As head of brands at Spur Corporation, Dr Tumi Sebopa, 33, leads the strategy and storytelling behind some of South Africa’s most iconic restaurant brands — from Spur Steak Ranches and RocoMamas to Panarottis and The Hussar Grill. With a career spanning award-winning campaigns and impactful partnerships, Tumi is a driving force behind brand relevance and innovation in the food and hospitality industry. Her journey began in Soweto, where early dreams of becoming a magazine editor or storyteller evolved into a powerful business career rooted in marketing and purpose. Her typical day includes strategic alignment across creative, operations and supply-chain functions, overseeing teams and agencies that bring brand visions to life. Tumi holds a PhD in business science (marketing) from the University of the Witwatersrand, with prior qualifications including a master’s in strategic marketing and a bachelor’s in business administration (honours). She has worked on local launches for global brands like BooHoo and PrettyLittleThing and has led celebrated campaigns recognised by the Effie, Apex and Loerie Awards. In 2019, she was named Marketing Champion of the Year by Famous Brands for her work on Wimpy. Beyond her corporate impact, Tumi founded the Inception Book Club in 2017, a literary platform that connects over 100 members with celebrated African authors. She is also an academic contributor and guest lecturer, helping shape the next generation of marketers. Driven by possibility and gratitude, she believes young leaders must become active architects of their communities, building spaces that uplift and empower others.
Worked with some of South Africa’s leading brands, leading award-winning marketing campaigns recognised by the Effie, APEX and Loerie Awards. Spearheaded fashion collaborations with local creatives and labels, including the Superbalist x Drum and Superbalist x Lulama Wolf fashion lines. Contributed to initiatives such as the Influencer Shop, the Street Store partnership supporting the homeless, and the launch of H&M Online on Superbalist. Played a key role in introducing global brands like BooHoo and PrettyLittleThing to the South African market, and led impactful strategic brand partnerships with names such as FNB. Recognised as Marketing Champion of the Year (2019) by the Famous Brands Group for campaign work on Wimpy. These experiences reinforced the principle that great marketing goes beyond creative execution — it must meet consumer needs, build long-term brand equity and deliver measurable commercial results.
One of my greatest mentors and inspirations is my aunt, Mokgadi Malahlela. She is my go-to person for many of life’s big decisions, and I deeply admire the way she has lived a life of service — both within our family and through her career in civil society. She has overcome incredible odds with strength and grace. I am also inspired by women who are multidimensional — those who show that you can be many things and still achieve success. I admire Dr Judy Dlamini for her leadership in business and her significant contributions to education. Leaders such as Indra Nooyi have shown me that it is possible to rise to the highest levels of leadership, regardless of where you come from. More recently, I have been inspired by Emma Grede, who has successfully tapped into pop culture to build businesses that truly resonate with today’s consumer.