EXCLUSIVE: Alex Goldberg joins Halo Cape Town as ECD

Alex Goldberg has been appointed as executive creative director in Cape Town by independent creative agency Halo (Image supplied)

Ranked the number one creative director in Africa and the Middle East at the 2024 One Show Awards, Goldberg joins the agency after a career that has taken him from London to Lagos and seen him work on brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Guinness, KFC, AB InBev and Disney.

While executive creative director Coenie Grebe continues to drive Johannesburg, Goldberg will take the lead in Cape Town, and both will work closely together to continue to build Halo’s creative culture across the agency.

A locally and internationally awarded creative with almost two decades of experience, Grebe currently works across brands including Pick n Pay, Pineapple, RMB, A&G, Capital Legacy, Exclusive Books and Yoco.

The appetite to do something special

Goldberg says the move was driven by the chance to join a business with clear ambition for the kind of work it wants to attract.

“Sometimes you hire people because of the work that’s coming in, and sometimes you hire people because of the work you want to come in.

For me, this was about joining a business with the appetite to do something special.”

Most recently, Goldberg served as Creative Partner at Ogilvy Cape Town, overseeing the creative output for Volkswagen, Audi and Coronation.

His work has been recognised locally and internationally, with accolades from the Cannes Lions, Loeries, D&AD, One Show, Effies, Bookmarks, Clios, AdFocus, LIA, TikTok Awards and Smarties.

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A much longer story

Dean Oelschig, founder and chief creative officer of Halo, sees the appointment as part of a much longer story.

“The industry possibly sees us as an overnight success, but that took 15 years to achieve,” he explains.

“We’ve built our shop window slowly. We’ve always tried to choose the right clients and bring the right people into the business.”

That approach has helped Halo establish itself as one of South Africa’s leading independent agencies while retaining the entrepreneurial energy that has made independents increasingly attractive to both brands and senior talent.

Great ideas to thrive

One of the things that appeals to Goldberg is the chance to join an agency that combines creative ambition with the kind of structure that allows great ideas to thrive.

“You have the clients, the backing and the credibility that come from a business that’s been put together carefully over time. Adding to that, you have the ambition and creative energy that make people excited to come to work.”

Goldberg believes the environment around talented people matters just as much as talent itself.

“There are a lot of talented people in this industry. What makes the difference is the environment around them.

When the structure and culture is right, everyone becomes the best version of themselves.”

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Creating culture

Creating that culture has always been important to Halo.

“We’re not just hiring more and more people,” adds Oelschig.

“We’re hiring the best people. Every single person we have in this business we believe, is the absolute best person in their position. People do their best work when they’re surrounded by great people, given every opportunity to succeed with permission and accountability.”

Goldberg is ready to get started. “The motivation for me was to be part of building something that can be really exceptional for brands and creatives. I truly believe in the power of creativity, the impact it can make and the lives it can change.

"Finding that sweet spot and creating work that clients can believe in is incredibly rewarding. At the end of the day, you want to do great work with great people, and that's what this is all about. I love the challenger mindset at Halo, and we’re entering this new chapter with wild ambition.”

Cape Town’s creative potential

The appointment reflects Halo’s long-held belief in the city’s potential.

“Cape Town is an incredible creative city with loads of great talent,” says Oelschig. “For us not to have a meaningful presence there would be a missed opportunity.”

While Halo already has an established team in Cape Town, Oelschig believes the city has an even bigger role to play in the agency’s future.

He elaborates further: “This isn’t just another hire, there is more strategic intent behind this as we look to double down in Cape Town.

"We’ve got clients in Cape Town, we’ve got opportunities in Cape Town, and we see the opportunity to create a bigger team and presence there.

"Alex is going to lead that creatively and build a team people want to be part of.”