Telkom's Gugu Mthembu takes African perspective to #Cannes2025 jury

Gugu Mthembu is the CMO at Telkom. Source: Supplied.

Congratulations on your appointment to the Cannes Lions jury! What does this recognition mean to you personally and professionally?

It’s a tremendous honour, both personally and professionally. On a personal level, it’s a proud moment that reflects years of dedication to the craft of marketing and storytelling. Professionally, it represents a global acknowledgment of the incredible work being done by teams here in South Africa and at Telkom. It’s also an opportunity to engage with world-class creativity, learn from global peers, and bring those insights back to continue driving impact and innovation within our brand and the broader industry.

I'm truly excited to contribute to the process and to represent South African creativity on such a prestigious platform.

What are you most excited to see and advocate for when reviewing global campaigns in the Creative Business Transformation category?

I'm most excited to see how brands are truly reimagining business models to be more customer-centric and socially responsible. Innovation in how brands are leveraging technology to transform experiences, connect with diverse audiences, and drive positive change is something I’m deeply passionate about.

What excites me most is the intersection of data capabilities, creative innovation, and consumer behavioural insights, where deep intelligence meets bold storytelling to shape meaningful, measurable outcomes.

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At Telkom, this intersection is the foundation of our transformation. We've seen how combining advanced segmentation, predictive analytics, and digital intelligence with compelling creative can radically shift customer perceptions, unlock value, and drive sustained growth.

I’ll be advocating for work that doesn’t focus on creativity for creativity’s sake, but that delivers tangible, lasting impact whether through sustainability, inclusivity, or digital transformation.

Ultimately, I’ll be championing bold, insight-led, and culturally relevant campaigns that show how creativity, grounded in intelligence and purpose, can drive real change for business, communities, and society at large.

Representation matters. As one of the few African women to serve on a Cannes jury, how do you see your role shaping global perceptions of African creativity and leadership?

Representation truly does matter, and I’m incredibly honoured to serve on the Cannes Lions jury as one of the few African women in this space. This moment is bigger than me, it’s about shifting narratives and ensuring that African creativity, perspective, and leadership are seen, heard, and valued on global platforms.

Africa is bursting with untapped creative potential, rooted in rich storytelling, innovation, and resilience. My role is to advocate for that uniqueness, challenge any lingering biases, and help open doors for more diverse voices to be included in shaping the future of our industry. I hope this encourages other African women to take up space unapologetically and redefine what global excellence looks like.

The Creative Business Transformation category speaks to reimagining business models and customer experiences, how have you brought this to life at Telkom?

At Telkom, Creative Business Transformation has been central to how we evolve and stay relevant in an increasingly digital and customer-centric world. We've reimagined our approach by placing the customer at the heart of everything, shifting from a traditional telco to a more agile, digital-first business.

This includes simplifying our product offerings, introducing self-service platforms, and leveraging data to deliver more personalised experiences. We've also focused on humanising our brand through storytelling that resonates with real South African experiences, making our innovation feel both accessible and meaningful.

You’re known for your people-first leadership style. How has that influenced the way you build teams and deliver impactful marketing?

That’s something I hold close to my heart.

A people-first leadership style means recognising that behind every strategy, campaign, or KPI is a team of passionate individuals. At Telkom, I focus on building diverse, empowered teams where people feel seen, heard, and inspired to bring their best selves to the table. When people feel connected to a purpose and valued for their contributions, the work becomes more authentic and that’s where real impact happens.

Is there anything exciting happening at Telkom that you can tell us about?

Absolutely, there’s a lot happening at Telkom that we’re excited about. Our transformation is powered by a deep maturity in data science and market intelligence, which forms the bedrock of how we make decisions, optimise customer experiences, and drive measurable business growth. Through this, we’ve grown our mobile base to over 24 million subscribers and significantly increased data traffic proof that our marketing, product, and CX efforts are working in lockstep.

We’re also pushing the boundaries of innovation. One standout initiative is the Smart Agritech project, in partnership with Stellenbosch University and Aizatron. It uses Telkom’s 5G, AI, and IoT to modernise the wine industry through data-driven viticulture and smart farming. Internally, we’ve launched The Lions’ Den, a platform that allows employees to pitch operational improvement ideas, fuelling a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

We’ve also partnered with Huawei to expand broadband infrastructure, data centres, and power technology to support South Africa’s digital transformation.