ADVERTISING

Gillian Rightford takes over the reins at SA advertising industry body

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Well-known ad industry figure announced as Interim Executive Director of ACA following departure of its CEO.

The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) in South Africa has announced that Mathe Okaba, who served as Chief Executive Officer for over five years, stepped down from her role at the end of last year.

According to a statement issued by the ACA, “a smooth transition is underway” and the board has appointed well-known industry figure, Gillian Rightford, as Interim Executive Director on a fixed-term contract.

Rightford brings a wealth of expertise in marketing, strategy, advertising and leadership to the role.

Prior to entering the creative world, she consulted on marketing strategy and later became a shareholder and Group Managing Director of two globally aligned agencies, Hercules DMB&B, and Lowe Bull.

Gillian Rightford. Photo supplied

Later she founded Adtherapy, a communication and management consultancy catering to diverse clients globally – including marketers and advertising/communication agencies.

Gratitude expressed to former CEO

Commenting on the transition, Sharleen James, Deputy Chair of the ACA, has expressed gratitude to Okaba for her service.

“We thank Mathe for her dedicated service to the ACA and the industry. Her contributions have been valued, and we wish her success in her future pursuits,” James says.

“We are confident that Gillian Rightford’s expertise will be an invaluable asset to the organisation, ensuring continued excellence in serving our members and partners and bringing our vision to ‘promote a communications profession that is trusted, inclusive and measurable’ to life.”

The ACA is the official representative body of South Africa’s advertising and communications profession. It is a voluntary organisation formed both by, and for, the profession.

According to the ACA, its members “are committed to fostering trust between marketers and agencies, and transforming the advertising and communications industry at large. The aim is clear: to positively influence and impact the professional and operational standards of all South African agencies”.

Marketing Society of Rwanda joins the African Marketing Confederation

Its aims include developing professional standards and creating opportunities for Rwandan marketers to learn and network.

Trevor Noah in the new tourism campaign

SA tourism destination marketing campaign brings back Trevor Noah

Latest campaign aims to boost international arrivals while highlighting tourism’s contribution to South Africa’s economy and job creation.

Changan auto brand enters Ethiopian market with first dealership

Fast-growing middle class and promotion of electric vehicle adoption presents ‘substantial growth opportunities’ for Chinese brand.

Portrait of a middle-aged man in a black suit and gold-and-black striped tie, looking at the camera against a white background.

MAZ’s 2026 Marketing Week engages local marketers on key topics

Week of activities and events creates opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and hearing insights from industry experts.

Desk with a computer monitor showing an orange bar chart labeled 'Advertising Today', plus keyboard, mouse, and glasses on a blue magazine.

Memorable visuals in ads are more likely to lead to purchase – study

Research suggests that attention-grabbing campaigns may need to be paired with memorable visual design to influence buying decisions.

Busy port with cranes, warehouses, and a red training ship docked at the quay; city and hills in the background.

Underperforming Port of Cape Town seeks a private sector boost

Cape Town’s port must be a competitive advantage rather than a bottleneck that constrains trade, investment and supply chains.

Ricardo Valente Da Conceicao

H&M makes senior leadership appointment for South African market

Experienced retail executive Ricardo Valente Da Conceicao returns to Africa as GM, bringing expertise gained in various overseas markets.

Exterior of a BIM store with red signage and blue-framed windows, parked cars in front on a wet lot.

Turkish supermarket group BIM hits 1,000-store landmark in Morocco

Local consumers are proving receptive to BIM’s private-label goods and hard-discount model as they struggle with inflationary pressure.

Two magazines titled Strategic Marketing Africa and Traceability on a green background.

Current issue of AMC magazine brings critical insights for marketers

Issue 1 2026 of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine for deep-thinking African marketing professionals, highlights key trends.

Two adults in business attire stand on a soccer field, holding a maroon jersey that reads 'Visit Rwanda'.

Visit Rwanda announces partnership with Aston Villa Football Club

Rwanda’s tourism marketing arm signs agreement to be the English club’s main shirt sponsor after deal with Arsenal FC ends.

Close-up of two people shaking hands in a business context.

Africa declares a new standard for its communications profession

For too long, the PR landscape has had no shared standard for who practises in it or what responsibility they carry, founders say.

Rozanne