PIVOT POINT: Monalisa Zwambila, the owner of Riverbed

Loading player...
Monalisa Zwambila owns and manages what is probably South Africa’s largest independent, black-woman-owned advertising agency. Over the last decade, R\VERBED (Riverbed) has emerged as a medium-sized agency with revenue well above R50m and 40 employees, placing the agency in league with similar-sized agencies, such as Grey Africa, Saatchi & Saatchi and Net#work BBDO. Year-on-year revenue growth in 2015 stood at 26%, 13% in 2016 and is projected to hit 35% in 2017, pushing it into to the R70m–R100m revenue tier. Zwambila studied accounting but her passion had always been music. She was a member of jazz band Basadi and music allowed her to access her creative side. Her first business was a recording and production studio, where she was fortunate enough to record the late, great Nana Coyote and, in doing so, was exposed to the marketing side of the business. At this point, she moved into P
3 Nov 2022 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Paymenow data shows SA workers lose 40% of purchasing power.

A new Paymenow analysis shows South African workers have lost more than 40% of their purchasing power over the past decade—even as headline inflation stayed within target. Rene Richter, Reward & Benefits Lead Advisor at Paymenow, joins Kaya Biz to unpack why wages aren’t keeping up, how transport and utilities…
21 May 2PM 10 min

Oceana H1 Results: Lucky Star Shines as Fishmeal Stumbles

Oceana Group has delivered a resilient set of interim results despite a 6% drop in revenue. Lucky Star and Wild Caught Seafood carried the half‑year, while Fishmeal & Fish Oil struggled under weak catch volumes and global pricing pressure. CFO Zaf Mahomed joins Kaya Biz to break down margins, cash…
21 May 2PM 18 min

Inside Investec’s Strong 2026 SA Performance

Investec SA has delivered a robust full‑year performance in a tough macro environment. CEO Cumesh Moodliar joins Kaya Biz to unpack the 5.2% rise in SA operating profit, strong momentum in specialist banking, wealth inflows, digital transformation, and what the bank expects from the South African economy heading into 2027.
21 May 2PM 13 min

Stats SA Explains April’s Sharp Inflation Rise to 4%

South Africa’s inflation rate surged to 4.0% in April, driven by fuel, transport, and housing pressures. Stats SA’s Patrick Kelly unpacks the numbers, the 1.1% month‑on‑month spike, and what’s behind the dramatic swing in transport inflation. We explore regional differences, goods vs. services inflation, and what this means for households…
20 May 4PM 11 min

4% Inflation and the SARB’s Next Move

With inflation back at 4% and oil‑driven risks rising, the SARB faces a critical decision next week. Economist Sifiso Skenjana unpacks the April CPI print, the credibility of the new 3% target, and whether a rate hike is now on the table. We discuss real interest rates, global financial conditions,…
20 May 4PM 15 min