About us

Protecting today.
Inspiring tomorrow.

Who we are, what we do, and why the Association for Communication & Advertising is important.

 

Our mission

We believe in the power of creative leadership to drive sustainable change.

 

Our governing regulations

 

We are the change we want to see. We therefore support the concept of self-regulation in advertising, and abide by the Advertising Regulatory Board Code which seeks to regulate advertising in the public interest.

The Association for Communication & Advertising is represented on relevant ARB committees and is actively involved in ongoing revisions to the code.

 

The ACA enforces self-regulation, and is steadfast in its promise to:

  • promote agency and professional transformation in order to remove barriers that may prevent access for disadvantaged groupings
  • discourage dishonest and undesirable practices in advertising and related fields of activity, and to promote self-regulation of advertising standards
  • state commonly accepted practice in the profession, so that both advertisers and agencies are aware of their respective rights and obligations
  • encourage fair remuneration for advertising and communications agencies
  • be an advocate of advertising and freedom of commercial speech.

Meet our board

The future of advertising and communications is in safe hands

The Association for Communication & Advertising board is nominated and voted for by Association for Communication & Advertising member agencies and serves for one year, after which a new board is elected. In July 2023, Thabang Skwambane, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nahana Communications Group was elected chairman of the 2023/2024 Association for Communication & Advertising board of directors, with Sharleen James as vice chair. Wayne Naidoo and John Dixon were appointed to the Exco of the Association for Communication & Advertising.

Gillian Rightford

Gillian Rightford

Interim Executive Director

Association for
Communication & Advertising

Thabang Skwambane

Thabang Skwambane

Chairman

Group Chief Executive Officer Nahana Communications Group
Sharleen James

Sharleen James

Vice Chair

Managing Director
Accenture Song

Wayne Naidoo

Wayne Naidoo

Executive Committee

Chief Executive Officer
Duke Advertising

John Dixon

John Dixon

Executive Committee

Chairman
Publicis Groupe Africa

Adeshia Singh

Adeshia Singh

Managing Director

Singh & Sons
Alison Deeb

Alison Deeb

Group Chief Executive Officer

Metropolitan Republic

Andrew Brand

Andrew Brand

Managing Director

Ninety9cents Advertising & Communications

Brenda Khumalo

Brenda Khumalo

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Lobengula Advertising

 Colett Naidu

Colett Naidu

Managing Director Integration

Wunderman Thompson SA

Derek Coles

Derek Coles

Managing Director

McCann Joburg

Gareth Leck

Gareth Leck

Group Chief Executive Officer

Joe Public United

Haydn Townsend

Haydn Townsend

Africa Lead for Accenture Song

Accenture

Jarred Cinman

Jarred Cinman

Chief Executive Officer

VMLY&R South Africa

Karabo Denalane

Karabo Denalane

Chief Executive Officer

TBWA Hunt\Lascaris

Karabo Songo

Karabo Songo

Chief Executive Officer

Independent

Koo Govender

Koo Govender

Chief Executive Officer

Publicis Groupe

Lebogang Sethole

Lebogang Sethole

Human Capital Executive

Independent

 Leo Manne

Leo Manne

Managing Director

Net#work BBDO

Louise Johnston

Louise Johnston

Managing Director

Grey Africa Advertising

Luca Gallarelli

Luca Gallarelli

Group CEO

TBWA/The Disruption® Company

Mpume Ngobese

Mpume Ngobese

Managing Director

Joe Public United

Pete Case

Pete Case

CEO & Creative Chairman

Ogilvy South Africa

Roxana Ravjee

Roxana Ravjee

Chief Executive Officer

Dentsu

Sarah Dexter

Sarah Dexter

Chief Executive Officer

MullenLowe South Africa

Meet our executive committee

 

Gillian Rightford

Gillian Rightford

Interim Executive Director

Association for
Communication & Advertising

Thabang Skwambane

Thabang Skwambane

Chairman

Group CEO for Nahana Communications Group

Sharleen James

Sharleen James

Vice Chair

Managing Director
Accenture Song

Wayne Naidoo

Wayne Naidoo

Executive Committee

Chief Executive Officer
DUKE Advertising

John Dixon

John Dixon

Executive Committee

Chairman
Publicis Groupe Africa

Meet our secretariat

Your go-to place for advice and consultation

Gillian Rightford

Gillian Rightford

Interim Executive Director

Association for Communication & Advertising

Melanie Platt

Melanie Platt

Executive Assistant to CEO

Association for Communication & Advertising

Sharon Bergmann

Sharon Bergmann

Financial Manager

Association for Communication & Advertising

Ashogan Subban

Ashogan Subban

Assistant Accountant

Association for Communication & Advertising

The ACA code of conduct is a shared vision.

We are committed

to the transformation of the industry. After all, the future of our profession will be shaped by our actions today. Members are therefore expected to adhere to the ACA Transformation Charter and to comply with directives by the ACA to effect the principles and philosophy of the Charter.

We support

freedom of commercial speech and advertising for products and services that are legally sold, as long as such advertisements are legal, decent, honest, truthful and not harmful or misleading.

We believe

in healthy competition among our members, such as is appropriate in a free market economic system, but seek to ensure that competitive activity is at all times ethical.

We accept

that it is impossible to formulate precise rules to regulate a diverse and dynamic industry and therefore undertake to observe not only the letter but also the spirit of the General Principles and Code of Conduct.

We ask

that transgressions of the letter and/or spirit of these principles and code by members of the ACA be reported and dealt with in terms of the ACA Memorandum and Articles.

164 Katherine Street, Barlow Park,
Sandton, 2148

010 880 3399 | ceo@acasa.co.za

COPYRIGHT © 2020 Association for Communication and Advertising