Dondo Mogajane, the CEO of the Moti Group. Photo: Supplied
Changes in leadership often mark a significant turning point for companies.
Each new leader brings a fresh perspective and a unique management style, inevitably introducing shifts in internal structures, business strategies, and even the company’s external image. Irrespective of the company or industry, its legacy or reputation, such changes are integral to fostering growth and innovation.
A change in leadership is not without its complexities. Notably, the Moti Group has faced substantial criticism in the media for running a widespread public relations campaign intended to realign our group’s external image with its internal restructuring and new vision.
It is important to keep in mind that a company is never just one person. It is a complex collection of many people from disparate backgrounds, each with unique ideas and capabilities. A CEO is charged with determining the overall direction of the company, but each person helps determine how that vision is finally attained.
Throughout my storied career in finance and governance, having served as Director-General of the National Treasury, and having helped to shape the country’s financial policies, I developed a profound understanding of the complexities that companies face, as well as the needs of our regulatory environment to ensure sound and unimpeachable business practices.
As I transitioned from the public to the private sector, I was driven by a desire to actuate change, foster innovation, and support community and youth development across Africa. My journey led me to the Moti Group – a company that aligned perfectly with my aspirations of creating a leading black-owned business recognised around the world.
I made it clear to our internal and external stakeholders, from my first day as CEO, that I intended to bring about company-wide change and, effectively, reposition the group in the wider market. The group and its management team welcomed the changes I envisioned.
Repositioning a brand around a new CEO, however, can be complex and filled with pitfalls – especially for a company such as ours that has faced its share of reputational challenges.
Communicating our internal changes has, therefore, been vital to ensuring widespread stakeholder buy-in and restoring trust in the market. Revealing a shift in focus has allowed our company to act with transparency, strengthen relationships with customers and partners, and address reputational concerns proactively and authentically.
To accomplish this, we have utilised paid-for marketing and public relations initiatives to articulate our company’s evolving narrative, highlighting our vision, progress, and commitment to stakeholders, reinforcing its position in the market. Despite insinuations made by determined critics, these efforts have not been secret – which is why we have focused on some of the biggest and most respected publications in the country.
To proudly publicise our new direction and leadership, we have taken out multiple paid newspaper advertorials and advertisements, conducted multiple on-air interviews, shared new social media posts and vlogs, and erected a few billboards.
This is not uncommon for companies looking to re-imagine and reposition themselves. In fact, it has been the norm for company transitions around the world for decades. It is industry standard to make a large public relations and marketing push in announcing any sizeable company changes, and to leverage the public and media’s interest.
The Moti Group is on a new path, and we have enjoyed sharing the news of our ground-breaking initiatives, which has been met with extremely positive feedback. To those critics who have maligned our efforts, I would like to emphasise that I am working closely with all management to chart a new course for our business. There are thousands of employees who are dependent on us for their livelihoods, and we firmly believe that we can create a positive and lasting legacy for the benefit of current and future generations.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the journey that the Moti Group is embarking upon. With the collective expertise and dedication of our employees and partners, and mutual respect between the group and the media, I am confident that this transition will be an ongoing success. We envision a future that not only reflects our aspirations for growth and innovation, but resonates with the communities we touch throughout Africa.
Dondo Mogajane is the CEO of the Moti Group
BUSINESS REPORT