2025 MAA's Marketer of the Year Award: Nedbank's Khensani Nobanda

Nedbank's Khensani Nobanda was named the 2025 Marketing Achievement Awards' Marketer of the Year Award (Image supplied)

On Thursday evening, 29 May, the winners of the 2025 Marketing Achievement Awards (MAAs) were announced at the prestigious marketing professionals’ Ball, held at the Sandton Convention Centre Ballroom.

The Marketer of the Year Award recognises an outstanding South African marketer who has delivered innovative marketing, impacted business results, and used their influence to drive the industry forward.

This year’s selection committee were particularly impressed with the high calibre of all the finalists.

In recognising Nobanda as the 2025 Marketer of the Year, judges highlighted her unique ability to blend data-driven insight, digital transformation, and purpose-led marketing.

Her innovative approach to structuring an agile marketing function and her consistent delivery of tangible results for Nedbank, coupled with her commitment to industry-wide transformation and talent nurturing, set her apart from her peers.

Nobanda's win was complemented by Nedbank’s award for Marketing Organisation of the Year, recognising their commitment to disruptive thinking, remarkable agility, and efficiency, with impressive metrics demonstrating how marketing directly drives their business success and positions them for continued future wins.

Jody Ashworth, senior marketing manager at Discovery, was named the 2025 Marketing Achievement Awards Rising Star of the Year (Image supplied)

Rising Star of the Year: Jody Ashworth

Jody Ashworth, senior marketing manager at Discovery, was named the 2025 Marketing Achievement Awards Rising Star of the Year.

This accolade is a testament to her strategic foresight, innovative execution, and leadership qualities while managing a strategic portfolio for Discovery Bank. A young marketer to keep an eye on in the future!

The MMA inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award went to Jeremy Sampson (Image supplied)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeremy Sampson

For the first time, the category Lifetime Achievement was introduced to honour a person who has made a significant and lasting contribution to the industry throughout their career.

The inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jeremy Sampson, a true icon in the world of marketing and branding.

With an illustrious career spanning nearly five decades, Sampson has left an indelible mark on the industry.

His exceptional talent, visionary leadership, and unwavering dedication have shaped brands and inspired generations of professionals across South Africa.

The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates Jeremy’s extraordinary legacy and the enduring impact he has made on the South African marketing landscape—a fitting tribute to a remarkable career.

All the winners

Ivan Moroke, Chairperson of the Marketing Achievement Awards, said: “In my role as Chairperson, I'm consistently reminded of the remarkable influence marketing wields in South Africa.

"Our winners and finalists this year truly exemplify how marketing transcends commercial objectives, driving business results, fostering economic growth, and profoundly shaping our society.

"They stand as a testament to the fact that marketing in South Africa is not only globally competitive but also a vital force for nation-building and positive change."

About the Marketing Achievement Awards

This year’s MAA entries, spanning 16 different award categories, were judged by more than 50 industry experts against strict criteria, including the impact of the marketing initiatives on business objectives and bottom-line results.

Each written submission was evaluated against specified criteria; the merits of each top-scoring entry were assessed in peer quorums; and in the case of some leadership categories, online interviews were conducted with nominees and their colleagues to understand the finalists and their work.

The MAAs remain the only programme that recognises and celebrates the entire marketing value chain and its contribution to business success. This is why they remain the benchmark for marketing excellence in South Africa.

he gala event, a highlight of the marketing calendar, honoured the bold strategies, creative brilliance, and measurable impact of South Africa’s finest marketing talent.

Widely regarded as the benchmark for marketing excellence in South Africa, the MAAs celebrate the entire marketing value chain—from insight and innovation to execution and impact.

Endorsed by the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA), the MAAs stand alone in recognising marketing's pivotal role in driving business growth, powering the economy, and shaping culture.

This year’s awards marked a new era for the MAAs, with Primedia Broadcasting joining as presenting partner, Brand South Africa as strategic partner, and support from Kantar, Old Mutual, Telkom, African Bank, Google, Reveel, and Fresh Advertising and Marketing. Gearhouse came on board as Technical Partner.