Entrepreneur Profile - THEBE IKALAFENG

I believe that we, as people, are inspired by those people that we admire. It should then be fitting to identify these people, the one`s that we want to be "like", and try to emulate them as closely as we possibly can.  This section of the blog is dedicated to profiling the Entrepreneurs, "the crazy one`s", the one`s that are constantly looking to change the game. THE MAVERICKS!!

It is my honour and pleasure to profile Mr Thebe Ikalafeng, as the first our maverick Entrepreneurs. I hope that you become as inspired by Mr Ikalafeng as i have.

Branding thought leader, author and businessman.
Dubbed "Mr Brand" by the Mail & Guardian, Thebe Ikalafeng has been recognised as one of South Africa's top 10 thinkers in marketing along with former South African State President Nelson Mandela in a survey by Ipsos Markinor. An award winning marketer and advisor, he is the founder of the 2008 Fin Week "Marketing Services Company of the Year," The Brand Leadership Group and a non-executive director of Mercantile Bank Holdings and Foodcorp Holdings, and a member of Durban University of Technology council, Vega School of Brand Communications advisory committee, and the Sunday Times Marketing Excellence council.

A chartered marketer, Ikalafeng graduated cum laude with degrees in BSc. and MBA. from Marquette University in the USA. He has been recognised by the American Marketing Association/Marquette University with an Award for Marketing Excellence and by the Asia Brand Congress with an award for Global Brand Leadership. Passionate about brands and their relationships with people and nations, Thebe is a sought after speaker, prolific writer and consults globally on personal, political, commercial and nation branding and related matters and has addressed thousands of delegates across the world, including, Cambridge University (Uk), Barcelona (Spain), and Mumbai (India) as well as several leading African Nations.

Described as terminally stylish by the Sunday Times, he's been named the best dressed man in South Africa by Fairlady, one of the top 5 best dressed men by GQ Magazine and one of the 40 Most Stylish South Africans by Style Magazine.

"Thebe is inspirational", Chris Donegan - DTC, UK (De Beers Group)

"One of South Africa's most reputable marketers", Top Billing

"Mr Brand", Mail & Guardian