Publicis Groupe Africa has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Gideon Khobane as the new Managing Director: Rest of Africa, effective immediately.
In his new role, Khobane will oversee the group’s operations across the African continent, excluding West Africa. He also joins the Publicis Groupe Africa Executive Committee and will report directly to Koo Govender, CEO of Publicis Groupe Africa.
With more than 20 years of experience in media, entertainment, and digital platforms, Khobane brings deep expertise at the intersection of content, technology, and business development across Africa.
His appointment comes at a time when communications groups are recalibrating their strategies to navigate rapidly evolving African markets and support clients facing new growth challenges.
Before joining Publicis Groupe Africa, Khobane served as Special Advisor and Head of Entertainment at The Akuna Group, a company founded by actor Idris Elba. In that capacity, he drove strategic partnerships, impact investing, and digital transformation initiatives across the continent.
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His impressive track record also includes high-level leadership positions in the African media industry, notably as Managing Director of Amazon Prime Video for Sub-Saharan Africa, CEO of SuperSport, and Group Executive for General Entertainment at MultiChoice Group.
These roles have equipped him with extensive experience managing operations across multiple African markets, forging partnerships with major telecommunications players, and leading organizational transformation amid the rapid rise of digital technology.
Koo Govender, CEO of Publicis Groupe Africa, welcomed the appointment, describing it as a strategic move to bolster the group’s capabilities in supporting clients across dynamic African markets.
“Gideon’s deep knowledge of the continent and his proven ability to build teams and develop businesses across multiple countries will be invaluable,” Govender said.














