Johan Huisamen
CEO
Passionate about helping small business achieve their potential and playing meaningfull role in the economy. My mission: to empower small business in Africa to exploit the benefits technology adds to achieving their potential, and not be exploited due to lack of knowledge or understanding of technology.
11 years’ experience in small business consulting and development l Managing and Commercial Director Rocketseed, SA l Managing Director Media in Africa Solutions l Founder of Chain Reaction, Strategy and Development Consultancy for retail, media, healthcare, hospitality, travel, financial and food and beverage industries.
He specializes as a technology spotter, digital marketing expert, market maker, channel developer and full circle small business advisor. Instrumental in online success of a host of start-ups and small businesses.
E-mail: johan@themediagenius.com
Gerrie Heyneke
Head of Consulting
Committed to helping small business grow; enjoy working with driven people who understand the value of ‘the brand’. On a mission to show the role, and value, technology adds to people’s business and lives. 30 years’ experience in marketing and advertising l Managing Director at Young & Rubicam Cape Town l Managing Director DBB South Africa l Co-founder, Managing Director of The White House Advertising and Marketing l Brand managed: Opel, Vodacom, McDonalds SA, Woolworths, Hermanuspietersfontein. He specializes in strategy, brand and branding development, planning and management.
E-mail: gerrie@themediagenius.com
Rainier Basson
Head of Finance and Admin
Rainier joined themediagenius.com in January 2012 as the head of finance and operations. He read both his BComm Management Sciences and BComm(Hons) Financial Analysis degrees at the University of Stellenbosch. Since then he has served time in the local wine industry, consults in real estate development and is a self-confessed tech junkie.
E-mail: rainier@themediagenius.com
Martle Heyns
Head of SME Web
Service orientated and committed to the empowerment of small businesses on the internet and mobile platforms. Passionate about providing clients with a high-quality online presence, as well as the latest technologies to best maintain, measure, and promote their business.
More than 10 years’ experience in web strategy and the development and customization of websites for 100’s of customers, from nearly all verticals, from all over the world. She is able to provide a wide range of services by partnering with other specialist service providers | Owner of Aqua IT Consulting CC
She specializes in websites powered by Open Source Content Management systems, mobile conversions, and has an extensive understanding of both the technical side of the web as well as online marketing principles.
E-mail: martle@themediagenius.com
Shannon McLaughlin
Head of Design and Inspiration
Self-taught web guru whose passion lies in web design and online marketing, Shannon strives to help others achieve their goals, using the skills and habits she has developed while building her own online brand. She believes that exceptional design is a definite competitive advantage and her design work reflects this. With just over 10 years’ experience in design and marketing, she has worked closely with brands such as New Balance South Africa, Seeff Properties, Mrs Balls Chutney, Ceratec Hong Kong and SA Plastics Magazine to name but a few.
E-mail: shannon@themediagenius.com
Meinette van der Walt
Projects and Marketing
From marketing assistant to Marketing Manager in a relatively short time, Meinette gained all round brand management experience in all facets of business – from brand development through to rebranding. Her innate understanding of the marketing environment comes through in her grasp of strategy, budgeting, project planning and implementation. Time spent in both small and corporate business arms her to assist clients in development of innovative and creative campaigns in the competitive digital arena.
E-mail: meinette@themediagenius.com
Hanri van Zyl
Sales and Distribution Gauteng
Hanri’s spent 9 years working with brands such as The Westin Grand and The Forum Company. She has an in-depth understanding of digital marketing and the value it brings to businesses of all sizes. Her skills and commitment lie in optimising clients’ marketing channels and communications with one objective in mind: to grow their brands.
E-mail: hanri@themediagenius.com
Brian Hope
Head of Community Building and Engagement (Social Media)
Subsequent to completing his Varsity College studies where he read an IMM BBA Honours in Marketing Management, Brian has gathered extensive practical experience dealing with brands from luxury jewellery to FMG and loads more in-between. He cut his teeth in market research at Omnivision, thereafter as marketing and social media manager at Cape Void Magazine. Before joining themediagenius.com Brian was head of the social media department for Luxury Brands, PR and Marketing. Brian has crafted the art of communicating on a great many subjects. In a nutshell – he puts few words to great and effective use.
E-mail: brian@themediagenius.com
Charl de Jager
Head of Search Engine Marketing and Optimization
Charl is a “product” of the University of Pretoria where he read a B.Comm whereafter he embarked on a career in online marketing. He has harvested much more than the actual eight years’ experience in skill, insight and the science of SEO having worked across a broad portfolio of clients and industries. Search Engine Optimisation is the backbone of every successful online marketer and requires in–depth understanding of how people find what they are looking for, what drives them and how to “help” them find products, brands and information in an ever growing, overtraded digital marketing space. Charl’s talent lies in knowing how people think when engaging with keyboard and computer screen. In practice he communicates in an unspoken kind of language which delivers results.
E-mail: charl@themediagenius.com
Craig Tunbridge
New Business Director
As new business director for themediagenius.com, Craig enjoys the process of finding innovative ways of applying technology to benefit all types of business. He started the very successful CTA Insurance Brokerage 25 years ago, after having worked in the industry in the United Kingdom and in South Africa. Knowing what it takes to run a thriving business, Craig is eager to share his knowledge and to empower entrepreneurs to become prosperous through themediagenius.com’s extensive product offering.
E-mail: craig@themediagenius.com
Wayne Louis
Director
Growing sustainable business in South Africa and on the African continent is what drives Wayne. He completed his articles with the auditing firm now known as Deloitte. He has since worked as an accountant for Altron, Tiger Brands, Rio Tinto and Aveng. In 2002 he founded Waylo Trading & Logistics, which today is a highly effective and professional freight logistics company and commodity trader. Wayne has a natural ability to identify opportunities and to develop strategies for sustainable growth.
E-mail: wayne@themediagenius.com
Tim Legg
Director
Believes in mobile and its growing role in the success of business. His quest? To help small business grow by choosing and using the right technology to unlock, and capitalize on, the ever growing world of mobile. More than 20 years relevant experience in the mobile and information technology industry in sales, marketing and management capacity l Managing Partner Mobi-Media l Managing Director at Opera Interactive l European Sales Manager and Director at Parity Eurosoft I Mobile customers and partners include MTN, Avusa, Kellogg’s, Revlon, JWT , Mr Price and SABC. He specializes in mobile marketing and advertising by developing customer centric, objective driven brand strategies which focuses on mobile as the medium.
E-mail: tim@themediagenius.com
