About us
Protecting today.
Inspiring tomorrow.
Who we are, what we do, and why the ACA 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 ACA 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 ACA board is nominated and voted for by ACA 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 ACA board of directors, with Sharleen James as vice chair. Wayne Naidoo and John Dixon were appointed to the Exco of the ACA.

Mathe Okaba
Chief Executive Officer
Association for
Communication & Advertising

Thabang Skwambane
Chairman
Group Chief Executive Officer Nahana Communications Group

Sharleen James
Vice Chair
Managing Director
Accenture Song

Wayne Naidoo
Executive Committee
Chief Executive Officer
Duke Advertising

John Dixon
Executive Committee
Chairman
Publicis Groupe Africa

Adeshia Singh
Managing Director
Singh & Sons

Alison Deeb
Group Chief Executive Officer
Metropolitan Republic

Andrew Brand
Managing Director
Ninety9cents Advertising & Communications

Brenda Khumalo
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Lobengula Advertising

Colett Naidu
Managing Director Integration

Derek Coles
Managing Director
McCann Joburg

Gareth Leck
Group Chief Executive Officer
Joe Public United

Haydn Townsend
Africa Lead for Accenture Song
Accenture

Jarred Cinman
Chief Executive Officer
VMLY&R South Africa

Karabo Denalane
Chief Executive Officer
TBWA Hunt\Lascaris

Karabo Songo
Chief Executive Officer
Independent

Koo Govender
Chief Executive Officer
Publicis Groupe

Lebogang Sethole
Human Capital Executive
Independent

Leo Manne
Managing Director
Net#work BBDO

Louise Johnston
Managing Director
Grey Africa Advertising

Luca Gallarelli
Group CEO
®

Mpume Ngobese
Managing Director
Joe Public United

Pete Case
CEO & Creative Chairman
Ogilvy South Africa

Roxana Ravjee
Chief Executive Officer
Dentsu

Sarah Dexter
Chief Executive Officer
MullenLowe South Africa

Zanele Zwane
Managing Director
DUKE Advertising
Meet our executive committee

Mathe Okaba
Chief Executive Officer
Association for
Communication & Advertising

Thabang Skwambane
Chairman
Group CEO for Nahana Communications Group

Sharleen James
Vice Chair
Managing Director
Accenture Song

Wayne Naidoo
Executive Committee
Chief Executive Officer
DUKE Advertising

John Dixon
Executive Committee
Chairman
Publicis Groupe Africa
Meet our secretariat
Your go-to place for advice and consultation

Mathe Okaba
CEO
ACA

Melanie Platt
Executive Assistant to CEO
ACA

Sharon Bergmann
Financial Manager
ACA

Ashogan Subban
Assistant Accountant
ACA

Sarah Ndlozi
Office Administrative Assistant
ACA

Lwanda Lloyd
Junior Marketing & Events Coordinator
ACA
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.

27 Fricker Road, Illovo, Johannesburg, 2196
010 880 3399 | ceo@acasa.co.za