My Work

Career & Boards

Thirty years building brands across Africa.

Ikalafeng has had a profound, sustained and distinguished contribution to branding in Africa and to shaping a positive narrative for the continent, in a career that spans over 30 years building brands across Africa in corporate, academia, advisory, and through his brand-led initiatives and advocacy.

Career

  • 2002 – Current

    Founder and CEO

    Brand Leadership Group

    South Africa · Kenya

  • 1996 – 2002

    Chief Marketing Officer

    Nike

    Africa

  • 1996

    Strategic Planning

    Public Relations International (a division of Leo Burnett SA)

    South Africa

  • 1994 – 1996

    Group Marketing, Gaming

    Sun International

    South Africa

  • 1993 – 1994

    Brand Management

    Colgate-Palmolive

    New York, USA · Boksburg, South Africa

Board leadership

Ikalafeng has held extensive, diverse directorships on boards of listed and unlisted organisations in banking, FMCG, technology, conservation, destination marketing and academia, in the public and private sector, and in the marketing and branding industry.

18 of 18 board seats

  1. 2022 – To date

    Nedbank WWF Green Trust

    Trustee

  2. 2022 – To date

    Population Services International (PSI) Africa

    Non-Executive Director

  3. 2015 – 2023

    South African Tourism

    Non-Executive Director · Deputy Chairman

  4. 2014 – 2021

    Carrack Holdings (JSE Listed)

    Non-Executive Director · Chairman, Remuneration Committee

  5. 2012 – 2016

    Brand Finance plc

    Non-Executive Chairman, Africa

  6. 2012 – 2021

    World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

    Non-Executive Director

  7. 2012 – 2016

    Brand South Africa

    Trustee

  8. 2011 – 2013

    Brand Council of Southern Africa

    Non-Executive Vice Chairman

  9. 2007 – 2010

    Durban University of Technology

    Council Member

  10. 2005 – 2010

    Foodcorp

    Non-Executive Director

  11. 2004 – 2019

    Mercantile Bank and Mercantile Bank Holdings

    Non-Executive Director · Chairman, Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee · Chairman, Remuneration Committee

  12. 2003 – 2004

    Financial Mail AdFocus

    Chairman

  13. 2002 – 2014

    Vega School of Brand Communication

    Advisory Board Member

  14. 2002 – 2005

    Marketing Federation of Southern Africa

    Non-Executive Director

  15. 2002 – 2004

    South African Advertising Research Foundation

    Non-Executive Director

  16. 2001 – 2002

    Nike South Africa

    Executive Director

  17. 2001 – 2002

    Direct Marketing Association of SA

    Non-Executive Director

  18. 1998 – 2002

    Loeries

    Chairman