Editors Insights
Welcome to The Fortune Leader’s special
edi on, Top 10 Visionary Leaders Redefining Their Industries. In this issue, we proudly highlight leaders who are not only steering organiza ons toward success but are also redefining industries through bold innova on and transforma ve vision.
This edi on proudly features Dr. Krantz Mwantepele, Group CEO of KONCEPT Group, on our cover.. His story is a testament to the power of resilience, crea vity, and systems thinking in shaping Africa’s future. From founding KONCEPT Group in 2015 as a modest public rela ons agency to transforming it into a mul -sector powerhouse, Dr. Mwantepele has consistently challenged conven ons and built solu ons that address Africa’s most pressing needs.
A shining example of this visionary approach is TIERS, a groundbreaking pla orm that integrates cross-border peer-to-peer transfers, USD savings with daily yields, and local merchant discovery. More than a fintech solu on, TIERS is a declara on of financial inclusion designed to lower remi ance costs, create savings opportuni es, and bridge fragmented commerce across Africa. With its upcoming rollout across eight African countries, TIERS is poised to revolu onize how communi es connect, save, and grow
What makes Dr. Mwantepele truly inspiring is not only his success but his philosophy: leadership is about solving systemic challenges and building trust in communi es where tradi onal ins tu ons o en falter His journey reflects the future of African innova on locally rooted, globally relevant, and driven by integrity.
This issue also brings together other excep onal leaders whose contribu ons across diverse sectors demonstrate the power of vision to drive las ng impact. Together, their stories inspire us to think beyond the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary possibili es of tomorrow.
Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL TEAM
Editor-in-chief
Sco Edward
Sales & Marke ng Manager
Lily Hayler
Business Development Manager Lauren Green, Millie Butler, Rosie Jonas
Business Development Execu ve
Victoria Ma hews, Ashley Tucker
Art and Design Director
Paul Brown
Research Analyst
Robert Smith
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Cover Story
Dr. KRANTZ MWANTEPELE
Dr. KRANTZ MWANTEPELE
CoverSt y
Inside the Visionary Journey of Dr. Krantz Mwantepele, CEO of KONCEPT Group
Inthefast-evolvingbusinesslandscapeofAfrica,few namesstandoutasprominentlyasDr.KrantzMwantepele. AstheCEOofKONCEPTGroup,hisvisionhas consistentlychallengedconventions,blendingcreativity withpragmaticsolutionstoshapeanewnarrativeof Africaninnovation.Fromhumblebeginningstoleadinga multi-sectorpowerhouse,Dr.Mwantepele'sjourneyisnot merelyoneofsuccessbutablueprintfortransformative leadership.
TheBirthofaVisionaryEnterprise
ThestoryofKONCEPTGroupbeginsin2015,bornoutof bothnecessityandaboldvision.AtatimewhenAfrican businessesstruggledtoarticulatetheirnarrativesonthe globalstage,Dr.Mwantepelerecognizedacriticalgap. "Toooften,globalnarrativesovershadowedlocalones,"he reflects,"andIbelievedtherewasspaceforanAfricanowned,African-rootedagencythatcouldbringcreativity, strategy,andinfluencetotheforefront.”
Startingwithasmall,determinedteam,KONCEPTrapidly evolvedfromamodestpublicrelationsandmarketing agencyintoanaward-winning,five-star-ratedpowerhouse operatingacrossmultiplesectors.ButDr.Mwantepele's ambitionsextendedfarbeyondthetypicalagencymodel. KONCEPT'sgrowthtrajectoryhasbeenmarkedbyan unwaveringcommitmenttosolvingrealAfricanchallenges, culminatinginthelaunchoftherevolutionaryTIERS platform.
LeadershipShapedbyResilienceandInsight
Dr.Mwantepele'searlycareerlaidthefoundationforhis uniqueleadershipstyle.Workinginmediaandbrand consultancy,hegainedfirsthandinsightintothepowerof storytelling,butmoreimportantly,intothesystemicgaps thathinderedeffectivecommunicationacrossAfrica."True leadership,"heasserts,"meansbuildingsolutionsthat transformentireecosystems.”
Thissystems-thinkingapproachunderpinsKONCEPT's evolution.FromtraditionalPRcampaignstolaunching TIERSafinancialtechnologyplatformdesignedtoaddress Africa's$55.6billionremittancechallengeDr. Mwantepele'sphilosophyisclear:donotjustcommunicate; solveproblems.
KONCEPT'sDistinctEdge
Inasaturatedindustry,whatsetsKONCEPTapartisits dedicationtodeliveringreal-worldsolutions."Wedon'tjust communicatewesolveproblems,"Dr.Mwantepele emphasizes.ThroughplatformssuchasUbaoniAdand KonceptMetrics,theagencybuiltareputationfor excellenceinpublicrelations.Buttherealgame-changer hasbeenTIERS.
