SA's Saatchi & Saatchi Appoints Firdous Osman As New Managing Director

Saatchi & Saatchi, a South Africa-based creative agency, has named Firdous Osman as its new managing director. Osman joined Saatchi & Saatchi as a managing partner in May 2020 after 18 years of being in the industry.

Osman ran her own advertising agency for almost five years and thereafter spent 14 years at Ogilvy South Africa (nine of those years spent leading teams in upper management roles).

"We couldn't have found a better fit if we tried. This plan has been in the making for two years now so I am very happy to finally bring it to life," says previous Saatchi & Saatchi managing director Quinton Luck.

"Osman has been working closely with me over the past two years to understand the Saatchi & Saatchi business, as well as the wider Publicis Groupe. I'm excited to see her visions come to life and with her strong people focus, I feel confident that I'm leaving the business in very capable hands. I wish her the very best and know confidently that she'll bring massive success to the role," adds Luck.

In addition to a wealth of experience, Osman also brings with her a long line of accolades, including over 50 effective and creative awards. Most recently, she received the SA Women Leader 2021 award and was appointed to the board of the Cape Town Film Festival.

"I am delighted to be leading Saatchi & Saatchi as their new MD and can't wait to get stuck in and deliver against our strategy and vision. To me, the secret to building a successful agency lies in developing and growing its people and bringing diversity into the workplace. Continuing to foster trust in our people, our creative offering and spirit, as well as our work, are just a few of the things I am excited to bring to my new role," says Osman.

Publicis Groupe Africa senior vice president Jonty Fisher concludes, "We are very proud to have Firdous heading up the Saatchi & Saatchi fold. Her top-notch skillset and exceptional level of experience are undeniable and so is the success she's already brought to the agency. We're very excited about what is to come."