A Grateful Journey

When I reflect on my career, I can confidently say it’s been a wild, fulfilling ride. What began in the trenches of technical support in the late ‘90s has evolved into a 21-year odyssey in digital marketing, a field I’ve grown to love for its pace, innovation, and boundless possibilities. What follows is a short narrative on, what I believe, has been an incredibly rewarding career with some of the best digital marketing minds in the industry.

The Tech Foundations (1997-2000)

My journey began in 1997, fresh out of completing a 3-year Information Technology diploma through UNISA, followed by my certification as an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer – shout out to Jacques Barkhuizen , then lecturing at The Training Connection). ?I started as a support consultant for UUNET IAfrica in Newlands. It was here that I met Kim Zanasi, a colleague who later became instrumental in my career shift (bet you didn’t know this, Kim!). Kim transitioned to Vodacom, and when the opportunity arose, reached out to me and asked if I’d like to join their team.

At Vodacom, our team’s role was primarily focused on monitoring the infrastructure that kept the POPs (Points of Presence) running 24/7. These systems were crucial for their clients - dial-up users establishing internet connections via their trusty US Robotics 56k modems (remember Vodacom’s Internet In A Can?).

Soon after, World Online entered the South African market and acquired Vodacom’s business unit, rebranding it as Vodacom World Online, and later just World Online. During this time, I continued developing and honing skills, learning Unix (why does Bash commands come to mind?) and, spotting an opportunity, developed a useful intranet to centralize our tools and improve workflow efficiency. This caught the attention of Bob Lafite, our Head of Engineering, who encouraged me to explore a lateral move to the studio team. His insight and support became pivotal in redirecting my career toward digital marketing. At one of the World Online year-end functions, I would bump into Jacques Barkhuizen again, and our paths crisscrossed a few times after that. Full-circle. (still remember the black Audi TT Jacques drove - registration, TT Guy).

Diving into Digital Content and Ad Management (2000-2004)

In an interview with Francois Swart , then CIO for Vodacom DRC, he shared that while there wasn’t an opening in web development, there was an opening for someone to manage the Accipiter Ad Management platform in the World Online Studio (this was before the days of cloud-based advertising platforms – an on-premise ad management platform). The studio was responsible for the World Online portal, a content hub for subscribers featuring news, weather, music, sports, entertainment, horoscopes and even sex education (a regular feature by Dr. Eve). This role culminated in a training trip to Engage Technologies in London ( @vickylyon – remember this trip?), where I gained a deeper understanding of ad tech and set the foundation for my future in digital marketing.

The studio was a vibrant environment filled with talented individuals. I worked alongside Nigel Solomons , an exceptional front-end developer who led by example and was eager to share his knowledge on all things web dev, and collaborated with designers, developers and content writers, led by Steve Smith , a brilliant writer who was also head of studio, and who later authored biographies of Herschelle Gibbs and Sarel van der Merwe. As a team, we launched groundbreaking projects like South Africa’s first online streaming concert (Nelson Mandela’s 46664 concert, featuring U2, Eurythmics and Peter Gabriel) and live online chats with the Springbok Rugby Squad. We pushed the boundaries of ad tech (shoutout to Robin Straathof , World Online Netherlands - my sounding board for when I was stumped with the tech).

As a budding photographer, I also served as the designated photographer for music concerts, working with Big Concerts to capture exclusive images of artists like Black Eyed Peas, Counting Crows, Katie Melua and Bryan Adams, to name a few. Shout out to Evan Milton , our then music editor and data guru by day, and radio DJ by night, for suggesting I take on the mantle of photographer. Evan also provided a constant supply of the latest music CDs, which would be shared to those wanting to listen to and write reviews for the music channel. I think I actually still have a few of those CDs (Giant, Aerosmiths), worn, scratched, dusty, and stored in a box somewhere, along with fond memories.

Scaling Global Heights with DQ&A (2006-2011)

After MWEB acquired World Online, I transitioned to Habari Media to fill the new role of Country Manager at DQ&A (now Incubeta). Adrian Hewlett played a key role in bringing me onboard, and this role introduced me to working across international markets, managing global accounts for tech giants like Microsoft and fostering strong client relationships. Regular trips to the Netherlands for QBRs at DQ&A’s head office in Voorburg, located near Amsterdam, provided a great mix of productivity and camaraderie. Guided by the visionary leadership of Heleen Dura - van Oord , Andries de Jonge and Peter van Wingerden , these sessions were invaluable learning opportunities. And, of course, my amazing team back home always appreciated the suitcase-filled stroopwafels I made sure to bring back.

