South Africa: Ogilvy grows its creative leadership in Johannesburg

Ogilvy South Africa has announced that Mbeu ‘Snooze’ Kambuwa is joining as an executive creative director in its advertising division. Mbeu’s addition enhances Ogilvy’s already strong creative team in its Johannesburg campus, led by Kabelo Mashapalo, chief creative officer.

With 14 years of extensive experience, Mbeu has contributed to globally recognised brands, including Coca-Cola, Toyota, Diageo, and Adidas. A seasoned creative professional with an impressive track record, he has previously worked for agencies in South Africa, Nigeria, and the United States of America.

“Ogilvy is an iconic agency and producing some of the best work in our industry. So I’m truly humbled and honoured to be joining the team. I’m looking forward to collaborating with the leadership team, to create powerful work for the wonderful brands that Ogilvy looks after. I’m also excited to work in a company that invests a large amount of energy in growing and building the next wave of young fresh creative talent in our industry,” comments Mbeu.

In addition, Mbeu is a seasoned judge for platforms such as the Loeries, Creative Circle and One Show Bootcamp. His work has been recognised at a variety of awards platforms, including the One Show, Cannes Lions, Loeries, and Pendorings.

“We are very excited to welcome Mbeu to our creative leadership team. And, we are confident that his wealth of experience and innovative thinking will contribute to the agency’s continued success, in delivering ground-breaking creative solutions for our clients,” adds Tracey Edwards, Managing Director for Ogilvy in Johannesburg.

“Our aim is to find and bring together, the best talent we can from across our industry. It’s a pleasure to welcome Mbeu to our team, where we’ve cultivated a wealth of different expertise, diverse perspectives, and a shared passion for pushing creative boundaries,” says Pete Case, CEO & Creative Chairman for Ogilvy South Africa.

Mbeu’s appointment follows a year of strong creative and effective impact for Ogilvy South Africa; recognised as the country’s top-performing Agency of the Year in 2023, by multiple local and international industry platforms, including Cannes Lions, CLIOs, One Show, Effies, Loeries, Assegais, and SCOPE.