Leading financial services executive gets Loeries marketing industry award

Yegs Ramiah, Chief Executive of Brand at Sanlam and Santam, has been awarded the prestigious Loeries 2016 Marketing Leadership and Innovation Award. The announcement was made during the first awards evening on Saturday, August 20, at the Durban International Convention Centre.

The award recognised Ramiah’s astute marketing acumen and her instrumental role in positioning the Sanlam and Santam brand. “Yegs Ramiah is a worthy recipient and outstanding example of the leadership and commitment to a brand that is required to do something beyond the ordinary,” said Loeries CEO Andrew Human. “It is clear that she was personally involved in the brands’ successes, and has been an active contributor to their market position in South Africa.”

Reacting to the award Ramiah said she was honored to receive the recognition from the Loeries. “It’s a significant endorsement and acknowledgement of an outstanding team and a common alignment with our creative partners to do impactful work. I’ve had the unique opportunity to lead the rebranding of two iconic financial services brands and I’ve maintained a clear understanding of my role and the responsibility that comes with it. I appreciate that big brands have an ability to influence consumer behaviour and so I believe we need to ensure that we always put what’s best for the customer at the heart of what we offer. Both the Sanlam and Santam brands are built around unique value propositions that have been shaped by deep consumer insights and a commitment to deliver against it.”

Ramiah was appointed Chief Executive of Sanlam Brand in 2012. She holds a BA LLB, MBA HDip Tax, AMP (Harvard) and is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. She is a director of several companies in the Sanlam Group as well as the Adopt a School Foundation. She is passionate about helping people achieve their potential and believes that passion, hard work and resilience are key ingredients for success.

Chief Creative Officer of King James South Africa, Alistair King: “Yegs’s meteoric rise within Sanlam is a remarkable story. In an organisation often regarded as conservative, her impact has been significant. She has embraced some of the bravest marketing ideas and ventured into the integrated space far more willingly than most marketers I have come across.”

Ramiah was chosen for this top honour from a shortlist that included Thulani Sibeko of Nedbank and Sharon Keith of Coca-Cola.

The annual Loeries Creative Week™ took place in Durban from August 15 until August 21. First staged in 1978 to support South Africa’s television advertising industry, the Loeries have since expanded to encompass all areas of brand communication throughout Africa and the Middle East.

The Loeries first introduced the Marketing Leadership and Innovation Award in 2007. Past winners are:2007 – Fred Withers (Managing Director, Exclusive Books), 2008 – Mike Glendinning (Sales & Marketing Director, Volkswagen Group South Africa), 2009 – Simon Camerer (Executive Marketing Director, Cell C), 2010 – Graham Pfuhl (Marketing & Sales Director, Multichoice), 2011 – Tracy Hirst (Marketing Manager, Allan Gray), 2012 – Robbie Brozin (Founder of Nandos), 2013 – George Sombonos (CEO, Chicken Licken), 2014 – Claudia Walters (Marketing Communications Manager, Mercedes-Benz Cars South Africa), 2015 – Gavin Krenski (Brandhouse Marketing & Innovations Director).