TIERSisnotjustanotherfintechappitisthefirstAfrican platformthatseamlesslyintegratespeer-to-peercrossbordertransfers,USDsavingswithdailyyield opportunities,andlocalmerchantdiscovery.Indoingso,it confrontsthethreepressingpainpointsofAfrica's unbankedpopulation:prohibitiveremittancecosts,lackof stablecurrencysavings,andfragmentedlocalcommerce.
InnovationinAction:AdaptingtoEvolvingMarkets
Asclientexpectationsandmedialandscapesshift, KONCEPTdoesn'tmerelyadaptitleadsthechange.Dr Mwantepeleexplains,"Africa'syoung,mobile-first populationdemandsintegratedsolutions."WithTIERS,this insightbecameaction.Byeliminatingtransferfeesthrough peer-to-peertransactions,enablingUSDsavings,and connectingconsumerswithlocalmerchants,TIERS anticipatesneedsratherthanchasingtrends. TheupcominglaunchofTIERSacrosseightAfrican countriesthisOctobermarksamilestoneinthisstrategic vision.It'smorethanaproductreleaseit'sadeclarationof KONCEPT'scommitmenttopioneeringintegrated,valuedrivensolutions.
OvercomingChallenges:TurningObstaclesinto Opportunity
BuildingKONCEPTintoafive-staragencyandexpanding intofintechwasnotwithouthurdles."Thebiggest challenge,"Dr.Mwantepelereflects,"wasalwaysseeing beyondimmediateproblemstosystemicsolutions."Early financialconstraintstaughttheteamtoinnovateunder pressureaskillthatprovedinvaluablewhendeveloping TIERS.
RecognizingthatAfrica's$55.6billioninannualremittance flowsweremorethanjustnumberstheywereindividual storiesofstruggleDr.Mwantepeleandhisteam,including fintechexpertco-founderJonatasKirsch,setouttobuilda solutionfromscratch.Theirapproachblendeddeepmarket
intelligencewithrobusttechnology,securing$1millionin intellectualpropertyvalueandstrategicpartnershipsalong theway
Future-ReadyInnovation
Stayingfuture-readyinarapidlydigitizingenvironment requiresmorethantrendanalysisitdemandsproactive creation."Webuildtomorrow'ssolutionstoday,"Dr Mwantepeleasserts.
TIERSexemplifiesthisforward-lookingmindset.Withover 10,000earlyadoptersanda$300,000pre-seedfundraising targetaimedatreaching200,000usersinTanzaniaalone, theplatformisdemonstratingthepowerofcommunitydrivengrowth.Notreliantonexpensiveadvertising,its successislargelyreferral-driven,underscoringacorebelief inauthentic,needs-basedinnovation.
AdvicefortheNextGeneration
ToaspiringPRandmarketingprofessionalsaimingtomake theirmarkinAfrica,Dr.Mwantepele'scounselis unequivocal:thinkbeyondcommunicationto transformation."Africa'schallengesrequireentrepreneurs whocanbuildcomprehensivesolutions,"hesays. DrawingfromtheTIERSjourney,hehighlightsthe importanceofaddressingsystemicproblems.It'snot enoughtocraftcompellingmessages;successliesin solvingreal-worldissuesthatimpactmillions.Masteryof craftmustbemarriedwitharelentlessfocusonidentifying andsolvinginterconnectedchallenges.
EssentialSkillsandValuesforSuccess
InDr.Mwantepele'sview,systemsthinkingisessential. TIERSsucceedspreciselybecauseitdoesn'ttackle problemsinisolationbutaddressesmultipleinterrelated painpoints.Crucialskillsincludedataliteracy,cross-border culturalintelligence,and,perhapsmostimportantly,the abilitytobuildandmaintaintrustincommunitieswhere traditionalinstitutionshavefaltered.
"Integrityandgenuineproblem-solvingmattermost,"he stresses.Thereferral-drivengrowthofTIERS,where60% ofnewusersareword-of-mouthrecommendations,stands asproofoftheefficacyofthisvalues-drivenapproach.
TheFutureofPRandMarketinginEastAfrica
Lookingahead,Dr.Mwantepeleseesaparadigmshiftin
EastAfrica'scommunicationslandscape.Thefuture belongstoplatform-drivenstorytellingthatdelivers tangiblevalue.Heexplains,"TIERSisnotjustafinancial platformit'samarketingecosystemconnectinglocal merchantswithconsumers.”
Withhalftheworld'syouthprojectedtobeAfricanin25 years,thedemandforplatformsthatseamlesslycombine communication,commerce,andfinancialservicesissetto soar.KONCEPT'sroleisclear:leadthewayin demonstratingthatAfricancompaniescanbuildglobally competitive,locallyrelevantsolutions.
