Women in Marketing Africa proudly presents Real Talk – The Creatives Edition.
This marks the fourth instalment of The Real Talk Series, featuring open and honest discussions with senior professionals and industry leaders. This edition will focus on gender equality in the creative sector, delving into the challenges women face in pursuing and achieving leadership roles in creative fields.
Challenges facing Women in Creative Leadership
Get ready for an inspiring and candid panel featuring three dynamic female creative leaders who have carved out their paths in the fast-paced world of advertising and marketing. These trailblazers will share their personal stories, the hurdles they’ve jumped over, and the strategies they used to get to where they are today. It's all about real talk and empowering the next wave of women in the creative scene!. We'll cover:
??This isn’t just another panel; it’s a chance to spark meaningful conversations about gender equality in the creative industries. We’ll celebrate the progress made—like the jump from 3% to 29% of female creative directors in the U.S. thanks to the 3% Movement—and chat about the steps we still need to take for real change in Africa and beyond. Join us for an engaging discussion that’s sure to inspire and motivate!
Who is this event for?
This conversation is designed for professionals in the advertising, marketing, and creative sectors who are passionate about driving gender equality in leadership. It will be particularly valuable for women in mid-to-senior roles seeking insight into the challenges and triumphs of female creative directors, as well as for allies, HR leaders, and industry advocates working to foster more inclusive workplaces. Attendees will gain practical advice on navigating creative leadership, along with data-backed insights into the benefits of inclusive practices. The discussion aims to inspire, equip, and empower those committed to creating a more equitable industry landscape.
This will be a free event hosted on Google Meet.
Real Talk Series Overview
Since the beginning of time women have faced challenges in being seen and being treated as equals to their male counterparts. The effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic have in some ways worsened the situation and new challenges have arisen:
This series of conversations aims to allow women to share their experiences of the challenges they’ve faced and in doing so help others.
The discussions cover career progression; balancing work and home life; the impact of the global pandemic; the hard decisions and sacrifices they have had to make; and what has worked for them as ambitious professionals.
The conversation will be delivered as a panel discussion with audience members able to pose questions to the panellists.
PANELLIST - Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Think Creative Africa
PANELLIST - Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Think Creative Africa
Nkgabiseng Motau is a distinguished Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Think Creative Africa, a leading through-the-line creative agency that blends authentic African creativity with data-driven insights to solve business challenges and impact society. With over a decade of experience in the communications industry, she has worked on both local and global campaigns for some of the world's most beloved brands at the helm of Africa's top multinational agencies.
Nkgabiseng's impressive portfolio includes a gold Pendoring Award for the branding design of the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital in Johannesburg and a Gold Loerie Award in the Effective Creativity category for Coca-Cola. Notably, one of her campaigns for Coca-Cola became one of the few to be adopted in over 95 countries worldwide.
Under her leadership, Think Creative Africa has delivered award-winning campaigns for blue-chip clients such as Vodacom, Metropolitan, and DStv. Nkgabiseng is an active member of the Creative Circle SA EXCO Board and the ABInBev Braintrust. Her expertise is recognised globally, having served as a juror for prestigious awards including ADC, The One Show, Ad Stars, Dubai Lynx, and Cannes Lions. Recently, she has chaired the jury for the regional ANDYs show in Africa, The Pendoring Awards, D&AD Young Bloods and The Dubai Lynx Festival.
In addition to her professional achievements, Nkgabiseng is a sought-after speaker with experience on both local and international stages, sharing her insights and experiences in the creative industry.
PANELLIST - Co-Founder and Director of Strategy, Yellow Brick Road
PANELLIST - Co-Founder and Director of Strategy, Yellow Brick Road
Nnenna Onyewuchi is the co-founder and director of strategy of Yellow Brick Road, a full-service communications agency based in Lagos. She has over 20 years’ experience across a variety of creative disciplines including advertising, experiential marketing, film production and pay-tv.
Nnenna is a fierce believer in the power of stories to move hearts, change minds and shift the world. She started her career in New Business at McCann Erickson, New York and rose to the position of vice president.
She returned to Nigeria in 2004. Since returning to Nigeria in 2004, Nnenna has held positions at Chris Parkes Marketing Solutions, Small World Media, HiTV and TBWA/Concept. She joined ZK Advertising in 2007. In 2011, Nnenna and her partners took it over, rebranding it and growing it into one of Nigeria’s most respected agencies.
Nnenna is deeply committed to the progress of African people, communities and economies. She sits on the board of several companies and is chairperson of the board of WAVE, a non-profit working to solving youth unemployment in the West Africa.
PANELLIST - Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer, The Storytellers
PANELLIST - Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer, The Storytellers
After competing against over 700 applicants worldwide, Yaa was one of 15 women selected globally for the Cannes Lions See It Be It initiative in 2019, becoming the first Ghanaian and the only African representative that year. The program aims to inspire, support, and bridge the gender gap by accelerating the careers of the next generation of senior-level women in the creative industry.
Yaa began her career in advertising as a Designer at Landor Associates in the UK before returning to Ghana to join Ogilvy's creative team. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the first and only female Creative Director at Scanad, a J. Walter Thompson Company within WPP Scangroup.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Graphic Design from the Arts Institute of Bournemouth, alongside certificates in Leadership, Branding & Marketing, and Interactive Media & Digital. Her excellence in typography earned her recognition from the International Society of Typographic Designers (UK), granting her the title MISTD. Additionally, she had the honour of exhibiting her work at London’s D&AD New Blood show.
Yaa has served as a juror for Cannes Lions See It Be It (2020 - 2024). She was also featured in Cannes Lions Classic Reactions, a collaboration with Facebook that examined classic ads through a modern lens. In 2024, she served as a juror for the Art Directors Club’s 103rd Annual Awards, The Pitcher Awards, and the Gerety Awards, where she was part of the grand jury. She also judged the Loeries in 2023 and 2024 and was involved in organising the International Advertising Association’s 6th African Rising Conference.
In 2021, Yaa was a juror for the Ad Stars Advertising & Creative Festival and a panelist for Gerety Talks in 2022. She also spoke at the 3rd African Rising Leadership Conference organised by the IAA. Her keynote speaking engagements include Accra’s Social Media Week in 2018 and 2019, as well as the Pitcher Awards in 2020 and 2022. Yaa has also contributed as a juror for the Lagos Advertising and Ideas Festival (LAIF) and the 2019 Young LAIFers program in Lagos, Nigeria.
In recognition of her achievements, Yaa was nominated for Ghana’s prestigious 40 Under 40 Awards in the Advertising, Communications, Sales & Marketing category in 2018. Beyond her professional work, Yaa is an advocate for autism and volunteers at the Autism Awareness Care & Training Centre in Ghana.
MODERATOR - Global Creative Lead, Shell International
MODERATOR - Global Creative Lead, Shell International
Cynthia is performance-driven brand consultant with over 20 years of global experience in marketing communications, experiential event strategy, and brand development. Her expertise lies in maximising the impact of marketing campaigns, translating insights into innovations, and identifying commercial growth opportunities.
She has led significant initiatives across the creative, telecoms, and oil & gas sectors, including developing customer value propositions for emerging technologies, managing global event sponsorships, and overseeing company rebrands. Known for her excellent relationship management and strategic thinking, Cynthia has successfully secured and managed major partnerships with brands such as Sony, Nissan, the BBC, and Samsung. Her leadership and creative ambition are reflected in numerous awards, including her recognition in the 2023 Empower Top 100 Future Leaders list.