Nahana Communications Group has promoted Thabang Skwambane to CEO. He had served as group managing director of Nahana agencies FCB Joburg and Hellocomputer. As CEO he now oversees the entire collective of specialist agencies across the marketing ecosystem at Nahana, including FCB Joburg, Hellocomputer Joburg, HelloFCB+, McCann1886, Fuelcontent, Meta Media, The Media Shop, Craft, Lucid and Weber Shandwick.
Skwambane’s promotion reflects his success since 2015 in bringing FCB Joburg and Hellocomputer to record business growth and agency accolades for creative work, including Coca-Cola’s “Phonetic Cans” and “Beatnation,” and Toyota’s “Honest Politician” and “Boundary Crossing,” while his leadership earned recognition both locally and globally.
“I’m incredibly excited to be handing over the reins to Thabang; he has been a huge support to me and our group and has stewarded FCB and Hellocomputer in Johannesburg to some of the biggest milestones in agency history,” said Nahana Communications Group executive creative chair Brett Morris who moves up to Nahana Communications Group executive creative chair, succeeded by Skwambane in the role of CEO.
In his new capacity, Skwambane will support Nahana’s Creative Leadership Team. Morris led Nahana to numerous global creative honors including South Africa’s first ever Cannes Grand Prix and One Show Best of Show.
“I can only thank Brett for bringing me into the Nahana family and giving me this opportunity. I fully intend to build on the incredible business he has led for almost a decade and partner my executive team to keep growing our business, our people and ourselves,” said Skwambane.
Filling Skwambane’s shoes as group managing director of FCB Joburg and Hellocomputer is Joey Khuvutlu.
Together in 2021, FCB Joburg and Nahana started the Small Business Rescue Fund to help South African businesses affected by the widespread riots that ravaged communities last year. Outside of Nahana, Skwambane founded the Aluwani Foundation to aid orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa and co-founded Kaelo Healthcare, a leading wellness and healthcare provider bringing affordable quality healthcare and addressing critical illnesses such as HIV and AIDS. He also serves as vice-chair of the Association for Communication and Advertising South Africa.
The Many Hires Jeremiah Wassom As Group Creative Director
Independent agency The Many has added Jeremiah Wassom as group creative director.
Wassom most recently worked a decade at Deutsch LA where, as SVP/creative director, he led the Taco Bell account and won new business for the agency. His agency past also includes AKQA and TBWAChiatDay. His creative work has touched the QSR, video games, automotive, fashion, and culture brand sectors. He also served eight years with the United States Marine Corps.
“Throughout his career, Jeremiah has helmed work that has not only made me personally jealous but has consistently pushed brands to show up in memorable and innovative ways,” said Josh Paialii, head of creative at The Many. “One look at his body of work and you will see his passion for storytelling and craft has raised the bar for entire categories, driving participation with many brands’ most loyal fans. Beyond being a world-class creative director and maker, Wassom is a proven team player and strategic thought leader. He’ll be a great addition to the leadership team at The Many working across all accounts. His role will be immediately felt as he guides and supports each of the creative leads in the department.”
A 20-year creative with agency, brand, and freelance experience, Wassom has forged a creative approach which focuses on crafting engaging connections rather than simply make ads. He sees the need for advertising to mean more, not simply do more.
The Many believes that true business growth is made possible by harnessing the power of participation and partners with brands to forge deeper connections with consumers, cultivate trust and loyalty, and maximize marketing spend and execution. The agency is built around a flexible model that offers a suite of capabilities, including... Read More