Meet the IIG Marketing Team, more popularly referred to as the “Dream Team” who are responsible for providing and executing creative marketing solutions that drive engagement and opportunities for the institution to attract the right talent and engagements within the insurance industry.
The IIG’s immediate past president Darryl Grater coordinates the marketing outcomes this year (see link here for his profile) and below we give you a snapshot of all the marketing portfolio council members for 2021.
Antonia Oakes joined the IIG as a Council Member at the beginning of this year. Antonia was voted, 2020’s 1of 6 best Global Customer Experience Leaders across 24 countries. Making SA proud. She is the Executive Head of Customer Experience and Responsible Business at Old Mutual Insure, with over 18 years of implementing customer experience strategies, specifically within the financial services industry. Operationalizing & mobilizing CX strategies within corporates to add business value is her thing! She has worked in various corporates including organizations such as ABSA Home Loans & Standard Insurance Limited. Born from her passion for connecting with people, creating loyal customers and business value, by embedding customer-centricity in the DNA of companies is a natural. Antonia is a well-known thought leader in her field who forms part of the CXSA (Customer Experience for SA) Leadership Council and also performs the role of Deputy Chair for the Old Mutual Insure Woman’s Network. Antonia has been recently elected as the 2021 Chair of the SAIA ombudsman for short term insurance committee. Antonia is a highly driven leader, also involved in coordinating & facilitating global sustainable development goals, through her new role as Head of Responsible Business & Transformation for Old Mutual Insure. She is also a trustee in the Wild Hearts foundation which creates female entrepreneurs through making re-usable sanitary pads to keep a girl child in school. Her passion for women Leadership & Transformation is evident in her activism in ensuring that women stand up against Gender-Based violence/ discrimination & any form of femicide abuse. Antonia will also be serving as a trustee in the Old Mutual insure Community Trust Board, ensuring that the right protocols are followed in the financial support of communities in need and the drive in social upliftment. She holds various qualifications including a Master’s in Business Leadership (MBL) through ABSA leadership program with UCT boasts several accolades & leadership awards, received in her corporate tenure at different employers. Apart from this, she is a mother of 3 children, 2 adult daughters and a 6-year-old son; she is a key figure in her community, church and family. Never give up on Love, Love with all your heart, be comfortable in your own skin, as you are the only version of you!”
Charlene Houston joined the IIG in 2019 and also formed part of the Class of 2019 group. Currently serving as the co-opt council member, Charlene focuses on social media to ensure the brand is represented across all platforms. Charlene has 16 years of experience in the Insurance industry specialising in Operations management and is currently the Claims Manager at Nedbank Insurance. Charlene completed her Higher Certificate in Short term insurance and a BCOM management in Hospitality.
Charlene hobbies include watching Formula one and paint by numbers; she loves spending time with family and friends.
Yolandi Rex is serving her 2nd year on the IIG Council and joined Discovery Insure in March this year as one of their Key Account Managers in the Insure Distribution team. She has a very strong motor industry background and has specialized in the finance and insurance industry for the last 14 years. In 2009 Yolandi was part of an international project team to establish a Finance & Insurance distribution outlet for Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services LLC) in the UAE. After the completion of the product, Yolandi decided to move into an Insure Specialist role and graduated top of her class at the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences when participating in the Insurance Institute of Gauteng’s flagship programmes – Insurance Leadership Development Programme-. She is passionate about helping fellow industry players around her and finds great joy in uplifting others and seeing individuals succeed within the insurance industry. “One the greatest highlights in the last couple of years in the insurance industry was to be part of the IIG International trip where we got to visit both San Francisco and Washington DC. Once we can travel abroad again, this is definitely something that I would strongly recommend”
Nolwazi Dladla joined the IIG council in 2019 and currently focuses on the IIG Informer and website. She has 10 years of experience in branding, marketing and communications within the re/insurance space and is currently an Internal Communications Consultant at Munich Re of Africa. Nolwazi is passionate about people and assists in creating a work culture that is purposeful and meaningful for colleagues and the dynamic industry by finding strategic and creative solutions in her consultation role. She holds various qualifications including a BA Honours in Strategic Communications and Branding from Vega. As an ambassador for the IIG Council, Nolwazi is extremely pleased to extend her expertise for the betterment of Insurance and hopes to make a difference in the youth to not only see insurance as an industry for actuaries, brokers, claims specialists and underwriters but as an exciting industry that continuously reinvents itself and has space for creatives who think out the box and solve solutions in unique ways. Whilst navigating the complexity of this pandemic, Nolwazi enjoys travelling, exploring coffee shops, decorating her home and creating digital art. She loves spending time with her family especially her beloved mother who means the world to her. “Your life is your canvas, and you are the masterpiece. There are a million ways to be kind, amazing, fabulous, creative, bold, and interesting.” Kerli