ALegacyofImpact
Dr.MwantepeleenvisionsKONCEPT'slegacynotmerely inaccoladesbutintangibleimpact."Weaimtobe rememberedasthecompanythatprovedAfricaninnovation cansolveAfricanchallenges,"hesays.
TheupcomingTIERSlaunchrepresentsapivotalchapterin thislegacy.Beyonditsinnovativefeatures,TIERS embodiesKONCEPT'sintegratedapproachacrosssix sectors:Media&PublicRelations,Technology&Digital Solutions,RealEstate&Advisory,Insurance&Financial Services,Agribusiness&Sustainability,andEvents& Production.
WithoperationsinTanzania,Kenya,SouthAfrica,UAE, USA,andSweden,KONCEPTGroupcombinesunmatched marketintelligencewithastrongoperationalpresence.The firm'ssuccessfulpre-seedfundraising,earlycustomer traction,and$1millioninsecuredintellectualproperty markTIERSasnotjustafintechsolutionbuta transformativeforce.
Conclusion:TheAfricanVisionRealized
Dr.KrantzMwantepele'sjourneyisapowerfulnarrativeof vision,resilience,andsystemicinnovation.AsKONCEPT continuestobreakbarriers,itsmissionremainssteadfast:to redefineAfricanbusiness,creativity,andfinancialinclusion bybuildingsolutionsthatmatter.
TIERSisnotmerelyanappitisthefinancialrevolution Africahasbeenwaitingfor.Itstandsasatestamenttowhat happenswhenboldideasmeetdedicatedexecution,proving onceagainthatthefutureofAfricanbusinessis homegrown,innovative,andgloballycompetitive.
ELINOR STUTZ
CEO Smooth Sale, International Bestselling and Evergreen Author and Blogger
ElinorStutz,InternationalBest-SellingandEvergreenAuthor,Top1%Influencer, andInspirationalSpeaker,isrenownedforbreakingbarriersinsalesand leadership.Defyingthenotionthat“womencan'tsell,”shebecamethetop producerateverycompanysheworkedfor.Knownas “The Walking Miracle” after survivingabrokenneck,sheleadsSmoothSalewiththeempoweringmotto: “Believe, Become, Empower.” Herbook Nice Girls DO Get the Sale isaglobalbestsellerand timelessclassic,whileherblogranksamongtheworld'stopsalesresources.
Herearethekeyhighlightsfromtheinterview:
TellusabouttheinceptionstoryofSmoothSale.Whatinspiredyoutoestablishthe organization,andwhatvisionguideditsfoundation?
Mysalescareerbeganwithblatantdiscriminationduetobeingafemaleaheadofmytime. Myfirstjobentailedmind-bogglingeffortstogetmetoquit,butallthewhile,myclientele referredtomeas'Abreathoffreshair.'Withouttraining,bythefourthmonth,Ibecame thetopsalesproducerforthe'games'togrowuglier
Attheendofeachyear,overelevenyears,managementgavemyhard-earnedaccountsto themenandtripledmyquotaforthefollowingyear.TheonlygoodnewsisthatIbecame awareof'Howtosellmyselfoninterviews.'
Uponexitingmysalescareer,Iwasstoppedataredlightwhenmylifechangedforever Slammedintotherearofmycarbyanother,Icouldfeelmybrainswayinginmyhead.No doctorwantedtotouchme.Fortenyears,Iwasindreadfulpain,needingtoputtheback
ofmyheadinanoose,hangingfromadoorknobsothatI couldlieonthefloortorelievesomeofthepain.Tenyears later,asapassengeronarainynight,weencountereda secondaccidenthadmetransportedbyanambulancetothe hospital.
ItwaswhilelyingonthegurneyasIwasawaiting admissiontothehospital,thatabrilliantgoldlightencased myentirebody,andthentwovisions,oneaftertheother, appearedbeforemethatwouldchangemylifeforever The firstvisionpicturedmebeingaspeaker,towhichIwholeheartedlyagreed.
Thesecondvisionshowedmylifereportcard–highmarks ontheleft-handside,butcompletelyblankontherightside, entitled'CommunityService.'Iimmediatelypledged,inmy mind,tobegingivingbacktocommunitiesanywayIcould, but(beingasalesnegotiator),Iadded:'Togivemybest,I needtowalkoutofthehospitalonmyown!'Ablinkofa goldlightindicatedtomethatIwouldrecover.
ItwasinthehospitalICU,uponrecoveringfromsurgery duetohavingenduredan'irreparablebrokenneck,'and beingdeemed'theWalkingMiracle,'thatIknewthatIwas finishedwithcorporate.Mynear-deathexperiencehighly motivatedandinspiredmetomentallylayouttheplanfor mythirdentrepreneurship,SmoothSale;thedefinition being,'Earningareturningandreferringclientele.''
