.
Drake has been part of Afda for more than 20 years, during which he has held a number of senior academic leadership positions, most recently as head of school: Business Innovation and Technology. In this role, he played a key part in developing Afda’s focus on the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship and technology, including the implementation of the BCom in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
His career also includes extensive experience in the creative media industry, where he worked as a cinematographer, line producer, media marketer and distributor before moving into higher education. He holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town.
As an academic leader, Drake has been closely involved in the development, implementation and continuous improvement of accredited undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at Afda. His international experience includes involvement in film festivals, creative-industry initiatives, academic exchanges and projects connecting African creative institutions with international partners.
His appointment comes as Afda Cape Town continues to build on its position within one of Africa’s most dynamic creative hubs. Established in 2003, the campus is located in Observatory and benefits from Cape Town’s strong film, television, performance and broader creative industries.
Drake says his appointment represents an exciting opportunity to build on Afda’s legacy while looking firmly towards the future. “I am incredibly excited and honoured to take on the role of Dean of Afda Cape Town. Having spent more than two decades at Afda, I have experienced first-hand the extraordinary impact this institution has on students, graduates and the creative economy. I look forward to building on the strong foundations of the campus, working alongside our staff, students and industry partners, and ensuring that Afda Cape Town continues to innovate, lead and prepare our graduates for the opportunities of a rapidly changing creative economy.”
Drake succeeds Leopold Senekal, who has served as dean of Afda Cape Town since 2025. Senekal described his time as dean as one of the greatest privileges of his life, expressing his pride in the campus and confidence in Drake’s leadership.
“Serving as dean of Afda has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. This place has given me so much, incredible people, unforgettable moments, and a deep sense of purpose. I leave with a very full heart, enormous pride, and so much love and respect for Afda and everyone who makes it what it is.”
He added: “And now, with great excitement, I hand over to Stephen Drake, a brilliant human, a formidable leader, and truly a force to be reckoned with. I have no doubt he will bring his own energy, vision and passion to Afda and take it into an exciting new chapter.”
With Drake’s extensive experience spanning creative production, entrepreneurship, technology and higher education, his appointment reinforces Afda's commitment to developing leaders who can navigate, and help shape, the rapidly evolving creative economy.
“Stephen brings more than two decades of deep institutional knowledge, academic leadership and industry experience to his new role as dean of Afda Cape Town. Having been an integral part of Afda’s management and academic structures for 23 years, he understands our people, our pedagogy and our vision for the future. I have every confidence that Stephen will provide strong, committed leadership as Afda Cape Town enters this next chapter.” says Afda CEO Diaan Lawrenson.
As Afda continues to expand its national footprint and develop future-focused programmes, including new opportunities at its five campuses, Drake’s combination of academic leadership and industry experience positions him strongly to lead Afda Cape Town into its next chapter.
