INDUSTRY APPOINTMENTS

Dentsu Africa announces appointment of new managing director for Zambia

By our News Team | 2023

Experienced as an account lead and strategist, Chishimba Musonda takes over the reins of the business she joined in 2020.

Dentsu Africa has announced the appointment of Chishimba Musonda as the new Managing Director for Dentsu Zambia. She takes up her new role on 1 January 2024.

In her new position, she will lead and support the regional management team to strategically develop Dentsu Zambia, delivering excellence and driving business growth, transformation and unlocking the full potential of the business.

Chishimba Musonda. Photo credit: Dentsu Africa

Musonda joined the company in 2020 as account lead and strategist. With over a decade of industry experience, she has specialised in fine-tuning media campaigns across a spectrum of sectors, including FMCG, banking, telecommunications, devices and beverages.

Her clients have included Absa, ABinBev, MTN, Airtel, Pepsi, Shoprite, Betway, BoZ, Unilever, Nestlé and Mastercard.

Commenting on her promotion, Musonda says: “As I step into the role of managing director, I am thrilled to lead with a vision focused on nurturing growth, fostering innovation, upholding diligence, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Pivotal chapter in her professional journey

“This appointment signifies a pivotal chapter in my professional journey, and I am eager to contribute to the continued success of our teams in Zambia and across the region, as well as the overall prosperity of the organisation.”

Says Lana Marais, Group Operation Director for Dentsu Africa: “Chishimba brings unsurpassed experience and passion for the industry, and I am confident [that], with her leading the charge in Dentsu Zambia, she will step-change the norm and accelerate growth in the market through innovation and helping our clients plan and predict for a dynamic future.

“She is a highly respected leader, not only in Zambia, but across the Dentsu network, and this promotion signals our intention to continue to invest in talent across the region.”

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Dentsu is one of the world’s largest advertising and public relations networks.

Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world

Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.

Three people stand side by side in front of a sports direct backdrop the woman in the middle holds a blue and orange 'sports direct' sign

Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi

Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.

Person wearing a beige sweater holds a phone with a translucent search bar reading 'search' and microphonecamera icons in the foreground

Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility

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

Person shopping at a deli counter holding an orange shopping basket in a cheese section of a supermarket

The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI

Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.

Conference stage with a woman in a patterned dress speaking to an audience large screens display '' logos and banners for a marketers conference with 'institute of marketing in malawi' branding on stage panels and backdrop

Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession

Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.

Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan

Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.

We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?

Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.

Hotel receptionist assisting a guest at the check in counter with a gray suitcase nearby behind the desk

Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers

Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.

Three people in formal attire pose for a photo at an awards event a woman in a pink dress holds a trophy while two men in suits stand beside her against a gold confetti backdrop

FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards

South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.

Portrait of a man with short black hair and a beard wearing a black button down shirt against a light gray background

Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths

Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.

Yellow humanoid robot at a bakery counter inspecting a display of donuts on display in front of glass cases

Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI

Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.