Ihavetodateenjoyedanextra23yearsoflife,andmy commitmenttoservingcommunitiesisstillalive today—thepurposeoftheSmoothSaleBlogistohelp readersadvancetheircareersandbusinesses.Asa collaborativeperson,leadersinvaryingindustries contributecontentbasedontheirexperiences,helpingto provideawiderarrayofinsightsfromtheirunique experiences.Theappreciationandopportunitiesduetothe projectarefargreaterthanIcouldeverhaveimagined.
Everybusinesshasitsshareofhurdlesinthebeginning. Whatweresomeofthekeychallengesyoufacedin buildingSmoothSale,andhowdidyouovercomethem? Ibeganwithasymbolic'blankpieceofpaper',notknowing theexecutives'willingnesstotakeachanceonafemale salestrainer–thepossibilitieswerealmostzero.However,I becamefamiliarwithandadmiredtheheadoftheChamber ofCommerceinourtown,andIaskedherforameeting. Slowlybutsurely,theintroductionssheprovidedhelpedme totransformmyknowledgeintoafunandprosperoussales trainingprogram.
Mytechniqueistoaskopen-endedquestionsforlearning andtorealizeabetterpathforward.Accordingly,Icreated salestrainingmaterialsforentrepreneursandsalesteams.
Mystylewastoaskquestionsupfront,suchas,'Howdo youattractprospects'attention?'
Anothervitalelementistoshareappropriateshortstories fromexperiencethatproducelaughterandthedesireto learnmore.Glowingtestimonialscamefromboth entrepreneursandSiliconValleysalesteamsthatIhadthe privilegeoftraining.Icanproudlysaythateverysession concludedwithappreciationandapplause.
Thegoodandbadnewsisthattheravereviewsdidnot followuponmovingNorth.Uponintroducingmyselfasa salestraineratanewevent,thejeerswereunimaginable. Thankfully,someonetookmeasidetosay,'Toestablish credibility,youmustwriteabook!'
Myphonewassilent,sotherewasnothingtolosewith muchtogain.Allthehorrificcorporatestoriescameto mind;mygoalwastorevealtoreadershowIwasableto standmygroundandalso'upthegame'sothattheycould dothesame.
Themanuscriptbrokemanyrecords,asdidtheformal publicationofthebook:Thefirstpublishinghouseagreed topublishthemanuscript.ThebookwasfeaturedinTIME Magazine,andIappearedonABC-TVNews.
NiceGirlsDOGettheSale:RelationshipBuildingThat GetsResultsveryquicklybecameanInternational Bestseller.Theultimateachievementisthatthebookis Evergreen–amongtheclassics!
Canyoushareyourpersonalleadershipjourney?What experiencesandturningpointsshapedyourpathasa leaderinthebusinessgrowthandsalestransformation space?
Childhoodwastheperfectpracticeforwhatwastobe.Asa child,Iwasalwaysinquisitive,relyingonthequestion, 'Why?'Forexample,atage10,IaskedtosellGirlScout cookiesdoor-to-door.Mymothertoldmeitwasunsafeto dosoandtogivetheissuesomethought.Accordingly,I thoughtofeverypossibilityIcould.Atdinner,Iletitbe knownthatIgavemuchthoughttomyrequestandhave onequestion.Ifit'sunsafeformetosellGirlScoutcookies door-to-door,thenwhyisitokayforyoutodothesamefor theMarchofDimes?'
Thenextmorning,myveryfirstprospectwasanelderly lady.Shekindlytoldmethatherdoctorgaveherstrict instructionstoomitsugarfromherdiet;therefore,shewas unabletopurchaseanycookiesfromme.Thewomanthen politelyclosedthedoor
However,Istoodontheporchdebating'whethertoaska
questionornot,'mymotherwasn'tcertainwhatwasgoing onwithmeasshewasobserving.Abouttenminuteslater, thewomanreopenedthedoortoaskifIhadaquestion.I thenaskedifshehadanynieces,nephews,or grandchildren.Surprised,shesaid,"Yes,Ido!'Ithenasked, 'Don'tyouthinktheymightvisitmoreoftenifyoukepta supplyofsnacksandtreatsinyourpantry?'
Astonished,thewomanlookedatmymotherwhilepointing atmetosay,'Wow,sheisgood!'Shethenpurchasedten boxesoftheGirlScoutcookies.
Onamoredisturbingfront, growingupamongbullies,I learnedhowtonotonlydefendmyselfbutalsoturnthe tablesonthem,despitebeingsmallerandnotnearlyas strong.Ourselectionofwordsisvitalforstandingour ground,plusinfluencingclientele.
Thedailypracticegavemetheknowledgeandthecourage tostandupinthecorporatearenaforwhatwasright.I'm onewhotooktwodifferentemployerstocourtbecausethey wereattemptingtocheatmeoutofbonusesthatIrightfully earned.Eachtime,thejudgebangedthegavelsohardthat mostpeopleinthecourtroomjumped,astheyexclaimed, 'Payherthemoneytoday!'
