MANDLA MAZIBUKO

* Provide executive leadership across the agency’s creative, strategy and production functions, with direct accountability for the quality and delivery of all client work.
* Define the agency’s creative vision and translate client objectives into culturally relevant campaigns, brand experiences and experiential platforms.
* Lead concept development, experience design and senior-level client presentations from initial strategy through design, production and live execution.
* Direct multidisciplinary creative and production teams, ensuring consistent alignment, collaboration and quality across every stage of a project.
* Oversee end-to-end campaign delivery, including venues, fabrication, technical production, entertainment, catering, staffing, logistics, gifting, national distribution and reporting.
* Manage senior client, partner, supplier and talent relationships while negotiating project scope, budgets, timelines and delivery requirements.
* Establish creative and operational processes that improve workflow, resource allocation, production efficiency and consistency across departments.
* Embed measurement into campaign planning, using reach, impressions, attendance, fulfilment, consumer engagement and cost-per-contact to evaluate performance and inform future work.

Led the production and delivery of high-profile experiential campaigns, brand activations and special projects, including the Nasty ENRG South African market launch, IShowSpeed’s South African visit and Boomtown at the Durban July.

• Led the Nasty ENRG launch from ambassador strategy and campaign content production through to full event execution.
• Appointed Amapiano artist UnCool MC as brand ambassador, negotiating partnership terms and integrating campaign deliverables.
• Supported the planning and production of IShowSpeed’s visit to South Africa, coordinating key production, experiential and logistical requirements.
• Identified and appointed Amapiano artist UnCool MC as brand ambassador, negotiating the partnership, deliverables and campaign integration.
• Managed cross-functional teams, talent, suppliers, and production partners to deliver projects seamlessly.
• Maintained alignment across client objectives, approved creative concepts, production quality and the overall consumer experience.
• Oversaw content creation to align with strategic objectives and engage target audiences effectively.
• Boosted team productivity with streamlined workflow processes for content creation and distribution.
• Managed production budgets, optimizing resources and minimizing costs while maintaining high-quality output.

Led strategic brand partnerships and special projects for a select portfolio of talent, managing the full engagement lifecycle—from commercial negotiations and campaign planning to content production, launches and final delivery. Representative clients and projects included Brand South Africa’s “30 Voices” campaign, celebrating 30 years of democracy; Dark & Lovely; PepsiCo; the Boys of Soweto x Jägermeister capsule collection; and the Bob the Stylist x NikNaks campaign.

• Negotiated brand partnerships and engagements for talent, securing favorable terms with brands, clients, and creative agencies.
• Coordinated production schedules, content shoots and specialist creative teams.
• Oversaw talent involvement in branded content, digital campaigns, product launches, and experiential activations, ensuring alignment with client objectives.
• Coordinated production schedules and managed content shoots with specialist creative teams to meet project timelines and deliverables.
• Represented talent in negotiations and engagements with brands, clients and creative agencies.

Produced and delivered experiential campaigns and brand activations for clients including Woolworths Beauty and InDrive. Translated approved creative concepts into fully executed consumer experiences, managing the production process from pre-planning through to on-site delivery.

• Participated in client status meetings, production briefings, and venue walk-throughs to ensure comprehensive understanding of project requirements and expectations.
• Developed production plans, timelines and operational requirements based on approved concepts.
  
• Sourced, appointed and managed suppliers, production partners and event teams. Coordinated venue logistics, installations, branding, technical production, and event operations, facilitating seamless execution and optimizing event experience.
• Managed on-site execution, troubleshooting and quality control.
  Ensured each activation ran smoothly and delivered against the client and agency brief.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline project workflows, increasing efficiency.
• Developed and executed creative concepts for marketing campaigns, enhancing brand visibility.
• Managed production schedules and resource allocation to ensure timely project delivery.

Land of Spirits Festival | Accra, Ghana

Appointed to lead the development and delivery of the Land of Spirits Festival from concept through to execution. Directed the festival’s creative vision, strategy, programming, production planning and on-site delivery, supported by agency resources and a trusted network of preferred suppliers in Accra.

Key responsibilities:

• Developed the festival concept, positioning and overall guest experience.
• Led the creative direction, programming and end-to-end production planning.
• Managed the festival budget in collaboration with the internal finance team.
• Established and managed project timelines and the operational framework.
• Appointed and coordinated agency resources, preferred suppliers and production partners.
• Oversaw venue planning, technical production, staging, branding, hospitality and logistics.
• Managed relationships with stakeholders, sponsors, talent and suppliers.
• Led the on-site festival team to ensure seamless delivery across every guest touchpoint.
• Maintained creative quality and operational efficiency while delivering against the festival’s commercial objectives.