M&C Saatchi Group Announce New Appointments

M&C Saatchi Group (South Africa/Africa) has promoted Jerry Mpufane, group managing director to chairperson of the M&C Saatchi Johannesburg Group of Companies. Alan Bell, former managing director at The Hardy Boys, has been appointed partner and managing director at M&C Saatchi Abel’s Johannesburg office.

Mpufane, whose previous roles include MD of FCB Joburg, CEO at The Jupiter Drawing Room (JHB), GM SA Tourism and group marketing director at the SABC, will be tasked with continuing the positive momentum the group has achieved despite the tough market environment.

The successes of the group’s newly acquired partners - which include Dalmatian Advertising, also acquired by M&C Saatchi PLC in mid-2016, and digital agency Creative Spark - have fuelled a large part of this growth.

“The M&C Saatchi Johannesburg Group is extraordinarily well positioned as we head into a new year with fresh challenges and opportunities, and I am thrilled to be at the forefront of the journey ahead,” says Mpufane. “The role of any leader comes stacked with challenges and responsibilities, but I’m confident that I can steer the Johannesburg group of companies onto a course of further growth and innovation.”

“Despite a challenging macro-economic and political environment, the M&C Saatchi Group of Companies had an amazing year in 2016, and we are excited to see what the new leadership paradigm will do for this highly motivated and dynamic group,” adds Mike Abel, M&C Saatchi Abel ‎chief executive partner.

M&C Saatchi Africa is expanding its presence on the continent, where the agency is now represented in 20 countries through its affiliate network. The agency landed the Heineken account for multiple markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, a major coup in such a competitive category.

“The M&C Saatchi Abel Group of Companies can briefly reflect on a remarkable period of growth – as well as directly forward to an exciting and interesting path ahead,” says Abel.