Howhaveyoupersonallydriveninnovationand transformationthroughyourvisionandleadershipat SmoothSale?Canyoushareaspecificexamplewhere yourapproachcreatedasignificantimpact?
Todate,Ihaveenjoyedanextra23yearsoflife.My commitmentisalwayswithmetoservecommunitiesat large.Thepurposeofthe istohelp Smooth Sale Blog readersadvancetheircareersandbusinesses.Asa collaborativeperson,Ihaveotherscontributingcontent, helpingtoprovideawiderarrayofinsightsandstories depictinghowtoadvanceone'scareerandotherendeavors. Theappreciationandopportunitiesduetotheprojectarefar greaterthanIcouldeverhaveimagined.
Howwouldyoudescribeyourpersonalleadershipstyle, andinwhatwaysdoyounurturecreativity,resilience, andemotionalintelligenceinthepeopleyouworkwith? Longago,amarketingexpertadvisedthatIdropbeingso highlycompetitivetobecomecollaborative.Theideawas frightening,butIwaswillingtogiveitatry Almost magically,opportunitiesseeminglybegantoappear. Incorporatingmysalesstyle,Ialwaysencourageaskinga questionupfronttolearn'why'someonemightwanttowork withme.Thequestionhastheotherpersonspeakingfirstso thatIcanaskquestionsasneededforafullerunderstanding upfront.
Next,Iaskmorequestionsrelatingtohowtheyseetheir progressionforwardandhowtheypotentiallyviewour
workingtogetherandthebenefitswemayallderivefrom thecollaborativeeffort.Finally,Ihavethenecessary informationtorealizehowtoframemyexperiencetotheir interestsandneedsforustofindameetingoftheminds.
Whatdoesthefutureroadmaplooklikeforyouand SmoothSale?Arethereanyupcominginitiatives,goals, orexpansionsyou'dliketohighlight?
I'mthecreativetype,soideasarealwayswithme.Fornow, thecollaborativeeffortonline,primarilyviaLinkedIn,is howImeetandconnectwithpeopleglobally,torealize withwhomtoconnect,whyothersreachouttomefora connection,andultimately,explorenewpossibilities.
Inyourview,whatarethemostessentialskillsor qualitiesleaderswillneedtothriveandmakea meaningfuldifferenceinthefuture?
Ourfutureisrapidlychangingforhowwewillliveand work.Curiosityisacriticalcomponentasitencouragesone tolearnaboutthelatestfindingsconcerningbusiness,plus howregulationsaffectit.Next,oneneedstoconnectthe dotsfromtheirlearningregardingthenews,personal conversations,articles,andposts,andtheoutcomesofone's efforts.
Moreover,noteveryoneistechnicallysavvy,makingit morecriticaltocollaboratewithothersasAgenticAIand Roboticsareseeminglytakingovertheworkspace environment.Morethanever,itisvitaltobeofa collaborativemindsetbothinthecorporateenvironmentas wellasentrepreneurialendeavorstoperformandserve otherstoone'sbest.
Isthereapersonalmessageorguidingphilosophyyou'd liketosharewithourreadersthatbestreflectsyour vision,values,andpurposeasaleader?
Oneofmysayingsis,'Ourworstexperiencescanbeour giftsindisguisewhenwearewillingtolearnfromthem.'
Forexample,beingbullieddailyasIwasgrowingup, pointedmetowardspeakingtomyreflectioninthemirror inmyroom.Iwouldtakeallthenegativecommentary directedatmetorelaytheprosandconsofwhatwasstated, andforideastocometomindonhowtoproceed.Andall thewhile,Iwouldobservemyfacialexpressions,hand gestures,andbodylanguageasmyreflection,asIcarried ontheconversation.Allofitprovedtobeoutstandingsales training,unbeknownsttomeatthetime.
Andofcourse,mycommitmentduringmynear-death experiencetoservecommunitiessavedmetosaveothers. Discriminationagainstwomenneverstopped.Accordingly, theonlinebloggingeffortbecamemymethodforhelping myaudiencetoreachtheirgoalsandformetoenjoymy workonanongoingbasis.Ifeelprivilegedtobelivingmy secondlife!
Increasingcustomerexpectations,technicalinnovation,
andtheneedforoperationalresiliencearedrivingthe rapiddigitaltransformationinSouthAfrica’sbusiness landscape.Thisdevelopmentisbeingdrivenbytheneedfor operationalresilience.Tonotonlyendureinhighly competitivemarkets,butalsotoprosperinthosemarkets, firmsineveryindustryareembracingdigital transformation.Thisisnotonlytosurviveinthosemarkets, butalsotothriveinthosemarkets.Thefollowingisalistof thekeytrendsthatarefuellingtheexpansionofbusinesses allaroundthecountry.
