
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.
MARKETING TALENT
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026
Charmagne Mazhindu becomes Vice-President of Marketing for Wallmart-owned group that includes major brands such as Makro and Builders.
Charmagne Mazhindu. Photo: Massmart
Massmart, the South African retail and wholesale company owned by Walmart, has appointed Charmagne Mazhindu as its new Vice-President of Marketing.
The company says this strengthens its executive leadership team as it continues to accelerate its customer-centric growth strategy.
Mazhindu brings more than a decade of marketing leadership experience across multiple industries and has a track record of building brands, leading digital transformation initiatives and delivering integrated marketing strategies that drive commercial growth and customer engagement.
In her new role, she will lead Massmart’s marketing strategy across its portfolio of retail brands. These include Makro, Builders (formerly Builders Warehouse), Game and the Jumbo cash-and-carry business.
She will also oversee the continued evolution of the group’s marketing technology capabilities aimed at enhancing personalised customer experiences and growing its omnichannel ambitions.
Mazhindu holds an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and an Executive Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Transformation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Her achievements include being recognised as the 2021 South African Standard Bank ‘Top Women Young Achiever’ and serving as a judge for the 2021 African Marketing Achievement Awards.
“Charmagne brings a powerful combination of strategic thinking, digital expertise and customer-centric leadership,” says Merlin Otto, Chief Growth Officer of Massmart.
“Her experience in building high-performing marketing functions and leading transformation initiatives positions her well to help shape the next chapter of Massmart’s growth.”
Says Mazhindu: “The business has an exceptional portfolio of trusted brands and a clear ambition to create even greater value for customers. I look forward to working with the talented teams across the organisation to build meaningful customer connections, strengthen our brands and unlock new opportunities for growth.”
Her experience includes being Marketing Strategy and Operations Director at digital advertising and technology company Aleph Group, and Regional Marketing Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa at Amazon Web Services.

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

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

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

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