THEBE IKALAFENG

Thebe Ikalafeng is a Hall of Fame global African branding authority, strategist, and pan-African advocate for a brand-led African renaissance. Over the past three decades, he has transformed how African brands are perceived globally and continues to drive conversations around African identity and economic empowerment through branding.

He is the founder of The Brand Leadership Group, a multidisciplinary consultancy operating at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and intellectual property law. He also established the Brand Africa initiative, responsible for the influential “Brand Africa 100” ranking — the continent’s leading benchmark for brand performance.

Recognized globally, Thebe has been named among the 100 Most Influential Africans and received lifetime achievement honors for his work in communications and brand development. His global footprint includes serving on several major boards such as Mercantile Bank, South African Tourism, and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

He is the author of The Traveller: Crossing Borders and Connecting Africa, a bestselling memoir chronicling his travels to every African country and nearly every continent, offering insights on brand building and identity formation. Educated in the USA, Italy, and South Africa, Thebe holds degrees in Business Administration, MBA, and Intellectual Property Law. His recent honorary doctorates from the University of Johannesburg and UNISA honor his lifelong impact on branding across Africa.