CloudAdoptionandHybridWorkModels
DuringSouthAfrica’sdigitaltransformation,cloud computinghasemergedasacrucialcomponentthatmustbe considered.Businessesaremovingbusinessprocessesthat areessentialtotheiroperationstothecloudtoimprove scalability,improvedatasecurity,andreducetheexpenses associatedwithinfrastructure. Intandemwiththistrend, hybridworkmodelshaveprogressivelybecomethe standardintheprofessionalworld. Allthesemodelsare supportedbycloud-basedcollaborationtechnologies,which makeitfeasibleforteamstofunctioneffectivelyregardless ofwheretheyarelocated.
ArtificialIntelligenceandDataAnalytics
Artificialintelligence(AI)andadvancedanalyticsare helpingbusinessesinSouthAfricamaketheshiftfrom reactivedecision-makingtopredictiveandprescriptive strategies.Thistransformationisbeingmadepossibleby thecombinationofthesetwotechnologies. Retailers,for example,areemployingartificialintelligencetotailorthe shoppingexperiencefortheirconsumers,whilefinancial institutionsareutilisingmachinelearningtospotfraudulent behaviourandevaluatecreditrisk.Bothapplicationsare beingutilisedbyretailers. Inaddition,dataanalyticsis makingitpossibletoincreasetheoptimisationofsupply chainsandmarketingeffortsbymakingthemmore narrowlyfocused.
E-commerceExpansionandDigitalPayments
Duringthetimewhentheepidemicwasgoingon,South Africa’se-commerceboomwasaccelerated,andthis momentumiscontinuingstrongtoday.Theincorporationof user-friendlydesigns,optionsforfasterdelivery,andsecure digitalpaymentsystemsaresomeofthewaysinwhich businessesareattemptingtoimprovetheironlineplatforms. Itisnowmuchsimplerforcustomersinbothurbanand rurallocationstoparticipateineconomiesthatarebasedon
digitaltechnologybecauseoftheproliferationofmobile moneyandcontactlesstransactions.
CybersecurityasaGrowthEnabler
Therisingadoptionofdigitaltechnologybybusinesseshas resultedinthetransformationofcybersecurityfroma defensivemeasureintoastrategicgrowthfacilitatorrather thanadefensivemeasure. Investinginsophisticatedthreat detection,encryption,andemployeetrainingissomething thatbusinessesaredoingtoprotecttheconfidenceoftheir consumersandensurethattheyareinlinewiththe regulatoryrequirementsthattheyhave. Thebanking industry,thehealthcareindustry,andthegovernment servicesindustryareallveryvitalsectorsthatshouldplace asignificantpriorityonsecurity.
Industry-SpecificDigitalInnovations
Intheminingindustry,theimplementationofautomation andsensorsmadeavailablebytheInternetofThingsis contributingtotheenhancementofoperativeefficiencyand theprotectionofworkers. Theapplicationofprecision farmingtechnologyisboostingcropyieldswhile simultaneouslyloweringthenumberofresourcesthatare consumedintheagriculturalindustry Aneffortisbeing madebytheenergybusinesstoincreasetheamountof renewableenergythatisproducedthroughtheadoptionof digitalmonitoringsystems. Thenumerousindustriesthat makeupSouthAfricaareobtainingacompetitive advantagebecauseofthedeploymentofthesepersonalised technologies.
ReasonsWhyItIsRelevant
DigitaltransformationinSouthAfricaisnotconfinedtothe mereuseoftechnology;rather,itinvolvesthereshapingof businessmodels,theenhancementofcustomerexperiences, andtheestablishmentofsustainabledevelopment.Inother words,itisnotjustaboutusingtechnology. Businesses thatembracethesetrendsarebetterpositionedtocompete bothlocallyandglobally.Thisisbecausetechnologycanbe transformedintoanenginethatdrivesinnovation, resilience,andlong-termsuccess.
Clāra Ly-Le
Founder and Managing Director of EloQ Communications
ClāraLy-Le,FounderandManagingDirector
ofEloQCommunications,aleadingPRand marketingagencyinVietnam,hasoveradecade ofexperienceblendingsharpbusinessinsightwitha bold,innovativeapproachthatchallengesindustry norms.AlongsideherleadershipatEloQ,sheservesas ViceDeanoftheFacultyofPublicRelationsand CommunicationsatVanLangUniversity,whereshe bridgesacademiaandindustrybyequippingstudents withreal-worldskillsanddrivingtheprofessional growthofVietnam'sPRsector.Respectedasbothan industryleaderandaneducator,Clāraisdedicatedto nurturingtalentandshapingthefutureof communications.
Herearethekeyhighlightsfromtheinterview:
Brieftheinceptionstoryofyourorganization?What inspiredyoutoestablishELoQCommunications?
