University of Pretoria alumna Jane Moshoeshoe describes herself as a “proponent of lifelong learning” who always strives to expand her knowledge base.

A decade after earning her first qualification, Moshoeshoe returned to UP to complete a BCom Honours degree in Marketing Management, driven by a desire to stay updated on the latest marketing trends and developments. Since then, she has built a thriving career in public sector marketing - a field she is deeply passionate about.

She currently works as a Senior Marketing Manager at the Auditor-General South Africa (AGSA), leading impactful marketing strategies at the organisation. Her advice to current students is to continue studying and learning beyond their current studies as an investment in their growth.

“What you are doing now will take you to a certain level in life. The onus is on you to continue to learn and grow as a person. Further education is the best investment that you can make in yourself.”

Read more about her philosophies and interests below.

Q: Briefly summarise your studies (including the qualifications you obtained) and your professional career, with special mention of specific highlights/milestones.

A: I have over 23 years’ experience in integrated marketing and communications, having worked for several local and global organisations across diverse sectors, including financial services, FMCG, telecoms, education, youth development and the public sector (government). I have been privileged to help develop some of South Africa’s and the world’s biggest and most successful brands, including Lipton, Vodacom, Knorr and Transnet. I have also had the immense pleasure of running my own marketing agency, Intambiso Marketing and Communication, which focuses on helping SMMEs better market and position themselves and grow their business.

The roles that I have held have exposed me to the full array of marketing and communication services – from marketing strategy development, branding and design, to brand promotions, brand activations and promotional campaigns, events planning and management, below-the-line and above-the-line advertising, digital (online) design and maintenance, corporate communications, as well as crisis communication, trade marketing (retail and wholesale) and project management.

I am passionate about public sector marketing, and this is reflected in the various senior roles that I have held within the public sector. It is also the area that I am currently focused on, in my role as Senior Manager of Marketing at the Auditor-General South Africa.

Prior to pursuing postgraduate studies at UP, I completed a National Diploma and a BTech degree in Marketing Management at the Cape Technikon. After completing my honours at UP, I continued furthering my studies and graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Henley Business School in 2024, reflecting my quest for lifelong learning.

Q: To what extent did your studies at UP benefit you in your career and contribute to your success? 

A: At the time I did my BCom (Honours) in Marketing Management at UP, I wanted to expand my skills a little bit more in the space of marketing. Up to that point, I had done mostly product marketing and felt that I lacked the necessary skill for service marketing. The focus on this in terms of the coursework helped me elevate my skills, and the knowledge has come in handy in many areas of my life over the past decade.

Q: Why did you choose your particular degree course/major(s) and did it meet your expectations…or, in hindsight, should you have opted for something else? 

A: Fun fact: When I finished matric in 1997, I was meant to study Chemical Engineering as my first choice or ICT as a second choice. A bursary award that fell through led to me discovering marketing by chance, and it would become what moves my heart beyond measure, resulting in me studying a National Diploma and BTech in Marketing.

When I registered with UP in 2012, I was working full time for about ten years since I had obtained my last degree. I felt that there were so many developments in the marketing field that I needed to catch up on in order to elevate my career and diversify my skill set and knowledge in the field. Also, I am a proponent of lifelong learning. I am always yearning to learn and do more, hence I have continued to study beyond my first degree, and I do not think that I am done yet.

Q: As a UP and EMS alumna, what makes you proud to be associated with UP? 

A: UP’s reputation is unmatched, and the calibre of the teaching staff is impressive. When you leave the institution, you can be assured that you received the best education. This is what makes me proud to be a Tuks alumni.

Q: Given your academic experience at UP, what advice can you pass on to current students? 

A: I would say what you are doing now will take you to a certain level in life. The onus is on you to continue to learn and grow as a person. Further education is the best investment that you can make in yourself.

Q: AI (ChatGPT-4/Generative AI/LLM) is expected to have a significant impact on both tertiary education and the workplace. What is your take on the advantages/disadvantages of AI for students and employees/employers? 

A: There are legitimate concerns around jobs being lost due to AI, especially in a developing country like ours that has a high unemployment rate. However, I have seen how AI tools can be a force for good and used to help us humans refine how we work and achieve much better impact. I still believe that humans and machines can work together well and that there are things that we humans do that machines cannot just replace.

Q: Going forward, what are your professional/business/personal goals? What is your ultimate ‘dream job’?

A: Career-wise, my goal is to achieve a CMO ( Chief Marketing Officer) role as well as be certified as a Chartered Marketer (SA). I feel this is long overdue. In terms of my studies, the plan is to register for a PhD in Marketing, I just need to make time and get that proposal over the line. At some point way down the line, I would like to get back into academia.

Q: Which business/trade-related publications (magazines/newspapers/blogs, etc) do you enjoy reading? 

A: I must confess that with the advent of everything digital, my reading habits have changed quite greatly. I used to love doing magazine subscriptions, but not anymore. However, now and again, I will pick up a copy of Forbes Magazine. There is something aspirational about it and habitual. I love reading online publications/articles such as the Daily Maverick, Business Day, Sunday Times, Harvard Business Review and MoneyWeb for all things financial.

Q: What/who really inspires and motivates you personally? 

A: I think my mother comes tops. She sacrificed so much for my siblings and me to have the kind of opportunities that I have. She never went to school, but when I was growing up, she was a fierce advocate for education.

Q: Tell us more about yourself, including your likes/dislikes; strengths/weaknesses, business/life philosophy.

A: Strengths/likes: Troubleshooting issues and coming up with solutions. Being a mom to my three daughters, it’s such an honour and a privilege.

Weakness: Chocolate!

Life philosophy: No matter what the circumstances, all humans have inherent God-given value by just being. You do not need to do anything to earn that, and that should be the start in our interactions with our fellow human beings.

Business philosophy: Show up daily, show up even when you do not feel like it! Give it your best shot, you owe that to yourself.

Q: How do you handle stress/failure?

A: Prayer and meditation are number one. Watching Netflix and just chilling is the ultimate cure for stress! I am able to immerse myself in another world through the storyline, even if it’s for a brief period/hours, and gain different perspectives. In terms of failure, I would say trying again and again until I achieve what I have set out to do works for me. Having said that, I am a very risk-averse person and will make sure that my planning is thorough and detailed so as to maximise chances of success and minimise failure/negative outcomes as much as possible.

Q: If you could contribute to solving one/some of our societal problems, what would you like to tackle and why? 

A: Youth unemployment, there is so much latent talent that could be harnessed and unleashed, that would contribute positively to our country.

Q: What are your hopes and aspirations for South Africa and its people? 

A: We have such a beautiful country with amazing people. My hope and dream is that all South Africans would get to experience as a norm the best of what our country has to offer – whether it is education, health care, employment opportunities, or safety and security – regardless of who they are and where they are in our country.