At DQ&A, I worked closely with a fantastic, dedicated team and honed my skills in strategy, client management, and ad operations. These years solidified my ability to lead in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Breaking New Ground with Acceleration (2011-2015)

#Acceleration’s recruitment approach was as creative as its global projects. Hector Coull , Jacques van Niekerk and Stephan Pretorius deserve a huge shoutout for their ingenuity and humour. They orchestrated a recruitment pitch like no other, complete with a dance troupe, a box containing a silicone egg poacher and a thin book titled “How To Perfectly Poach An Egg”. (memory is a bit vague here on the title, but you get the idea). The pièce de résistance was a card that read, “We heard you were good at what you do, so we’d like to poach you.” It was so hilariously creative and unexpected that I couldn’t help but say yes. Who could resist joining a team that set the bar so high even before day one? It should also be said that the dance troupe performed in my office at DQ&A. Bold moves indeed!

My work at Acceleration focused on expanding our client footprint in Dubai, alongside Richard Mullins and Adriaan Gouws (aka A.Hartland) , we were dubbed the “desert boys.” We navigated seismic industry changes, from DoubleClick’s evolution into the Google Marketing Platform, to Salesforce’s acquisition of ExactTarget. These were transformative years that shaped the digital marketing landscape, shaped our engagement with our clients and further shaped and developed my expertise.

Returning Home: Client-Side with RBS and Momentum (2016-Present)

After Acceleration, I spent a brief period at Realm Digital (hey Simon Bestbier !) before stepping into a Head of Digital role at RBS (Risk Benefit Solutions). Here, I worked on connecting marketing efforts with sales, specifically focusing on managing and connecting performance marketing with customer data, RPA projects and tackling the unique challenges of the super competitive world that is the insurance industry. The CPLs in this sector were an eye-opener (and eye watering), but I relished the opportunity to make an impact.

In 2022, I joined Momentum as Digital Marketing Lead, a role that brings together everything I’ve learned over two decades. From integrating martech solutions, automation and managing bespoke ad platform integrations and ensuring we remain profitable, Momentum has been a culmination of all my experiences. Achievements like the Momentum Hero Award in 2023 and focusing on innovative initiatives like GPT-powered bots reflect the passion I still have for this industry, as well as my ongoing “always a student” approach. There is ALWAYS something to learn. It should also be mentioned that I have once again landed with my proverbial butt in the butter, where every team member is a genius, every interaction engaging, and every day there's a new challenge to overcome.

The People Behind the Journey

My career isn’t just about roles, projects, or certifications. It’s about the people. The common thread here are the people who were placed on my journey at certain intervals. Jacques Barkhuizen, Kim Zanasi, Kumarin Nair, Bob Lafite, Francois Swart, Nigel Solomons, Steve Smith, Evan Milton, Adrian Hewlett, Hector Coull, Jacques van Niekerk, Stephan Pretorius, Richard Mullins, Adriaan Gouws, Jowyk Muller and so many others have been instrumental in shaping my journey. Each played a role in mentoring, guiding, and challenging me to grow.

To everyone I’ve collaborated with over the years: thank you for the lessons, the laughs, and the shared successes (peppered with a few failures – how else do we learn?). Digital marketing is, at its core, about connections—not just online but human ones. To the clients I’ve serviced, the executives I’ve reported to, the wonderful, amazing team members I’ve had the privilege of managing, the agencies I’ve worked with, this is simply a heartfelt message to say “Thank You”.

So Why Share This?

Because many of the people you will encounter in your professional life will never fully realise the impact they have had on your career.

Because it's easy to move on to the next without giving a thought to what you've learned, and by whom. Even a negative experience is not wasted, as it teaches you resilience. To be better next time. To rise above.

Because every career is a culmination of people, experiences and opportunities. Mentors. Colleagues. A career tapestry woven from countless threads and influenced by many people.

I’ve been fortunate to work in a field that’s ever-changing, thrilling, and deeply rewarding. If I had to do it all again, I probably would.

To those just starting their journey: embrace the unknown, cherish your mentors, and never stop exploring. The (digital) world waits for no one, but if you’re curious and adaptable, it will reward you in ways you can’t imagine.

Thank you for letting me share my story, and thank you for the privilege of your time.

PS: If I’ve not mentioned you by name, I humbly apologise. There really have been so many people that the names alone could fill the entirety of this note of appreciation.