After more than two years of virtual classes, graduations and awards functions, the Department of Marketing Management was able to host its annual in-person prize-giving function on Wednesday, 18 May 2022. The event, which celebrated the Department’s top academic achievers for 2021, took place in the Rembrandt Hall’s VIP Room prior to the Economic and Management Sciences’ autumn graduation ceremony.

Each of the prize recipients was congratulated by the Head of Department, Prof Yolanda Jordaan, and PPS representative, Geriche Zondagh, before being awarded their respective prizes, generously sponsored by PPS, a mutual financial services company that focuses exclusively on graduate professionals. The top students then had the opportunity to be photographed with their loved ones, lecturers and study supervisors, and to enjoy some celebratory refreshments.

The prize for the best BCom Marketing Management student on third-year level in 2021 was awarded to Matthew Askew, who is currently enrolled as an honours student in the Department. Emma-Leigh Torry, who currently works as a Client Executive at Kantar in London and flew in from the United Kingdom for her graduation, was awarded the prize for the best BCom Marketing Management student on honours level in 2021. 

Award winners Matthew Askew (left) and Emma-Leigh Torry

The prize for the best MCom Marketing Management student in 2021 was awarded to Monique Munday. Monique attended the function virtually from Dubai, and her father and brother (pictured below) proudly accepted the prize on her behalf.

From left: Percy van Staden, Reinardt van Staden, Prof Pierre Mostert (lecturer), Gericke Zondagh, Prof Tania Maree (lecturer) and Dr Michael Humbani (study supervisor). Monique is slightly visible on the cell phone held by her brother

Dr Thinkwell Ndhlovu, a Senior Lecturer in the Department, received the prize for the best PhD Marketing Management student in 2021. 

From left: Prof Tania Maree (study supervisor), Dr Thinkwell Ndhlovu and Gericke Zondagh

The Stephan and Pierre Viljoen Award recipient was Prof Tania Maree, an NRF-rated Associate Professor in the Department. This prestigious award is presented annually to either a deserving PhD student or a staff member. Students can utilise the award to further industry or academic experience in the discipline of marketing management by attending a high-level scholarly conference, attending a course, or visiting a reputable international institution or an expert in marketing management. Staff members can attend a specialised course in marketing management or present a paper at an international conference. Prof Maree received the award based on her proposal to invite a world-renowned expert, Prof Charles R Taylor, Professor of Marketing at the Villanova School of Business, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Advertising, to visit the Department of Marketing Management. The main goal of the intended visit is to liaise with Prof Taylor to build a mentoring relationship and to explore possible collaborative research opportunities.

From left: Prof Yolanda Jordaan (Head of Department) and Prof Tania Maree

The Department congratulates each and every Marketing Management graduate that obtained their degree during the 2022 autumn graduations and celebrates the top achievers for the 2021 academic year!