The move brings Kotane back into the TBWA/South Africa fold, as he worked as a strategic planner at Hunt Lascaris during the foundational period of his career.
Delighted to be back Kotane explains that he took up the role because of the collective’s reputation, creative strength, global scale and standing in the industry.
“As chief strategy officer, I will be instrumental in pulling our community together as we craft winning strategies for brands and businesses,” says Kotane.
“At TBWA, Disruption is not merely a catchphrase but a way of thinking about brands, categories, and a mechanism for driving growth. It is both a philosophy and a methodology, which I believe is more relevant today than ever before,” he adds.
Talking about joining Yellowwood he says, “Joining Yellowwood, a brand with a strong legacy and heritage, and is celebrated for its strategy and brand consulting, is an exciting opportunity,” he says.
“There’s no doubt the world of strategy consulting has evolved, and I am excited to infuse an already strong offer with a healthy dose of global thinking, tooling and insight as we help clients work through the challenges of tomorrow, today.”
A marketing specialist with two decades’ experience at some of South Africa’s most notable agencies, including five years at Lowe Bull Cape Town, and more recently over a decade at King James Johannesburg, where he was the managing director up to and following the agency’s acquisition by Accenture Song.
TBWA\South Africa’s Group CEO Luca Gallarelli says Kotane is an exceptional talent.
“Lesego is a rare breed: He brings an immense depth of experience in the world of strategy but also in general management and consulting.
“The opportunity to leverage this intersection of theory and practice and apply it to helping us and our clients solve complex problems is compelling.”
Gallarelli says the TBWA group’s job is to provide simple answers to complex problems by leveraging powerful intellect, depth of experience, emergent technologies and global scale in service of identifying opportunities for clients’ growth.
“Lesego is just the person to drive this for us. He is a true team player, and I am delighted to welcome him home.”
