APCO Expands Consumer Marketing Expertise with Addition to International Advisory Council
Washington, D.C. (February 6, 2012) – Wendy Luhabe, former chairman of Vendôme S.A. and the International Marketing Council (IMC), joins APCO Worldwide’s International Advisory Council (IAC), Founder and CEO Margery Kraus announced today.
“Wendy is an accomplished social entrepreneur and corporate marketing expert with 30 years of business experience in South Africa,” said Kraus. “Her first-hand knowledge and understanding of the region’s commercial landscape will significantly enhance APCO’s competitive advantage and client service in this growing marketplace. We’re delighted to have Wendy join us.”
Luhabe brings to APCO a strong background in consumer brand management, having chaired Vendôme S.A., a subsidiary of Richmond Group, which owns Cartier, Dunhill and Mont Blanc among other luxury brands, as well as the IMC, where she was responsible for developing Brand South Africa, a successful campaign dedicated to creating a positive and compelling brand image for the country. She also has expertise in the financial sector, having served as chairman of the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, a national development finance institution that promotes economic growth and industrial development, and as the director of JSE Limited, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
“APCO Worldwide has successfully provided many of the world’s leading consumer brands with top-quality counsel they need to navigate business challenges in an ever-changing global market, and their work in this area continues to grow,” said Luhabe. “I look forward to joining a company that understands the importance of creating shared value among stakeholders and partnering with social entrepreneurs to solve important societal needs. I’m eager to apply my industry knowledge and passion for socio-economic growth to help clients reach their business goals in South Africa and around the world.
Luhabe is actively involved with several social entrepreneurship organizations, having championed women’s economic empowerment in South Africa through the founding of a venture capital fund for women-owned enterprises. She is internationally recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Global Leader for Tomorrow, the Osaka Junior Chamber in Japan as an Outstanding Young Person, the Unisa Business School in South Africa for her Leadership in Practise, the Jewish Achievers Awards as a Woman of Worth in South Africa and the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) as a Woman of Substance. She was recently invited by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to join the International Council of Women Business Leaders, a new initiative by the U.S. State Department.
Luhabe joins other distinguished professionals with backgrounds in corporate responsibility and consumer marketing, including: Carlos Gutierrez, former CEO of the Kellogg Company; Kirk Stewart, former global vice president of corporate communications for Nike, Inc.; and Sandra E. Taylor, former senior vice president of corporate social responsibility for Starbucks.
###
About APCO Worldwide
Founded in 1984, APCO Worldwide is an award-winning, independently owned global communication consultancy with offices in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. APCO currently has two offices in India, in New Delhi and Mumbai. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO clients include corporations and governments; industry associations and nonprofit organizations; and six of the top 10 companies on the Fortune 500. APCO offers services related to business, industry and finance; media, public opinion and society; and government and public policy. The firm is a majority women-owned business. For more information, please visit www.apcoworldwide.com.
About the International Advisory Council
APCO's International Advisory Council is a dynamic group of former senior members of government, the media, the diplomatic corps, academia, the business community and nonprofit organizations who work hand-in-hand with APCO's professionals to counsel clients on a broad range of issues.