EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS

Ipsos names Natalie Otte as new Country Manager for the SA market

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026

Otte joins from Kantar, where she most recently served as Chief Client & Commercial Officer for the Insights Division in South Africa.

Market research company Ipsos has appointed Natalie Otte as Country Manager for South Africa, effective from 1 February 2026. She will report to Nick Coates, CEO for sub-Saharan Africa at Ipsos.

Otte joins Ipsos from Kantar, where she most recently served as Chief Client & Commercial Officer for Kantar’s Insights Division in South Africa. She held the position since 2019, managing major brand portfolios and driving growth strategies for clients across the African continent.

Natalie Otte. Photo: LinkedIn

“We are delighted to welcome Natalie to the Ipsos family,” states Coates. “Having led the South African business myself for over five years before taking on the regional role, I know firsthand the importance of having a leader who deeply understands both the local market dynamics and our clients’ evolving needs.

“Natalie’s exceptional track record of helping brands achieve profitable growth through data-driven insights, combined with her proven leadership capabilities, will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our position.”

Career at Kantar Millward Brown

Otte also served as CEO of Kantar Millward Brown South Africa from 2016-2018, where she led teams delivering brand health tracking, media evaluation and communication testing for major clients.

“Her 21-year tenure at Kantar Millward Brown, rising from Junior Research Executive to CEO, demonstrates her comprehensive understanding of the research industry at every level,” Ipsos says in a press release.

Comments Otte: “I’m thrilled to join Ipsos at such an exciting time for the market research industry in South Africa and across Africa.

“Ipsos’ global reach, innovative methodologies, and commitment to delivering insights that drive real business impact presents an incredible opportunity.”

Otte holds a BCom Marketing with Honours from the University of Pretoria. She brings additional perspective from her early career experience across the IT, automotive and security sectors.

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.

Jason Lottering