The Brave Group has officially transitioned into a 100% Black-owned business, following the buyout of founding shareholders Andrew Shuttleworth, Vanessa Pearson, and Rob van Rooyen by existing executives Musa Kalenga (Group CEO) and Andile Khumalo (Chairperson). The move marks a significant turning point for South Africa’s advertising and communications industry, long criticised for lagging in transformation.
Kalenga called the moment “deeply personal and profoundly symbolic,” noting that the milestone signals not just ownership change, but a bold step toward inclusive excellence. “Becoming 100% Black-owned is a critical milestone, but it’s also just the beginning,” he said.
The buyout was enabled through capital raised from Sanlam Alternative Investments and continued support from Midas Ventures. Phuti Senyatsi, portfolio manager at Sanlam, described the deal as both “culturally and strategically vital” for industry evolution.
Khumalo emphasised the broader implications of the deal, stating: “For too long, ownership in this sector has remained concentrated and unrepresentative of our broader society. Today, we change that.”
The announcement comes on the heels of Brave Group’s launch of Forge, its proprietary AI platform, aimed at providing future-fit, tech-forward marketing solutions. Brave Group now comprises integrated specialist agencies — House of Brave, Bold, Bravado, and Forge by Brave — working under a unified vision.
Current clients include Unilever, African Bank, Tiger Brands, Accenture, Wits University, and Kenvue.