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Marketing Talent
Newly formed VML announces its South African leadership team
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024
Recent global merger of agencies Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R creates a new SA business and leadership team.
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team.
Jarred Cinman has been named as CEO of VML South Africa. Working alongside Cinman will be Diane Wilson who has been named as VML’s Chief Operations Officer.
Diane Wilson (left), Jarred Cinman and Tebogo Skwambane. Photo: VML
A leader in South Africa’s agency landscape for three decades, Cinman has been at the forefront of digital evolution in the industry, having started and led South Africa’s first digital agency in the 1990s.
Wilson joined shortly thereafter, and their 27-year partnership as a leadership team has seen them co-found and lead Cambrient and then Native, which ultimately became VMLY&R South Africa. They have been co-CEOs of this business for the past five years.
Under Wilson and Cinman’s leadership, VMLY&R South Africa won heavy-hitting accounts, such as Vodacom, and numerous awards, both locally and internationally – including two silver Effie Awards, Seven Smarties Awards (six of them gold), and Agency of the Year at the New Generation Awards in 2023, as well as three Effie Awards, plus four Cannes Lions Awards in 2022.
Merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R
In October last year WPP announced a major evolution in its offering to clients with the global merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R. Operational from 1 January 2024, the combined entity, known as VML, will be the industry’s largest creative company and has entered the South African market with offices in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
VML South Africa’s clients include leading brands such as Vodacom, Standard Bank, BMW, Nestlé, Unilever, Hollard, Nando’s, and SA Tourism.
Cinman will report to Ewen Sturgeon, CEO of VML in the EMEA region. On the appointment, Sturgeon commented, “I am absolutely delighted that Jarred and Di will be leading the VML brand in South Africa. Their client-centric focus, inclusive leadership style and forward-thinking approach to innovation and technology will ensure we create a thriving business and that our clients are offered the very best across brand experience, customer experience and commerce.”
Fran Luckin becomes Chief Creative Officer, as announced at the end of last year. Tebogo Skwambane, who also holds the position of WPP Country Manager for South Africa, is announced as Executive Chairperson.
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