Women in Marketing Africa presents Real Talk, The Men’s Edition – the third in a series of open and frank conversations with senior professionals, industry leaders and business owners.
With the world celebrating International Men’s Day 2022 on the 19th November, this edition will focus on bringing men into the discussion around gender equality in the workplace, looking at the important role that men have and can play in balancing the playing field and, where there is resistance, examine the reasons why.
Historically, initiatives around gender equality and equity have been owned and driven by women. In recent years it has become obvious that by leaving 50% of the population out of the conversation we cannot really move forward. Men are key to gender equality and have the potential to be great allies in our quest for achieving gender balance. But has there been too little effort devoted to communicating the enormous benefits that greater equity offers including better business and organisational performance as all talent is better developed and deployed?
In this Real Talk Series we take a look at the role men play in the move toward gender equality specifically in the workplace. Some of the issues we’ll examine include:
Progress is slow with the prospect of regression ever-present. Persistent gender pay gaps reveal the uphill challenge we still face. Is there over-optimism on the rate of progress and the distance yet to be travelled? In this Real Talk we get the male perspective.
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.
Convened by UN Women the Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes in all media and advertising content. It brings together partners and seeks to collectively use the advertising industry as a force for good to drive positive change all over the world.
Kantar is the world’s leading marketing data and analytics company. They have a complete, unique and rounded understanding of how people think, feel and act; globally and locally in over 90 markets. By combining the deep expertise of their people, data resources and benchmarks and their innovative analytics and technology, they help their clients understand people and inspire growth.
A United Nations global solidarity movement for gender equality, HeForShe is an invitation for men and people of all genders to stand in solidarity with women to create a bold, visible and united force for gender equality. The men of HeForShe aren't on the sidelines. They're working with women and with each other to build businesses, raise families, and give back to their communities.
MODERATOR - Presenter; Executive Producer, On The Carpet with Bolinto; Executive Producer, Bolinto Media Company
MODERATOR - Presenter; Executive Producer, On The Carpet with Bolinto; Executive Producer, Bolinto Media Company
Future Award (2016) winner for “On Air-Personality” and documentary nominated filmmaker, Bolanle Olukanni is a TV host, a radio host and seasoned Compère. She was the host of the acclaimed interview show “The Juice” on Ndani TV. Most recently, Bolanle is also the host of the International Women’s Month special on Channels TV, the number 1 news station in Nigeria.
Bolanle landed her first TV gig as a co-host on “Moments with Mo” after being chosen out of over 400 other hopefuls to host alongside talk show host and CEO of EbonyLife, Mo Abudu, “Moments” which aired across forty-four different Africa countries and on TalkTalk television in UK. Bolanle has interviewed a variety of politicians and celebrities such as President Muhammdu Buhari , Naomi Campbell, Oscar nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, Grammy award winning singer Brandy, Oscar winning actor Daniel Kauulya , BBC presenter Zeinab Badawi and many more.
Bolanle has compèred and acted as a panel moderator at a variety of conferences such as the 2022 Ports to Arms - Africa Responds : Equity, Delivery and Manufacturing hosted by the World Bank and Wilton Park. UK AID/DFID ‘Not for Sale’ launch , The Rebuild Borno Summit in partnership with UNICEF, United Bank of Africa CEO Awards, Social Media Week, Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards, 2022 Afro Ball. In 2015, as an executive producer, Bolanle co-founded Sage & Walls, a multimedia production company and began producing and hosting "On the Carpet with Bolinto" a red carpet show covering A-list events in Africa. “On the Carpet with Bolinto” has partnered with major international brands such as Cocoa-Cola, Uber, Samsung, Budweiser, Heineken and Martell to name a few. was also an official media partner for the acclaimed King Sunny Ade at 70 concert in 2016. In 2016, Bolanle was awarded the On-Air Personality of the Year (visual) from one of Africa’s most prestigious awards – The Future Awards.
In 2017, Bolanle founded the God’s Wives Foundation, an NGO that raises funds and provides funding for skills acquisition centres focused on the vulnerable groups - widows and single
mothers. Inspired by the determination and resilience of women she met, Olukanni wrote, directed and produced her first documentary “Gods Wives.” The documentary was used as a fundraiser for the women and went on to be nominated as “Best Documentary” by the African Magic Viewers Choice Awards. Bolanle developed “The Presenting Course “ which gives aspiring presenters an opportunity to learn how to harness their TV Hosting and Presenting skills. The course saw over 300 applicants but was narrowed down to 8 students. The course saw the successful placement of one student as a TV host on Spice TV a-the fashion channel for Africa.
