The Loeries Board has appointed Preetesh Sewraj as its new CEO from 1 April, after Andrew Human, who served as CEO for 15 years, stepped down in 2019.
Sewraj is an experienced business leader and innovator and has worked with major brands including Unilever, Samsung, Nedbank and Vodacom. He successfully launched Product of the Year in South Africa, the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Since its launch in 2008, it has helped millions of consumers identify great innovation that adds value to their lives.
Sewraj has featured regularly on CNN, SABC News, The Sunday Times, Destiny Man, SAFM, Channel Africa and other media platforms. He is the co-host of Power Edge on Power 98.7’s Power Lunch and has spoken at several conferences including TEDx Soweto, TEDx Johannesburg, the GIBS Innovation Conference, the PIA Idea Design Conference, Seamless Retail and the Wired Women Conference.
Sewraj said, ‘I look forward to leading the Loeries in its mission to unearth and share great examples of creativity and innovation, as well as ensure deeper engagement with organisations across the region that are aligned to supporting this goal.’ Creativity is the cornerstone of great innovation and the Loeries is uniquely positioned to help stimulate greater innovative thinking and execution across the Middle East and Africa. The changing communication needs of consumers means that the Loeries truly is the strongest source of insight into how consumer thinking is evolving across the region and what both brands and agencies need to do to ensure that they develop a deep understanding of these ever-changing needs.’
‘I want to ensure that we break down barriers between the countries in our region to facilitate collaboration that creates opportunities for new thinking, greater conversation and respect for the human experience, regardless of where it is experienced,’ Sewraj said.
Loeries chairperson and Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Cape Town, Tseliso Rangaka said, ‘We are really excited by the appointment of Sewraj as our new CEO. He brings deep experience in the awards and events space, coupled with a fresh perspective on our industry. This, combined with a passion for creativity and boundless energy, are exactly the qualities we need at the head of the Loeries table.’
During his tenure, Andrew Human grew the Loeries into the largest celebration of creativity across Africa and the Middle East. He led the launch of multiple new initiatives, including the Creative Future Scholarship, whereby learners from disadvantaged backgrounds are successfully integrated into the industry.
Human is confident in handing over to Sewraj and believes he has ‘exactly the right combination of skills, motivation and energy to take the Loeries forward’. Entries for Loeries 2020 open on 3 February.
Read the top 5 stories weekly on WhatsApp or sign up to our newsletter.
To enter the Loeries or for more information, visit loeries.com.
