She comes with a seriously impressive resume and a reputation for getting results.
Just some of the reasons why The Hardy Boys were delighted when Taweni Gondwe Xaba accepted their offer to join the team as Chief Growth Officer in May 2022.
Taweni is an accomplished leader and executive with extensive experience driving business strategy and a list of awards and credentials spanning marketing, communications, and strategic partnerships.
She shared why she was drawn to the role: “This was an opportunity to plug into a legendary local agency that is part of a respected global industry giant (Wunderman Thompson). My challenge was to help grow revenue in a rapidly evolving environment in which clients are more ROI focused and more insistent that creativity supports all elements of their business objectives. That’s quite an ask in an economically constrained landscape – which guaranteed that my days would stay interesting!”
A proven track record of results
Taweni has a track record of generating performance growth and leading high performing teams with great impact and THB has already been benefiting from her skills – honed across multiple industries and media from print to radio, television and digital.
Her career has seen her dazzling in the spotlight while allowing her to create space for women’s voices as the award-winning Launch Editor of Design Indaba Magazine and O, The Oprah Magazine, the TV host of women’s magazine program The Power Within and Estee Lauder’s reality show Looks to Live By.
“We feel privileged to have someone of Taweni’s calibre and character as part of the team and representing the business in the industry. She is a powerhouse of knowledge, expertise and passion and never fails to inspire those around her,” said THB Managing Partner Adam McKeon.
Growth is not just Rands and Cents
When it comes to her growth objectives, Taweni says it’s key to understand that growth is not limited to a Rands and Cents end-game point of view.
“Product, profit, people and processes are inextricably connected – each one grows when the other three grow. All the trustworthy literature suggests that revenue grows in environments that champion ongoing learning and innovation and place a sharp focus on high quality relationships both internally and externally, along with genuine people empowerment. I’m enjoying being part of The Hardy Boys drive to grow further and excel in these areas,” she said.
Awards offer professional growth
Taweni was honoured to be invited to judge the Global Women in Marketing Awards in 2022 and said she believes there is tremendous value in entering awards for agencies.
“For the ambitious, it is an opportunity to be brave and benchmark one’s efforts against a global standard and get feedback on areas for improvement. Secondly, looking at the areas of focus of awards provides critical insights into areas of focus for technical development and professional growth. And finally, attainment of the award adds heft to the resume – one more weapon in the arsenal to help secure new opportunities.”
