Effie South Africa, hosted by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), has announced the full jury panel for the 2025 Effie Awards programme
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Effie South Africa, hosted by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), has announced the full jury panel for the 2025 Effie Awards programme, with this year’s theme reminding us that “You Can’t Fake Real Impact.” The Effie Awards remain the globally recognised benchmark for marketing effectiveness, rewarding ideas that are grounded in insight, fuelled by creativity, and proven to deliver real business results.
Returning to lead the adjudication process are Jury Co-Chairs Refilwe Maluleke, Executive Head of Marketing at Discovery Health, and Ahmed Tilly, Creative Advisor and Director at Number 10 – A Creative Consultancy.
Refilwe Maluleke commented: “Great marketing doesn’t just make noise—it makes impact. The Effies celebrating marketing effectiveness is critical to our industry because it proves that creativity can drive results, strategy can spark growth, and every campaign can be a catalyst for real-world impact..”
Ahmed Tilly added: “Advertising that works has been the order of the day for the past 10 years. Now, the need from brands is for advertising and marketing to go beyond just working. We need to shift needles. The survival of business depends on it, especially in a new and unpredictable world. And for that to happen, wildly creative, delightfully surprising and shockingly authentic creativity is required. Effies 2025 will celebrate that calibre of work because that’s what it will take to give our community any place in the future.”
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2025 Effie Jury
The Effie South Africa jury comprises leaders across the marketing and communications ecosystem—drawn from brand, agency, media, research, and strategic roles. Judges are selected for their track record, depth of experience, and understanding of effectiveness.
Round One judges will review all eligible cases, with Round Two handled by a more senior group of jurors tasked with evaluating the highest-scoring campaigns to determine the finalists and winners. The Grand Effie Jury—a separate and senior panel—will be announced in the coming weeks.
Round One Judging takes place on 10 July, followed by Round Two on 24 July. The Effie Awards Gala will be held on 23 October 2025.
A full list of 2025 Effie Judges is included below.
JUDGE
DESIGNATION
AGENCY/COMPANY
Refilwe Maluleke (Jury Co- Chair)
Executive Head of Marketing
Discovery Health
Ahmed Tilly (Jury Co- Chair)
Creative Advisor
Number 10 – A Creative Consultancy
Akona
Golimpi
Creative Director
Brave Group
Alex
Goldberg
Creative Partner
Ogilvy South Africa
Alleric
Kalicharan
Head of Marketing
Location Bank
Ammarah Issufo
Marketing Manager – Digital, PR & Social Influence
Unilever Home Care
Ana Maria Panait
Senior Manager Laundry
Unilever
Andreas “Dre”
Shifotoka
Head of Digital and Innovation
Publicis Groupe Africa
Anele Nzimande-Maphanga
Head of PR
Unilever
Anietie
Udoh
Divisional Director Marketing/Editorial
Marketing Edge Publication Ltd
Antonio
Petra
Marketing Strategy & Innovation Specialist
VML South Africa
Arpan Sur
CMO, Sub Saharan Africa Business Unit
Mondelez
Atiyya Karodia
Strategy Director
AKQA
Babalwa Nyembezi
Strategy Partner
Dentsu
Barend Strydom
Senior Digital Lead | Strategy & E-Commerce
MindShare (WPP)
Bianca Sidelsky
Group Innovation Director
PHD Media
Boitumelo Moeketsi
Integrated Creative Group Head
Duma Collective
Brenda
Khumalo
Founder & Managing Director
Lobengula Advertising
Buli
Ndlovu
Executive Head: Retail & Business Banking Marketing
Nedbank
Buyi Mafoko
Co-founder/ Managing Director
Matte BLK
Candice Goodman
Managing Director
Mobitainment
Charles Sithole
Insights Executive
IQ Business Insights
Cleo Campbell
Head of Media & Creative Capabilities Africa
The South African Breweries (ABInBev)
Coenie
Grebe
Executive Creative Director
Halo
Dashni Vilakazi
Managing Director
The MediaShop
Dermot Latimer
Founder and Group CEO of Iconic Collective
Iconic Collective
Desh Govender
Global Culture Marketer
Ex-TikTok Global Marketing Lead
Dhatchani Naidoo
Managing Director
Delta Victor Bravo
Dimpho Khola
Brand and Comms Strategist
Halo
Dono White
Strategy Director
VML South Africa
Dudu Mokholo
CMO East and Southern Africa (ESAR)
Nestle ESAR
Elihle
Obi
Marketing Director
Schneider Electric South Africa and Anglophone Africa
Erna George
SA Insights & Analytics Senior Director
