VML South Africa bolsters creative leadership team with two internal promotions

Fumani Khumalo (left) and Zinhle Mbatha (righht) are stepping into creative leadership roles at VML South Africa after being promoted to creative director positions.

Commenting on the internal promotions, Nhlanhla Ngcobo, executive creative director at VML South Africa, says this has been a long time coming.

“Zinhle and Fumani’s work has consistently demonstrated not only craft, but clarity of thought, leadership instinct, and the unusual ability to turn ambiguity into something sharp, memorable, and effective."

Ngcobo adds that he is personally looking forward to how they will inspire the teams they’ll lead to wave multi-coloured middle fingers to the conventional and pedestrian way of doing things.

“And how they’ll get them to colour outside the lines as they, themselves, have for the longest time on our most prolific and well-awarded clients.
“Teams rally around their thinking because it’s both grounded and ambitious in all the right ways.

He says that today, creative leadership requires emotional intelligence, relationships, decisiveness, and the acumen to creatively solve business problems.

“Those qualities show up consistently with this dynamic duo. This is earned, overdue, and exactly the kind of leadership we should be investing in. I’m so proud.”

#BizTrends2026 | VML’s Tomorrow’s Commerce: Technology isn’t slowing down but the humans are rebelling

VML  28 Jan 2026

Rising to the challenge

Khumalo and Mbatha take up their new roles at a time when the creative industry is in need of leadership that’s both level-headed and forward-thinking.

Reflecting on his career and the respected creative leaders he’s learnt from along the way, Khumalo says, “Stepping into this new role is both rewarding and humbling.

“I am reminded of the standard that was set for me. In this new role, I am excited by the opportunity to pay it forward – to mentor, guide and grow talent in the same way I was supported.”

Mbatha describes the experience of following in his mentors’ footsteps as “surreal”, adding that, “so much of what we know and what still echoes in our heads is from them. I hope to leave the same impact and love for creativity in those I get the chance to work with".

VML acquires digital innovation agency

8 Dec 2025

Unique challenges

Looking at the unique challenges creative directors face, Khumalo says that with every new wave of technological advancement comes the risk of losing the fundamentals of what truly shapes great work.

The basics that are honed through repetition, craft and doing the work – not just generating an outcome.

“To someone who's had the opportunity to do those basics and equally embraces technological advancements, my challenge is to ensure that, even in this new fast-paced, output-driven world we live in, I still create a space for the fundamentals so that work isn’t just efficient but also has depth, meaning, and is well-crafted.”

For Mbatha, there is a real balancing act between embracing what’s new and still honouring the tried-and-tested creative process.

“The runway is much shorter now for young creatives; tight deadlines and automation mean there’s less work to get your reps in. The challenge is helping them hone their taste. It’s the only thing that will set them and the work apart.”

VML's new-look exco, with 2 significant appointments

21 Oct 2025

Biggest creative opportunities

The biggest creative opportunities in South Africa lie in turning our constraints into creative opportunities, believes Khumalo.

“We’re a mobile-first market with diverse, highly engaged audiences, which creates the perfect conditions for ideas that are born in culture, not just broadcast into it.

“What excites Khumalo here is the ability to approach ideas as platforms rather than traditional campaign thinking.

“Platforms that live natively in social, in creator ecosystems, in real-world spaces and move fluidly between them.”

While Mbatha says we're still figuring out who we are as a nation and that tension is actually a creative goldmine, especially for storytelling.

“On top of that, we have problems that genuinely don't exist anywhere else in the world.”

What keeps Mbatha obsessed is this space where you can blend technology, existing solutions, and who South Africans actually are.

“What comes out the other side is something entirely new that’s ours to own.”

#Cannes2026 | Cannes Young Lions South Africa 2026 winners

1 Apr 2026

Exciting new role

Khumalo is most excited about the shift from focusing on my own output to shaping the creative direction of a team.

“As an art director, I loved being hands-on and crafting the work, but this role allows me to have a wider impact, guiding ideas from a higher level, mentoring talent and helping elevate the overall standard of the work.”

Mbatha says that what is exciting is the shift to owning the full vision, not just a great execution, but what a brand stands for creatively and how every piece of work ladders up to that.

“Bringing different minds and strengths together to bring that vision to life excites me more than I ever thought it would.”