EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS

Simply Black media agency appoints Stephanie Thomas as first COO

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Among her responsibilities is enhancing operations and driving consistent adoption of its operating culture across 37 African offices.

Africa-focused media agency network, Simply Black, has appointed Stephanie Thomas as its first Chief Operating Officer. The agency has 37 offices on the continent and employs around 250 people. 

 

Thomas will focus on enhancing the operations of the agency and driving the consistent adoption of its operating culture and ways of working across the offices in the diverse markets it serves.

Stephanie Thomas. Photo: Simply Black

According to Thomas, the agency has spent the past decade investing in home-grown talent in its various local offices.  

 

“Our clients rely on our in-depth knowledge and experience to help them navigate these markets and help them craft campaigns that generate a measurable return on their efforts and investment,” she says. 

 

“My focus is to ensure we remain true to our founding principles of ‘brilliant at basics’ and ‘expert execution’. However, as we build our business, my role will be to develop the tools and processes to support our teams in accessing our deep experience, specialist knowledge and local market networks in a unified framework.” 

 

Critical milestone in the agency’s growth within Africa 

 

Carine Haffejee, CEO of Simply Black, believes Thomas’s appointment is a critical milestone in the agency’s growth within Africa. 

 

“Our experience across Africa’s diverse media markets, and the data we have accumulated, are invaluable in enabling the proper planning and execution of campaigns,” she says. 

 

“But it is people that are the real secret to our business success. Steph is a perfect example of this. Her strong values, grit and perseverance, as well as her obsession with delighting clients, make her the obvious choice to take us to the next level. 

 

“We are optimistic about the future of the continent and the talent in the markets in which we operate.” 

 

Thomas holds a BA degree in Marketing and Communications and has been in the industry for more than 12 years.

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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.