The Advertising Media Forum (AMF) marked a significant milestone with the successful hosting of its first-ever Cape Town breakfast networking event, followed by the inaugural Cape Town chapter of Project Mentor. Both events reflect the organisation’s growing commitment to strengthening collaboration, driving industry development and nurturing future talent within South Africa’s media landscape.
Held at the Red & Yellow School of Business, the networking event brought together more than 20 media owners, agency partners and industry stakeholders. AMF Chairperson, Koo Govender, opened the session by reaffirming the organisation’s mandate to represent, unify, and advance the interests of media agencies across the country. Govender also highlighted the make-up of the AMF Board and its collective responsibility to champion industry standards, thought leadership, and transformation.
Karen Phelan, representing the AMF leadership team, presented an update on the various committees and key initiatives currently driven by the organisation. These include efforts to streamline industry best practices, maximise research capabilities, upskill media professionals, and promote collaboration between agencies. Phelan emphasised how these initiatives are designed to ensure the South African media industry remains competitive and future-fit.
Following the morning networking session, the AMF launched the first Cape Town edition of Project Mentor; the organisation’s flagship talent development initiative. Project Mentor is aimed at attracting, training, and retaining young professionals in the media and advertising sector, addressing one of the industry’s most critical needs: sustainable talent pipelines.
The Red & Yellow auditorium set the scene for a dynamic panel discussion featuring Koo Govender, Rene Fowler, Jason Gird, and Andrea Leeuwner, who collectively shared insights on leadership, career development, and the evolving demands of the media ecosystem.
Attendees also participated in two highly relevant sessions presented by industry thought leaders; “The Rise of Retail Media” presented by Jason Gird, and “AI in Media Strategy” presented by Graham Deneys. These sessions unpacked major shifts shaping media strategy, offering future-focused perspectives on innovation, technology, and consumer behaviour.
The event closed with an inspiring keynote by endurance adventurer Ryan Stramrood, whose story of perseverance and mental resilience left the audience motivated to challenge personal limits and pursue new levels of professional excellence.
As the representative body for media agencies in South Africa, the AMF plays an instrumental role in guiding and supporting the industry. Through initiatives like Project Mentor, rigorous industry committees, and thought-leadership platforms, the AMF continues to champion collaboration, transparency, talent development, and transformation.
