& REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AGENCY
"..It takes time to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.
If you think about that you will do things differently.."
MAKING BRANDS BETTER
A respected reputation, media and stakeholder relations strategist, Deidre has extensive experience in these fields, 17 years of which were in the aviation and tourism industry where she served Airports Company South Africa as the head of Corporate Affairs of Cape Town International Airport until recently. A qualified communications practitioner, Deidre adopts a structured methodology, responding to business challenges with an integrated stakeholder and strategic communication approach.
She recently completed her master’s degree, cum laude, in Corporate Communication. Her thesis focused on understanding the role of the communication strategist in environmental scanning – how social intelligence is key to planning for the future sustainability of the organisation. She has a range of other academic credentials which includes the completion of the Executive Development Programme with the International Henley Business School, the Gordon’s Institute for Business Science (GIBBS) Management Development Programme and the IATA (International Air Transport Association) Strategic Airport Management programme, to name a few. Deidre is recognised for being results driven and a quick learner, competently navigating the reputation of brands through complexity and working to position them positively, in order to grow their intangible assets.
She is adept at putting strategies in place to positively influence perceptions and to build sound stakeholder relationships which lead to mutually beneficial partnerships. Her experience spans the global landscape having been a part of a select group who spearheaded the start-up of the operational transition plan for ACSA’s concession with the largest airport in South America, Guarulhos International Airport. Other international assignments include representations in New Zealand, Dubai and Germany to name a few. During her tenure, Cape Town International Airport was awarded Best Airport Marketing by Routes-Africa two years running. In addition to managing airport perceptions, she led the social imperatives of Cape Town International Airport, most notably with three informal settlements due to be moved into formalised housing, securing the airport’s social license to operate.
She was a key member of the team leading the airport Environmental Impact Assessment for the planned realigned runway project and spearheaded the ambience committee for Cape Town International Airport, with the intent of creating a sense of place within the precinct. She led all marketing and communication elements during the large scale 2010 FIFA Soccer Extravaganza including all crisis communication, experiential marketing and media elements. Prior to joining the airport team Deidre’s public relations experience spanned across varying agencies where she had the opportunity to work on the publicity for brands such as Nola and the World’s largest timed cycling event, the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Seeing the decimation of the Tourism industry (and others) Deidre has resolved to make a meaningful contribution toward reviving tourism, a vital catalyst for socio-economic growth in South Africa. She sees her role on the Board of Cape Town Tourism as key.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the communication and brand management industry Deborah has worked with a variety of organisations, stakeholders and communities which has provided a challenging yet exciting canvas to grow and nurture her core skill of managing reputation. Her in-depth understanding of strategic communication allows her to quickly see the root cause of reputational challenges and build the best bespoke solutions. Deborah is a keen listener, understanding that you will never know what to communicate if you do not understand the context within which you operate. Her background is in the publishing industry where she was at the forefront of many trendy marketing and promotional projects for Associated Magazines’ Cosmopolitan where she created excellent value for various brands, through promotional and marketing efforts.
This has in turn provided her with an in-depth knowledge of how the media works. It also allowed her to hone her creative skills and develop her expert ability to multitask. After having a short working stint in London, she spent some time with the Environmental and Development Planning Department being part of a core team to develop its Communications Policy. She also has extensive experience in local government, having cut her teeth in arguably one of the most challenging environments, Provincial Housing. She understands the inner corridors of government and is expertly skilled at government relations. Deborah spent the last 13 years in the aviation industry.
During her tenure she set the ambience strategy bringing to life elements that would create a sense of place within the precinct – she used her creative abilities to develop concepts such as Africa’s first airport Flybary, a replica of Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island and a passage with the infamous Bo-Kaap houses. If you’re looking to tell a creative story, capture your audience and leave a brand footprint, Deborah has the know-how. As part of a communications and brand management team, Deborah led a variety of projects which exposed her to key areas in the aviation space. See played an integral and active part in securing many successful achievements for Cape Town International Airport. At the end of her tenure in the aviation industry, Deborah managed the Passenger Services Department.
She was instrumental in leading the process for the department to transition from customer facing to one of compliance during the initial levels of Covid-19. She has demonstrated her ability to be flexible and goal orientated in very difficult and trying situations and always has the best intentions for the brand that she represents. She has impressive credentials with a Post Graduate Degree in Public Relations. She received a top of her class award for a management national certificate. She also has a Management Development qualification from the University of Stellenbosch as well as many other certificates and achievements in her field of expertise.