PepsiCo
Ethel Ramos
Managing Director
Evan Kotton
Digital Media Strategist
Mediology
Ille
Potgieter
Managing Director
M&C Saatchi Abel, Cape Town
James Cloete
Chief Creative Officer
RAPT Creative Agency
Jason Harrison
Founder & Chief Operating Officer
The Up & Up Group
Johannes
Keiper
Strategy Director
M&C Saatchi Abel
Jonathan Wolberg
Executive Creative Director
Happy Friday
Julia Ridderhof
Integrated Strategic Planner
Joe Public
Kathleen Davis
Divisional Executive – Film & Entertainment division at GIB
GIB Insurance Brokers (Pty) Ltd
Khensani-Wonder Mabunda
CEO
KW Kreatives
Kyle Carson
Marketing Director: Snacks, Treats & Beverages
Tiger Brands Limited
Kyle Oosthuizen
CEO
Blue Robot
Langa Khanyile
Marketing Director
PepsiCo
Lara
Chatzkelowitz
Strategy Director
TBWA \ Hunt \ Lascaris
Lebo Mokwena
Creative Producer
WWP Group Africa
Lesego
Kotane
CSO
TBWA\ South Africa
Lloyd Wybrow
Strategy Director
OLIVER South Africa
Lorraine Landon
Head of Advertising Products and Solutions SSA
Google
Loyiso
Twala
Chief Creative Officer
McCann Joburg
Marcelle
Duncan
Head of Brand
BMW
Masego
Motsogi
Managing Director
M&C Saatchi Abel Johannesburg
Mathabo
Diale
Managing Partner
M&C Saatchi Abel
Mathew
Walton
Marketing Manager: Savanna Cider
Heineken Beverages
Maxine Selmer-Olsen
Senior Strategist
Halo
Mia Roets
Experience Design Director
Joe Public
Michael Cost
Head of Strategy and Client Development
Humanz
Mike
Sharman
Chief Creative Officer
Retroviral
Modjadji Mashatola
Head of Strategy
McCann Joburg
Mogorosi Mashilo
Founder & Director
TrendER
Natalie Wilson
Managing Director
DENTSU CREATIVE South Africa
Noelle
Augustus
Creative Group Head
Ogilvy
Nonkululeko Mabena
Head of Strategy
Promise
Ntokozo Nhlanhla
Executive Creative Director
Digitas Liquorice
Paula Hulley
Managing Director
Digitas Liquorice
Peter Langa
Founder & CEO
Langa Eleven
Ray
Langa
Group Chief Executive Officer – South Africa
Leagas Delaney
Rayhaan Mehtar
Head of Strategy
The Odd Number
Reagen Kok
Managing Director
FCB Africa
Rene
Fowler
Head of Integrated Media Operations
Juno/Joe Public
Reshma Lakha-Singh
Head: Marketing
Wits University
Ruan Van Biljon
Strategic Account Manager : Social & Influencer Lead
EssenceMediacom South Africa
Saiesh Ajudhiya
Head of Media, Creative & Innovation
Kantar
Sarah Dexter
CEO / CSO
MullenLowe
Senzo Xulu
Head of Digital
The Odd Number
Shelley-Ann Atkinson
CEO
Murmur
Sibu Mabena
CCO
Duma Collective
Simphiwe Senyatsi
Senior Art Director
TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris
Sindiwe Mbiko
Group Porfolio Lead: Group PR, Digital Content and Corporate Communications
Momentum Group (Formerly Momentum Metropolitan Holdings)
Siwelile Thusi
Lead Strategist
M&C Saatchi Abel
Struan Campbell
Group Partner
Octagon Africa Group
Sunshine Shibambo
Intergrated Director
The Racket Club
Tanya Schreuder
CEO
Juno Media
Tarryn Fowler
Marketing Director
Rainbow Chicken Ltd.
Tegan Henchie
Head of Strategy
The South African Breweries (ABInBev)
Tlalane Makape
General Manager: Brand & Communications
Nando’s South Africa
Toni Hughes
Creative Director (Snr)
McCann Joburg
Tseliso Rangaka
Chief Creative Officer
Accenture Song
Tshenolo Koloane
Head of Brand Strategy & Purpose
Avon Justine South Africa
Veronica Moleele
CEO
Penquin
Vilosha
Soni
Chief Marketing Officer
PepsiCo
Vuyokazi
Henda
Chief Marketing Officer
Spur Corp
Yuvisti Ramgulam
Director, Client Service MEA
OLIVER MEA
Yvonne Mazengera
Head of Brand
Business Owner
Zachary Kingston
Chief Strategy Officer
FCB
Zahra Mirza
Managing Director
HKLM
Zakithi Mncwango
Category Marketing Manager
Nestlé
Zeenat Mahomed
Head of Strategy
Red Corner
Gillian Rightford, Executive Director of the ACA, which hosts the Effie Awards South Africa, noted: “Effie Awards South Africa is proud to once again honour effectiveness as the true measure of marketing success. The calibre of this year’s jury reflects the diversity of disciplines that power great work—from data, strategy and media to creative and brand leadership. We thank them for devoting their time and expertise to this critical process. The value lies not only in awarding work that works—but in interrogating, uncovering and challenging the thinking behind it.”
Effie Awards South Africa is proudly sponsored by Nedbank, SAB, Unilever, GIB Insurance, and Investec.
Rightford concluded: “We look forward to uncovering the strongest campaigns, and in so doing celebrating the agency–client partnerships that have created the most effective campaigns in South Africa.”
