Brave Group has announced the successful exit of its founding shareholders – Andrew Shuttleworth, Vanessa Pearson and Rob van Rooyen. Their shares have been acquired by existing shareholders Musa Kalenga, Group CEO, and Chairperson Andile Khumalo, marking the agency’s transition to a 100% Black-owned business. This transaction was made possible through capital raised from Sanlam Alternative Investments, alongside ongoing strategic support from Midas Ventures.
The move represents a breakthrough moment in an industry that has long been criticised for its slow pace of transformation and positions Brave Group as one of the few large-scale black-owned, tech-forward agencies in the country.
‘This moment is deeply personal and profoundly symbolic,’ said Musa Kalenga, CEO of Brave Group. ‘We are reshaping the future of this industry. We’ve always believed in building an agency that mirrors the diversity, ambition and potential of South Africa. Becoming 100% Black-owned is a critical milestone, but it’s also just the beginning. We are building a business that’s driven by creativity, powered by technology and rooted in a vision of inclusive excellence.’
Kalenga adds that the backing from Sanlam Alternative Investments speaks volumes: ‘Being able to raise capital for this transaction sends a strong message that Black-led businesses can be investment-ready, high-performing and innovation-driven. It’s not simply good for Brave Group it’s good for the industry and for clients who want to align their procurement with both performance and purpose.’
Andile Khumalo, Chairperson of Brave Group, emphasised the wider significance of the transaction: ‘This is a shift in what power and progress look like in advertising. For too long, ownership in this sector has remained concentrated and unrepresentative of our broader society. Today, we change that, and we hope it signals to others that transformation is not just necessary, but possible, sustainable, and good for business.’
Khumalo added: ‘Our clients benefit from stronger BEE alignment, our people benefit from a more empowered leadership structure, and the industry gets to see a black-owned agency competing and winning at the highest levels, not because of compliance, but because of capability.’
Phuti Senyatsi, Portfolio Manager at Sanlam Alternative Investments, welcomed the transaction: ‘We are proud to support this pivotal ownership shift at Brave Group. Our investment reflects our confidence in the team’s vision and capability. What Kalenga and Khumalo are building is not only commercially sound but culturally and strategically vital for the evolution of the sector.’
Brave Group’s structure now includes integrated specialist agencies, House of Brave, Bold, Bravado and Forge By Brave, unified under one strategic vision to offer comprehensive solutions that address modern marketing and business challenges.
BRAVE GROUP
https://bravegroup.co.za
