by Herman Manson (@marklives) Jerry Mpufane is leaving his position as CEO of The Jupiter Drawing Room (Johannesburg) and joining M&C Saatchi Abel as group managing director, Gauteng.
Mpufane joins Gauteng CEO, Jacques Burger, in leading the fast-growing agency which, after three years in business, already employs 100 people on accounts including Edgars, EDCON and Nedbank.
Mpufane joined Jupiter (JHB) in 2012. Before that, he served as MD of Draftfcb South Africa.
“Looking for the perfect business partner”
“For the past while, I’ve been looking for the perfect business partner to work alongside myself and executive creative directors, Mick Shepard and Nick Liatos, in delivering a world-class offering to our clients and providing our people with an inspiring work environment,” says Burger.
“I have not met anyone more perfectly suited to this role than Jerry. He has inordinate smarts, a proven ability to lead at the highest level, and an irrepressible passion for partnering clients in helping grow their businesses.”
Mpufane says he enters the partnership as a significant shareholder — a core reason for his move. His mandate will be to help grow the ad agency and assist it in diversifying into other marketing disciplines.
“Pursue fresh challenges”
“Jerry has decided to pursue fresh challenges and we wish him well after his 22 months in charge of the agency,” comments Graham Warsop, who will be returning to Jupiter (JHB) as chairman in addition to his roles as chairman of the Jupiter Group and in experimental agency Utopia.
Following Mpufane’s departure, a number of changes are being made at a senior level of Jupiter (JHB) and the agency itself proposes undertaking a significant restructure.
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