Opinion Party | The Marketing Podcast | Be Worthy of Emulation: Creating Meaningful Business Growth with Vodacom's Andisa Ntsubane

Be Worthy of Emulation: Creating Meaningful Business Growth with Vodacom's Andisa Ntsubane

October 22, 2025 / 30:18/S2 E8

Opinion Party: the marketing podcast
brought to you by BAV Group & IRG

Season 2: Episode 8

Be Worthy of Emulation: Creating Meaningful Business Growth with Vodacom's Andisa Ntsubane

SUMMARY

Challenging the myth that "it's not personal, it's business," Andisa Ntsubane, Executive Director of Vodacom Africa Brand Marketing and Communications, shares with Laura Jones (Global CEO, BAV Group) how purpose-driven marketing delivers measurable business results. His "worthy of emulation" leadership philosophy has transformed Vodacom's approach to solving market challenges, resulting in innovations like M-Pesa, which processes $1.2 billion in daily transactions. As the first African president of Cannes Lions' B2B jury, Andisa demonstrates how diversity in leadership changes which work gets recognized globally. The conversation reveals a powerful framework for creating shared value: addressing critical customer needs while driving business growth, with Africa positioned not as a challenge but as the world's greatest laboratory for business innovation.

LINKS

Laura Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lapjones/
BAV Group: https://www.bavgroup.com
Andisa Ntsubane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andisa-ntsubane-cm-sa-fcxp-cx-i-6b258177/
Africa 2063: https://www.nepad.org/agenda2063
Vodacom: https://www.vodacom.co.za
M-Pesa: https://www.vodafone.com/about-vodafone/what-we-do/m-pesa
Cannes Lions: https://www.canneslions.com/awards/jury/andisa-ntsubane-392222
Moodset Tedx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaEz5AXpgUk
Institute for Real Growth: https://instituteforrealgrowth.org
Ikigai of Marketing: https://instituteforrealgrowth.com/pdf/TheFounderPerspectiveTheIkigaiofMarketing.pdf

TAKEAWAYS

Purpose as profit driver: Funding vaccines for customers during COVID wasn't charity—it ensured business sustainability
Reframe developing markets: Africa's challenges represent your greatest opportunity for innovation and profit
Simple innovations create massive value: M-Pesa's $1.2B daily transactions came from solving basic payment friction
B2B brands have untapped power: DP World's 3° temperature adjustment removed emissions of 3.8M cars
Leadership mindset matters: Creating intentional "mood sets" measurably drives team performance
Personal transformation drives business transformation: Deep purpose work unlocks leadership breakthroughs
Representation changes outcomes: Having Africans on Cannes juries meant African work finally won
"Worthy of emulation" provides a powerful decision filter for both business and personal choices
Building cross-industry leadership communities creates tangible competitive advantage
Solve problems profitably: The most successful businesses make significant money addressing real needs

CHAPTERS

00:10 Busting the Myth: "It's Not Personal, It's Business"

01:45 Introducing Andisa Ntsubane: The Afro-Optimist

03:20 The Transformative Impact of the IRG Community

06:11 The Panama Retreat: Finding Personal Purpose

10:06 The "Worthy of Emulation" Philosophy

14:01 Representation Matters: Driving African Presence at Cannes

16:48 B2B Brands Solving the World's Biggest Problems

19:42 The Success Story of M-Pesa: Mobile Money Innovation

22:33 Africa as the Greatest Business Opportunity

24:54 Humanized Growth in Action: Vaccines During COVID

28:34 Different Perspectives, Same Opportunity

Opinion Party: the marketing podcast

For season two, we asked twelve marketing leaders from a world class set of organizations to join host Laura Jones, Global CEO of BAV Group, to talk marketing myths, trends, data, and opinions. Filmed live on site at the Institute for Real Growth Summit in Cannes, summer 2025. Find us at https://www.theopinionparty.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Season 2 of Opinion Party: the marketing podcast is brought to you by:

BAV Group, the world’s leading authority on data-driven branding.™️
Our strategic consulting services transform brand growth into brand = growth. Whether you need to analyze, transform, or grow your brand, our team provide solutions based on 30 years of proven methodology and results. Learn more at https://www.bavgroup.com

Institute for Real Growth
We inspire CMOs to increase their personal, business, and societal impact by driving more Humanized Growth. Learn more at: https://instituteforrealgrowth.com

CREDITS
Host & Executive Producer: Laura Jones
Executive Producer: Ketzirah Lesser
Production & Still Photography: Bronac McNeill Photography & Film
Co-director, Camera, Sound, Edit: Natalie Barrass
Photos © Bronac McNeil Photography & Film