Raised in Nigeria, Israel and Kenya. Bolanle graduated from Loyola University Chicago, in Chicago, America with Honours in a double degree, of BA Communications and BA International Studies. After graduating from Loyola University Chicago, she decided she wanted to do her own part in contributing to the development of Nigeria. Bolanle moved back to Nigeria to do her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), where she spent her service year working for a non-profit organization in Ekiti, Nigeria. During her NYSC service year, Bolanle and a fellow corps member started ‘Girls For The Future’, a gender based empowerment workshop for secondary school students aimed at teaching the girl child of their rights and providing mentorship for the students. Olukanni is the founder of the Olukanni Legacy Foundation, an NGO which focuses on social justice and creating a more equitable society. The foundation also provided free adult education classes across various communities. Bolanle is currently a board member of the Self-Worth organization- an NGO that provides empowerment classes and supplies assistance to widows and single mothers in Nigeria. She is also a board member of the Transformative Leadership and Sustainable Development Initiative a forum focused on Youth, Governance and Development.
PANELLIST - Business Lead, Unilever Homecare (SA)
PANELLIST - Business Lead, Unilever Homecare (SA)
Nathan admired Unilever and its iconic brands. Entrenched and loved by so many South Africans, Unilever brands played a pivotal role in his upbringing thus he considered it a privilege to join Unilever in 2006 through the graduate recruitment programme, having contributed to its journey and impact on the world.
Since joining the company, Nathan has worked across Southern Africa, Central Africa and held a global digital role in London for several years, driving & developing partnerships with Facebook, Google and Spotify. With experience across all three Divisions (Foods, BPC and Home Care), he developed a wealth of experience, insight and love of the people he serves.
What Nathan admires most about the company is its commitments to crafting a better world for all, revolutionising people’s everyday lives through products and services and investing in its people to achieve the impossible.
His passion points include digital marketing, ground-breaking creative content and connecting with people in their homes and communities.
Nathan is married with 2 boys and a girl and enjoys to keep fit and serve in his local church and community.
Purpose: To love and serve my fellow man
PANELLIST - CEO, Kantar's Insights Division (SA)
PANELLIST - CEO, Kantar's Insights Division (SA)
Ivan is the CEO of Kantar’s Insights Division for South Africa. A seasoned marketing practitioner, he’s driven by mining for insights from diverse sources, which are then used to develop differentiated and actionable marketing and communication strategies that deliver profitable growth.
His key expertise in insight and strategic marketing has been honed by a career that formally started at British American Tobacco (BAT), working across the entire marketing value chain. This was followed by an introduction to consulting at Added Value (now the strategic consulting arm at Kantar), where he worked on various strategic marketing projects for a list of blue-chip companies across diverse industries. Ivan has since held leadership roles at Lowe Bull, Yellowwood Future Architects and TBWA Hunt Lascaris, later founding the marketing insights and strategic consultancy, Co-Currency.
Passionate about business and societal growth in Africa, both at a personal and professional level, in helping develop the industry, Ivan has served as chairperson of the jury for the APEX Effective Awards (now Effies South Africa), chairperson of Brand Council South Africa (BCSA), and as vice-chairperson of the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA). He is currently a committee member of the Effies South Africa and chairperson of the Marketing Achievement Awards (MAA) and has been on the judging panel of the Loeries for Creative Effectiveness, Service Design, Shared Value in 2021 and 2022. He is also a director on the board of trustees for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and chairman of the board for Heartlines.
PANELLIST - Chief Marketing Officer, Google Africa
PANELLIST - Chief Marketing Officer, Google Africa
Dr. Mzamo Masito, is a seasoned executive and currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Google Africa. Prior to joining Google, he held the position of CMO/Managing Executive for Vodacom Africa Group, a JSE Listed company. This was a position which Mzamo took up after his assignment as Global Head of Brand Engagement at Vodafone London during which time he was responsible for Global Brand Engagement Strategy.
He earned his stripes at Unilever where he rose through the ranks to become the Vice President Brand Building and an Executive Board Member. His talent and confidence earned him the position as Chief Brand Officer Nike SA, where he was responsible for developing and implementing the company’s successful brand positioning for the 2010 World Cup which won several national and international brand and design awards.
In 2006, Mzamo founded People’s Insights Consultancy and co-founded African Men Care (AMC) NPO. The consultancy advised local South African as well as global corporations on world class consumer behaviour, behavioural science and brand growth levers. The NPO focuses on democratising opportunity for every black child, as it believes that to be black, young, gifted and free, without opportunity is a devils gift and to deny that opportunity is evil.
Mzamo is a graduate of the University of Cape Town with majors in Statistics and Economics, a PhD Business Science (Marketing), where he also served as a Lecturer and Convener. Dr Masito was also a consultant and respected orator for the UCT Unilever Institute, an institute well known for brand innovative topics such as Black Diamonds. He’s presented around the country to SMEs, Large enterprises, and NGOs on wide ranging topics mainly focusing on diversity, personal branding, crafting brands for life, purpose driven brands, and the science and art of marketing . Dr. Masito also serves in various advisory boards: GIBS Advisory Board, Red and Yellow Creative Business School. Non executive board role with TiAuto.
Mzamo has three beautiful daughters and is an avid runner, having completed major local and international races: ultras and marathons like The Comrades, Two Oceans, New York and Amsterdam marathons.
Mzamo's purpose: To democratise opportunity and increase transcendence for everyone.
Values he lives by: respect, ubuntu and freedom.