Independent Creative Partner · Johannesburg

Senior creative &
brand strategy when it matters most.

I partner with ambitious organisations at the moments that matter — rebrands, product launches, teams that need direction. I bring the thinking of a CMO and the craft of an award-winning creative director.

20+
Years in the industry
50+
Advertising awards
10
Successful new business pitches
281%
Viewership boost, single campaign
About

Strategy and craft —
in one engagement.

I've spent two decades building brands, leading creative teams, and delivering work that moves the commercial needle. I've co-founded an internal agency, led cross-functional teams of up to 24 people, and worked across fintech, streaming, telco, and FMCG on some of Africa's most recognised brands.

I operate as a fractional partner — embedded enough to understand your business, independent enough to challenge it. I bring full senior attention to each engagement.

Services

Where I'm most useful

01
Brand Strategy & Positioning

Defining the opportunity, sharpening the message, and establishing the creative direction that gives the work a powerful foundation. Built on proximity to the business — not distance from it.

02
Campaign & GTM Creative Direction

Leading the creative from first idea to final output across launches, rebrands, and always-on. Work that is sharp, distinctive, and built to perform across channels and markets.

03
New Business Pitches

Senior creative leadership for agency pitches — 10 successful new business wins. Brought in when the brief is high-stakes and the idea needs to land.

04
Fractional Creative Leadership

ECD-level thinking on a retainer or project basis — for organisations that need senior creative direction without a full-time commitment.

05
In-House Agency Build

Structuring, hiring, and leading internal creative teams that function at agency level. Built one from scratch that grew to 24 people and won awards continent-wide.

06
AI Integration into Creative Teams

Advising on and implementing AI-forward creative processes — MIT-qualified, with hands-on integration experience across fintech and agency environments.

Selected results

Work that moved
the needle

281%

Viewership boost for the Game of Thrones campaign. App Store trending at #1.

Showmax
55%

Partnership base growth through a Vodacom data partnership campaign.

Showmax × Vodacom
+62%

Sign-ups vs benchmark on a pan-African live sport streaming launch. Promax Grand Prix.

Showmax Pro
CPA −46%

Cost per acquisition reduction on the Showmax Pro launch across three territories.

Showmax
10

Successful new business pitches across Wunderman, Ogilvy, and others.

Agency
50+

Advertising awards across One Show, Loeries, Promax, Bookmarks, Ciclope.

Career total
Testimonials

What senior leaders say

"Philippa is by a rather wide margin one of the most strategic creative directors I have ever worked with. Masterful in her craft, strategic in her approach, and obsessive about work that delivers against business objectives."
Nicola Van Ast
Co-Founder, Growthink Group
Previously Head of Brand, Showmax
"She provided a rare combination of strategic thinking and creative intuition — consistently considering not just what we're delivering, but why. She has a sharp eye for how a brand shows up in the world."
Kourtney Simons
Fractional CMO
Yoco Technologies
"Philippa brought a welcomed level of strategic insight and creative power to every project. She consistently elevated the quality of our work and navigated client relationships with grace and strategic foresight."
Cherylann Sawyer
Business Partner
Ogilvy One
"Her attention to detail and thoughtfulness is truly admirable. She internalises every project from all angles — delivering work that is not only well crafted, but beautiful and aligned to the goal it needs to achieve."
Natasha Matos-Hemingway
Group Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, Shahid
Previously CMO, Showmax
Brands worked with
ShowmaxYocoGoogleOld MutualBrand SAMastercardCoca-ColaStandard BankABSAFNBMTNVodacomInvestecDStvVirginUnilever
Education
MIT — Applied Artificial Intelligence for Digital Transformation
2025
Henley Business School — Postgraduate, Business Administration
2023 · Distinction
GIBS — Social Entrepreneurship
2014 · Distinction
University of Cape Town — BA Cultural & Literary Studies
2004
Expertise
Brand strategy & positioning
Internal agency experience, proximity to business strategy
Creative direction & writing
Award-winning across ATL, digital, performance, organic social
Team leadership
Led teams of up to 24, consistently high NPS scores
AI integration
MIT-qualified, hands-on implementation across fintech and agency
Pan-African markets
SA, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana — through-the-line, locally resonant
Contact

Let's find out if we're a fit.

I work with a small number of clients at a time — retainer or project basis — and bring full senior attention to each engagement. If you have a brief, a problem, or an inflection point, I'd like to hear about it.

LocationJohannesburg, South Africa