Jury

Koo Govender began her career with the Multichoice Group, spending 22 years there and ultimately serving as the Corporate Marketing and Communications Director. She then became the first female CEO of the VWV Group, a global experiential agency. Koo later led dentsu South Africa, a global marketing and advertising agency known for its integrated approach to brand, media, digital, and specialist communications. In her role as CEO, she managed six leadership brands, specialist divisions, and scaled services across the group. Today, Koo serves as the Groupe CEO of Publicis Groupe Africa. Koo is an accomplished executive and a well-rounded leader with deep experience in people leadership, client management, and business operations across both startup and growth organizations. She is results-oriented, authentic, and has a proven track record in marketing and strategic planning. Known for her strategic insight, Koo is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and building high-performance, diverse teams that cultivate the next generation of leaders. Her commitment extends to compliance and good governance within the industry and beyond. Koo is deeply passionate about inspirational leadership, marketing, women's empowerment, and uplifting the African continent. She has been actively involved in initiatives such as the M-Net Cares brand, which focuses on breast cancer awareness and literacy. Koo has developed and implemented a VWV initiative, called Phakama Women’s Academy, which equips and empowers female university students for corporate careers. Koo’s vision is for more women to be seated around the boardroom table. To date, over 150 students have graduated from the academy. Koo sits as the Chair and non-executive director for Phakama. In 2019 and 2021, Koo successfully launched Female Foundry in South Africa, a global dentsu initiative designed to bridge the gender gap in emerging markets by providing training and mentorship to female entrepreneurs. Koo also serves on several industry, NGO, and business boards and has been a judge for prestigious awards, including the Cannes Lions Festival, Loeries Awards, AdFocus Awards, Promax Awards, and Miss SA. Most recently, Koo has taken on roles as a counsellor for the Media, Advertising, and Communication (MAC) Charter in South Africa, Chairperson of Promax SA for 2023, and non-executive board member for the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), the PinkDrive Initiative, and Chairperson of the Advertising Media Forum (AMF). Through these positions, she continues to drive her passion for advancing the advertising sector in South Africa. A recognized public speaker, judge, and board member, Koo has earned numerous business and empowerment awards. She lives by the philosophy: "Success is just one step, but of greater significance is the journey that transforms lives not only within our business but across the African continent."