IamClāraLy-Le.EloQCommunicationswasbornout ofmyvisiontobridgeglobalbestpracticesinpublic relationswiththeuniqueculturalandmarketdynamics ofVietnamandtheASEANregion.Isawacleargap that,whileVietnam'scommunicationsindustrywas vibrantandfullofpotential,manybrands,bothlocaland international,struggledtoconnectauthenticallywith Vietnameseaudiences,andlocalagenciesoftenlackeda trulyglobaloutlook.
In2018,IfoundedEloQCommunicationstoaddressthis need.Fromdayone,ourmissionhasbeentocombine strategicinsight,creativity,andculturalsensitivityto
helpclientstelltheirstoriesinwaysthatresonateboth locallyandglobally Today,EloQisamulti-awardwinningagencyservingclientsfromstartupstoFortune 500sacrossASEAN,helpingbrandstelltheirstories withclarity,creativity,andculturalintelligence.
Whataretheinitialchallengesthatyoufacedduring theinceptionandhowdidyouovercomethose challenges?
Atthestart,thechallengewasshiftingmindsetsin Vietnam'sPRindustryfromtransactional,pay-for-play mediatoethical,strategiccommunication.Weinvested timeineducatingclientsonthelong-termvalueof authenticstorytellingandrelationship-building.Another hurdlewasearningcredibilityasayoungagencyamong establishedcompetitors.Iovercamethisbyleveraging myPhDexpertise,internationalnetwork,andproven resultstobuildtrust.Bystayingtransparent,delivering measurableoutcomes,andupholdinghighprofessional standards,EloQestablisheditselfasamulti-awardwinningagencyknownforintegrity,creativity,and culturalintelligenceacrossVietnamandASEAN.
Canyoushareyourleadershipjourneyandwhat inspiredyoutobecomealeaderinyourfield?
Mypathtoleadershiphasbeenaboutadaptabilityand vision.Iembraceacollaborativestyle,empowering peopletobringtheirideasforwardandowntheirresults. Whatinspiresmemostisseeingbothmyteamand clientsgrow,whetherthat'sayoungprofessionalgaining confidenceorabrandfindingitsauthenticvoice.
Leadership,forme,isaboutcreating anenvironmentwheretrust, creativity,andsharedsuccessthrive.
Whatkeyqualitiesdoyoubelieve areessentialforaleaderintoday's businessworld?
Adaptabilitytonavigateshifting marketsandtechnologies,empathy tounderstandandconnectwith diversestakeholders,andintegrityto makedecisionsthatbuildlong-term trust.
Whattrendsdoyoubelievewill shapeyourindustryin2025and beyond?
IseethreemajortrendsshapingPR in2025andbeyond:theriseofAIpoweredtoolstransforminghowwe monitor,analyze,andpersonalize communication;growingdemandfor authenticityasaudiencesbecome moreskepticalofpolishedcorporate messaging;anddeeperintegrationof ESGnarrativesasbusinessesareheld accountableforsocialand environmentalimpact.
Whatadvicewouldyougiveto aspiringleaderslookingtomakea differenceintheirrespectivefields?
Focusonimpact,notjustposition. Buildyournetworkwith authenticity;relationshipsoftenopen doorsskillsalonecan't.Andnever compromiseyourintegrity.Trustis thecurrencythatsustainsinfluence overthelongterm.Mostimportantly, leadwithpurpose.Whenyour decisionsalignwithaclearmission, you'llinspireothersandcreate changethatlasts.
Canyoudescribetheprimaryareaofinnovationyou arefocusingonwithinyourbusiness?
AtEloQCommunications,ourkeyinnovationliesin craftingculturallyintelligent,fullyintegratedcampaigns thatcutthroughthenoiseinVietnamandacross ASEAN.Wespecializeintailoringbrandmessagesso theyresonateacrossmultiplechannels–traditional media,socialplatforms,andon-the-groundactivations–whilepreservingauthenticity.Whatsetsusapartisour commitmenttomeasurableimpact:everycampaignis backedbyclearKPIsandtransparentreporting.This ensuresourclients,fromlocaldisruptorstoglobal leaders,gainnotonlyvisibilitybutalsolong-termtrust andinfluenceintheirtargetmarkets.
Briefusaboutyourfutureroadmap?
Lookingahead,EloQCommunicationswillexpandour footprintacrossASEAN,buildingastrongernetworkof localexpertstodeliverseamlessmulti-market campaigns.InVietnam,weaimtodevelopnewservice lines,suchasadvancedcrisisreadinessprogramsand sector-specificPRconsulting,toaddresstheevolving needsofourclients.Wewillcontinuetoinvestintalent development,ensuringourteamstaysaheadofindustry trendswhilemaintainingtheculturalintelligencethat definesourwork.Ourgoalremainsclear:tobethe trustedpartnerforbrandsseekinghigh-impact,authentic communicationthatbuildslastinginfluenceinSoutheast Asia.
