Photo Gallery
International Symposium 2025: BECA on the Road, The Path to the C-Suite
January 31, 2025 Johannesburg
BECA on the Road, The Path to the C-Suite
The Black Executive CMO Alliance (BECA) hosted its inaugural South Africa Symposium, co-hosted by WPP. With sponsor partner, Bloomberg, and media partner, BET Africa, the event served as a catalyst for local professionals to connect with C-suite leaders, ignite their careers, and have meaningful discussions regarding successfully climbing the ladder.
BECA expanded on its mission with the second international symposium aimed at elevating marketing and marketing-adjacent professionals on a global scale. Johannesburg offered the perfect backdrop to address the unique challenges faced by professionals seeking upward mobility.
Guest Speakers and Panelists
CLARE AKAMANZI
CEO, NBA Africa
FIROZE BHORAT
CMO, Discovery Limited
FRANK STARLING
Chief DEI Officer, LIONS
JERRI DEVARD
Founder & CEO, BECA
LINDY-LOU ALEXANDER
Africa Ou Lead, WPP Open X
MPEO NKOSI
Marketing Professional
NOKWANDA MNGOMA
Head of Digital, Ayoba
REFILWE MALULEKE
Head of Marketing Health, Discovery
TEBOGO SKWAMBANE
Country Manager, WPP South Africa
VUYISWA MAJOVA
Head of Marketing, Rand Mutual
Mix and Mingle
The post-event reception fostered an environment of fellowship that allowed guests to connect and form deeper bonds.
Network = Net Worth
L-R: Mpeo Nkosi, Tebogo Skwambane, Refilwe Maluleke, Lindy-Lou Alexander
Panelists discussed how cultivating meaningful professional relationships can open doors to new opportunities, mentorship, and long-term success.
Driving Top and Bottom Line Growth
Frank Starling
Frank underscored the critical role of representation and inclusion in fostering sustainable growth and performance, offering actionable takeaways to integrate into teams and organizations.
Fireside Chat
Tebogo Skwambane and Firoze Bhorat
In an engaging fireside chat, Tebogo and Firoze shared insightful perspectives on the essential role of collaborative leadership in driving organizational success.
Being Black in the C-Suite
L-R: Mpeo Nkosi, Nokwanda Mngoma, Vuyiswa Majova, Firoze Bhorat, Clare Akamanzi
Panelists shared their experiences navigating leadership at the highest levels. This session revealed challenges, triumphs, and strategies for excelling as an executive in corporate boardrooms while fostering inclusive leadership.
Fireside Chat
Jerri DeVard and Clare Akamanzi
Moderated by Tebogo Skwambane
With welcome remarks from Tebogo, Jerri (seated left) and Clare (seated right) engaged in a compelling conversation, sharing insights on leadership, strategy, and global business impact. This session set the stage for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation.
