Open Chair is a community for the women of advertising and marketing in South Africa. One of the challenges we face as an industry, is empty chairs. There are far too few women occupying those chairs, especially at the head of the table, and far too many leaving them. This organisation was formed for the purpose of creating access to industry leaders. This will be about creating a safe space for women to meet face-to-face, to gather guidance, to navigate the tough parts of our industry, to share experiences and knowledge, and ultimately to learn from, and be inspired by each other. We want to focus on the future of young women, to encourage each other to fill those chairs, and to be visible, present and unashamedly extraordinary.
We have two simple objectives:
There are many ways to get involved – sponsorship, mentorship, allyship and thought leadership. Now, meet the women behind Open Chair – Suhana Gordhan, Nkgabiseng Motau, Roanna Williams, Fran Luckin, Melina McDonald and Lorraine Smit.