AGENCIES

Manaka-Havas joint venture appointed PR partner for airports company

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026

Agency wins Airports Company of South Africa communications bid and aims to provide ‘disciplined narrative leadership’.

Manaka Havas, a strategic joint venture between Manaka Publicity and Havas Johannesburg, has been appointed as the communications and public relations agency for the Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) for a three-year term.

Manaka-Havas joint venture appointed PR partner for airports company

New PR agency for Airports Company of SA. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The appointment follows a competitive procurement process and places the newly formed joint venture at the centre of one of South Africa’s major infrastructure portfolios. Acsa operates nine airports, including three international gateways that serve as critical connectors between SA and international markets.

 

In a press release, Havas says the mandate reinforces Manaka Havas’ positioning within the infrastructure, aviation and public sector communications space across Africa.

 

“Manaka Publicity brings deep pan-African market intelligence, policy-aware communications strategy and experience advising institutions operating in complex regulatory environments. The firm has built its reputation on high-stakes reputation management and stakeholder alignment across Southern, East and West Africa,” the statement reads.

 

Supported by global scale and governance standards

 

It adds that the joint structure allows Manaka Havas to deliver continentally informed strategy supported by global scale and governance standards.

 

Comments Tlhogi Ngwato, Managing Partner at Manaka Publicity: “This is the kind of mandate we built Manaka for. Infrastructure institutions need disciplined narrative leadership, not just publicity. Our focus will be to support Acsa in reshaping perceptions with the same intentionality it applies to operations.”

 

With a three-year horizon, the focus will be on sustained reputation building, narrative consistency and positioning Acsa as a future-forward airport operator committed to operational excellence and national development.

 

Says Laurene Less, Group Executive: Corporate Affairs and Communications at Acsa: “We are confident that Manaka Havas will bring the strategic depth and integrated approach required to support our communications objectives over the next three years.”

 

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Keith Haynes
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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.