Whenitcomestothefast-
paceddigitalmarketplace oftoday,marketingfirms arenolongeronlyservicesuppliers; rather,theyarecatalystsfor transformation.Asaresult,itcanbe deducedthattheycomprisemorethan merelyservicesuppliers.Toassist brandsindistinguishingthemselves fromthecompetitionandconnecting withaudiencesinmeaningfulways,the mostsuccessfuladvertisingagencies haveperfectedtheartofputtingdaring ideasintoactualactionbyblending creativity,analytics,andtechnology Thisskillhasallowedthemtohelp brandsdifferentiatethemselvesfrom thecompetition. Doingsoisdonewith theintentionofassistingbrandsin engagingwithaudiencesinmeaningful ways.
Onepossibleexplanationfortheir successisbecausetheyhavenever waveredintheirdedicationto invention,whichservesasthemotor thatpropelstheirentirebusiness.All themostsuccessfulmarketing businessesarefullyawareofthefact thatamazingideasarethefoundation ofgoodmarketing,buttheyalso recognisethatthisisnottheendofthe storyaboutmarketing. Theyarewellversedinthecapacitytotransfera sparkofinspirationintocampaigns thatresonatewithpeople,engage them,andcreatemeasurableeffects. Thisissomethingthattheycando. Whenitcomestoadvertising,these agencieshaveaflairforbreakingnew groundwithoutlosingsightofthe commercialgoalstheyareseekingto achieve. Thiscanbeaccomplished usingasocialmediastrategythatis disruptive,aneventthatprovidesan immersiveexperience,oradigital advertisingcampaignthatishypertargeted.
Itisoneofthecharacteristicsthat distinguishesoutstandingagencies fromotheragenciesthattheycould combinecreativethinkingwith analyticalthinking. Theydonotputall theirfaithintheirgutfeelings;rather, theycombineaudaciousideaswith insightsgleanedfrommarkettrends, customerbehaviour,andperformance statistics. Thisgivesindividualsthe abilitytomakejudgementsthatare betterinformed.Notonlydoesthis technologicaladvancement,whichis drivenbydata,ensurethatcampaigns arevisuallyappealing,butitalso ensuresthattheyarestrategically linkedwiththeaimsofthefirmandthe requirementsoftheaudience. Not onlydoesthefinalproductresultin marketingthatissuccessful,butitalso deliversthesensethatitissomething thathasjustbeenintroduced.
Inaddition,theprocessofworking togetheristhesourceoftheircreative advantage,whichisrootedin innovation.Membersofthe interdisciplinaryteamsthatare assembledbyadvertisingorganisations thatarecurrentlyexperiencingthe mostsuccessincludecopywriters, designers,datascientists,anduser experiencespecialists.These advertisingcompaniesarecurrently experiencingthegreatestsuccess. Theseteamscollaborateinafluid mannertotranslateideasintomultichannelcampaignsthathavea significantimpactontheaudiencewith whomtheyareaimingto communicate.Becausetheyhave accesstosuchawidearrayof viewpoints,theycanapproachissues fromseveralvariouspointsofview Thisguaranteesthateveryproposalis puttothetest,developed,and amplifiedtoattainthegreatestpossible reachandeffecttothegreatestextent possible.
Whenitcomestothemostcrucial factor,themostsuccessfulmarketing companiesarealwaysmodifyingtheir planstoadaptnewtrends.Sothatthey maycontinuetomaintaina competitiveadvantageintheirsector, theyhaveembracedemerging technologiessuchasaugmentedreality, predictiveanalytics,andcustomisation thatispoweredbyartificial intelligence.Toensurethattheirclients continuetoberelevantinalandscape thatisconstantlyaltering,they maintaintheiragilityandareprepared tochangetheirplansinresponseto changingmarketconditionsandtrends. Thispermitsthemtoensurethattheir clientscontinuetoberelevant. Thisis donetoensurethattheirclientswill continuetoberelevantinthefuture.
Marketingcompaniesthatarecurrently enjoyingthehighestlevelsofsuccess arethosethataresituatedatthe intersectionofcreativityandstrategy, whichencompasseseverythingfrom ideastoimpact.Thesecompaniesare currentlyseeingthegreatestlevelsof success. Itisnotonlythattheyare abletotransformideasintocampaigns thatnotonlygarnerattentionbutalso motivateindividualstoact,butthey arealsoabletodoitbycombining creativethinkingwiththeprecision thatissupportedbystatistics.Ina worldinwhichconsumersare continuouslybeinginundatedwith content,theabilitytoresistthis onslaughtisthemostimportant distinguishingcharacteristicthat dividesonecompetitionfromanother.
