
Roxana Ravjee joins Havas as its new CEO for the Africa region
She comes to Havas as a business leader with more than 20 years of expertise across marketing, advertising, transformation and growth.
MARKETING ACHIEVEMENTS
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Dr Sharp received the European Marketing Confederation’s Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the first International Day of Marketing.
The European Marketing Confederation (EMC), a partner of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC), has honoured Australian marketing guru, Dr Byron Sharp, with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Marketing.
Dr Sharp is best known for his groundbreaking book ‘How Brands Grow’, which has fundamentally changed how marketers think about brand growth. His work has inspired professionals across the globe to embrace evidence over intuition – shifting the marketing discipline toward data, reach, distinctiveness and scientific rigor.
Dr Byron Sharp. Photo: LinkedIn
As Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, a global research institute focused on marketing science, Dr Sharp has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and continues to be one of the most cited voices in marketing science.
“His influence on the marketing industry cannot be overstated,” said Dr Ralf Strauss, Chairman of the EMC. “His boldness in challenging industry orthodoxy and his dedication to advancing the discipline make him a deserving recipient of this award.”
International Day of Marketing
The award was made by the EMC on 27 May, as part of the first International Day of Marketing. The date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of marketing guru Philip Kotler, born on that day in 1931. The day aims to highlight the importance of marketing in business and society, promote pride in the profession, and celebrate marketing in a bright way.
On his LinkedIn profile, Dr Sharp describes himself as “an old-fashioned scientist (known for research that seeks to discover and describe law-like patterns). But I study a ‘new’ area – marketing (buying behaviour and brand competition)”.
The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, based at the University of South Australia, is staffed by 50-plus academic personnel. Their pioneering work is supported by corporations around the globe such as General Motors, Henkel, Lindt, PepsiCo, Mondelez, Mars and Novartis.
Late last year, the European Marketing Confederation and the African Marketing Confederation announced that they have joined forces to enhance the global marketing landscape through a strategic partnership focused on sharing best practices, advancing skills, and promoting education in marketing, sales and service.

She comes to Havas as a business leader with more than 20 years of expertise across marketing, advertising, transformation and growth.

Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?

Researchers find three distinct reactions that explain why emotional content online can be so powerful – and have contradictory effects.

Strategic Marketing for Africa, the publication for deep-thinking African marketing professionals, is not to be missed.

Bank moves its focus from corporate and investment banking as it unveils plans to target retail customers and small businesses.

Uganda Marketers Society looks to the future as the new Board outlines its priorities for the next two years.

Brand continues a trend of food and beverage licensing moving into the beauty sector by collaborating on shower and lip-care products.

While the global marketing industry debates what the next big consumer trend might be, Africans are getting on with embracing major change.

Charmagne Mazhindu becomes Vice-President of Marketing for Wallmart-owned group that includes major brands such as Makro and Builders.

The Coca Cola Company has unveiled a new global Coke campaign called ‘The World Will Wait’ that’s aimed at Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

The port sits on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and is showing steady growth as a major logistics hub.