Thebe Ikalafeng
Thebe Ikalafeng is a respected thought leader in marketing, branding and intellectual property. He has enjoyed a distinguished
corporate and consulting career which commenced with brand management at Colgate Palmolive in New York, a seminal and award-winning tenure as
chief marketing office for Nike Africa; and establishing Brand Leadership, an award-winning pan-African advisory firm.
He founded Brand Africa in 2010 as an independent non-profit initiative to champion African brands and re-imagine Africa’s identity, reputation and competitiveness. A Hall of Fame marketer, in 2024, the University of Johannesburg and University of South Africa conferred him with honorary doctorates for his contributions to Africa, branding and industry.
“A towering giant of excellence, singularity of purpose and unrelenting resilience,” Bonang Mohale, Chancellor, UFS Chancellor and Chairman, Bidvest Group
