Reserved for the most senior marketing leaders in the country, the Grand Jury will determine the recipients of three of the programme's most coveted honours: Brand of the Year, Agency of the Year, and Best in Show, awarded to the most impactful campaign of the 2026 SMARTIES, says MMA. 

Bringing together a formidable cross-industry perspective, the jury reflects the scale, influence and commercial responsibility of modern marketing leadership in South Africa.

The 2026 MMA Grand Jury includes:

  • Bronwyn Pretorius, Chief Marketing Officer, Ackermans
  • Karla Levick, Chief Marketing Officer, Takealot
  • Beyers van der Merwe, Chief Marketing Officer, PEP
  • John Bradshaw, Chief Marketing Officer, SPAR
  • Vilosha Soni, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo
  • Dudu Mokholo, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard
  • Diana Springer, Head of Group Brand and Marketing, Standard Bank, and
  • Luisa Mazinter, Chief Growth Officer, Mesh Trade.

This CMO-led jury underscores the SMARTIES' commitment to recognising marketing that drives measurable business impact, with decisions grounded in real-world accountability for growth, brand equity and transformation.

"This year's hand-picked Grand Jury brings invaluable global perspectives and local expertise to the judging of this year's most coveted SMARTIES Awards categories. By placing final judgement in the hands of those who operate at the intersection of strategy, creativity and commercial performance, MMA reinforces the SMARTIES as the benchmark for marketing effectiveness in our region," says Sarah Utermark, MMA Regional Director, SSA & South Africa, adds MMA.

The 2026 SMARTIES Awards will spotlight the work, brands and agencies redefining what it means to deliver business-driving marketing in South Africa.

MMA NEXT! Conference 2026 and CMO AI Transformation Summit SSA

The announcement comes ahead of two key MMA South Africa gatherings in May 2026, says MMA. 

On Wednesday, 20 May, MMA South Africa will host the invitation-only CMO AI Transformation Summit SSA at Inanda Polo Club, Sandton, in partnership with Artefact, Google and Welcome Tomorrow, bringing together CMOs and senior marketing leaders to explore The Future of Marketing in the Agentic Era.

On Thursday, 21 May, MMA South Africa opens the MMA NEXT! Conference 2026 with NEXT! in Brand as Performance: The Power of Brand in Driving Growth at The Polo Room, Inanda, Sandton, featuring keynote speaker Heidi Brauer, Brand Mama at Heidibeeee & Co. Special thanks to partners AppsFlyer, Rainmaker Media and TikTok, concludes MMA.

For more information, visit www.mmaglobal.com.

*Image courtesy of contributor