natalie du toit
Olympian and Paralympian Natalie du Toit has moved on from her inspiring and memorable sporting career to apply her skills and determination to the business world.
Born in Cape Town South Africa in 1984, Natalie was swimming and winning from an early age. She competed in the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games in 1998 as an able bodied athlete, then at 17 she lost a leg in a motorcycle accident. But she rose above that disaster and competed in the Manchester Commonwealth Games in both disabled and able-bodied races to prove it could be done. She achieved her goal, placing eighth in the able-bodied 800m Freestyle and winning gold in the 50m and 100m multi-disability swimming events.
Natalie went on to become an inspiration to many, and was the first person in the world to carry a national flag in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Modest and approachable, Natalie is a Young Leader in the World Economic Forum, has spoken at the European Union Parliament in Brussels and won the Ethics in Leadership Award. In 2009 she was awarded The Order of Ikhamanga in Gold, a medal earned for her exceptional achievements and unparalleled merit in sports.
As an Ambassador for South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) she has helped to educate voters about the democratic process.
When she retired from swimming in 2012 she was South Africa’s most decorated SA Paralympic swimmer, holding thirteen Gold and two Silver Medals. Sport is still dear to her heart and in 2015 she became an in-field presenter on the SuperSport TV show Women.Sports.Talk.
Natalie has partnered with Innocom SA in the field of reputation management, focusing on social media, strategic facilitation and reputation management and brand building training. As an expert social media strategist she aims to turn her clients into influencers themselves and to generate a return on investment while helping clients to build trust in their brands.
She is currently studying for a B. Com in Business Management on a scholarship through the Da Vinci Institute, and her goal is to inspire all South Africans to believe that anything is achievable, even against all odds.
JACQUELINE BOULOS MAYER
Staying ahead of rapidly changing trends in communication to deliver successful campaigns is a key skill of Jacqueline Boulos, the owner of Innocomm SA.
Jacqueline has more than 17 years of experience in communication and strategy and has honed her attention to East Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa. She is passionate about developing this market and encouraging clients to tackle the landscape in fresh news ways, rather than viewing it as a mere extension of their South African territory.
She believes communication must cut through the clutter by speaking to the right audience, at the right time, with the right message. In Africa, where low literacy levels are a reality and mobile device penetration is among the highest in the world, the strategy cannot be cut-and-paste from overseas.
Jacqueline is strongly business-oriented and highly strategic both in communication output and in the way she approaches each project. In East Africa and Mauritius, she has worked as a consultant for clients such as Vodacom Tanzania, Stanbic Bank Tanzania, Coca Cola Tanzania, Vodafone Uganda and political candidates in Kenya.
Prior to establishing Innocomm SA she spent seven years at Idea Engineers (a Pan African full services agency), focusing on telecommunications and technology clients such as BlackBerry, CellC, SEACOM, Plascon, and Sage South Africa to name a few.
Jacqueline has also spent time in the corporate environment, running the public relations for a premier Tsogosun Casino. She started her career as a writer for an investor relations company, working on Avis, The Tourvest Group and Randgold Resources.
Jacqueline is focused on strategic brand development, communication policies and flawless tactical implementation.
.
VICTORIA KNIBBS
Victoria Knibbs is our latest addition to the Innocomm team, and she is passionate about all things communications!
Born in the small town of Port Shepstone in KwaZulu Natal, Victoria went on to study a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science through the University of South Africa.
Her work experience in smaller and larger companies includes; training, the luxury sales industry and public relations.
She is fanatical about aligning brand messaging through all channels of business and aspires to give companies a solid identity in the market through an integrated organisational communications approach.
Victoria believes that every interaction with an organisation is an extension of that organisation’s messaging and that internal organisational culture is where brands are either made or fragmented.
Excited about the possibilities that social media and digital platforms present, Victoria is staying ahead of these developments through continuous personal development.
With a fire in her belly for South African youth, she is driven by the opportunities and possibilities for young people to succeed.
TALITHA UTTON
Talitha joins the Innocomm team, bringing with her an array of skills in new business development and communications. She completed a Public Relations Diploma from UNISA after working in a media monitoring environment. It was here where the industry piqued her interest – the critical function of PR’s play in crafting brand messaging and ultimately, the impact of media perceptions of these brands.
Of course, her mother had told her long ago, before this discovery, to pursue a career of this nature as she saw from a young age, the natural inclination Talitha has towards communicating. As the saying goes – ‘moms always know best’.
Talitha’s strong sales and training focus have led her to develop new business in both the beauty and communications industry. She has a client-centric focus and combines business, professionalism and PR insights to achieve the best results.
When she’s not writing social media posts, or planning and executing events (her strong suits), she’s with her family and her busy son loving and nurturing a new generation.
She is passionate about empowering and motivating the youth and is part of a team that organises an annual Golf Day to raise funds for The Association for the Physically Disabled.
Talitha’s words to live by are – ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life’.
GUGU MTHIMKHULU
Gugu joined the Innocomm team as a PR intern in 2019 and hailed from Nhlangano, Swaziland but raised in Johannesburg. She has completed a Public Relations Management Diploma which she obtained through Nelson Mandela University in the same year.
With most things shifting towards a more digital nature, she believes that communication made by humans for humans can never, and will never be phased out, and that is what is most fascinating about the world of communication. Her work experience includes; the exciting and fast-paced sales industry and media monitoring in a smaller agency.
Gugu is passionate about all things communication, and she has a special interest in creating brand identities and influencing people’s perceptions and opinions. She sees the African continent as a gold mine that has so much to offer; not just to its people but to the entire world and is therefore interested in exploring the various countries of Africa and learning about the various forms and techniques of communication used in each country.
Saskia steyn
Languages is a fundamental part of who Saskia is. She loves learning new languages and has a goal of knowing at least 10 by the time that she is 50 years old. With her love for languages comes her love for learning about cultures and what makes people tick. That is why she obtained a Bachelor of Art in Languages from the University of Pretoria.
She found her love for writing when she was about 10 years old, when her mother had told her it was then time that she starts writing her own prepared speaking pieces. Saskia was not happy with this idea, but without the guidance of her mother she would never have found her love for writing.
Today, Saskia uses this love for languages and writing in the communication sector where she is able to create content for the Innocomm team. Her experience enables her to be flexible with her writing and create content for multiple platforms.
Saskia revels in learning new things and plans on taking this enthusiasm and willingness to all new levels with her addition to the Innocomm team, where she will be writing up a storm.
LUTHO DOLOSI
Lutho Dolosi was born and bred in the small village, King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape. She obtained her Public Relations Management qualification at the Nelson Mandela University in 2021.
This very career driven young lady is dedicated to her work, always prioritising and going the extra mile to achieve outstanding work and reach her goals. Lutho is flexible, able to easily adapt to new environments and always willing to learn from others. She believes that she is a ‘jack of all trades’, building, maintaining relationships and engaging with people are some of her strongest skills – an important repertoire for succeeding in the public relations industry.
An energetic person, she is willing and open to new things. This vibrant and self-motivated young girl from rural Eastern Cape believes that anything is possible when you work hard for it. Through Communications and Public Relations, she strives to be a courageous industry leader who will help shift brands for a successful future.
