Women’s Month is a celebration of women who are not only shattering glass ceilings but also creating opportunities for others to rise alongside them.
For Koketso Masisi, that journey has reached another defining milestone after being appointed as the first executive creative director (ECD) at independent integrated creative agency Retroviral.
More than a career promotion
The historic appointment is more than a career promotion. It reflects a changing face of South Africa’s advertising industry, where women are increasingly occupying influential leadership positions and shaping the conversations that define culture.
Masisi becomes the first person to hold the Executive Creative Director title at Retroviral, following several years of helping transform the agency from a specialist social media business into one of the country’s leading integrated creative agencies.
Having joined the company as Head of Design, she quickly became one of the driving forces behind its creative evolution, helping build a multidisciplinary studio where advertising, public relations, digital storytelling and culture intersect.
‘A new era for the agency’
Retroviral founder and Chief Creative Officer Mike Sharman says Masisi’s appointment marks a new era for the agency.
“Koketso’s promotion represents far more than a new title. It represents the next chapter of our agency. We’ve always believed creativity shouldn’t sit inside channels. It should solve business problems, create culture and earn people’s attention,” he said.
He credits her with helping redefine creativity at the agency by elevating design into integrated thinking and turning strategy into storytelling that resonates with audiences.
Her leadership has also coincided with a period of remarkable recognition for the agency. During her tenure, Retroviral has collected major industry honours, including Ad Age International Small Agency of the Year (Silver), SABRE Africa Consultancy of the Year and both the MarkLives and AdFocus Small Agency of the Year awards in 2025.
Nurturing diverse creative leadership
Beyond award-winning campaigns, Masisi has also helped shape the agency’s culture.
Today, women make up 78% of Retroviral’s workforce, while Black women account for 52% of the business, reflecting a deliberate commitment to nurturing diverse creative leadership.
The agency has also secured award-winning work for major brands including AB InBev, AutoTrader, BIC, Lil-Lets, Motus, Truda Foods, Emeris and The Braai Republic.
Outside the boardroom, Masisi has steadily built a reputation as one of South Africa’s emerging creative leaders.
She regularly serves as a judge at local and international creative awards, speaks at leadership conferences and is completing the ACA Women in Leadership Programme.
Perhaps her most personal contribution to the industry is Ko.Kreate, an initiative she founded to create opportunities for women of colour in advertising through mentorship, collaboration and leadership development.
For Masisi, leadership is inseparable from creating opportunities for others.
“For me, creativity has never been about making advertising. It’s about creating work that changes how people think, feel and behave while building spaces where talented people can thrive,” she said.
“This appointment is incredibly meaningful because it reflects the belief that creative excellence and people leadership should go hand in hand. I’m excited about what we can build next, not just for our clients, but for the next generation of creative talent coming through our industry.”
‘She’s brought extraordinary creative standards’
Sharman believes Masisi’s greatest achievement extends beyond the campaigns she has led.
“Great creative leaders don’t simply produce great work. They leave an organisation fundamentally different from how they found it. Koketso has done exactly that. She’s brought extraordinary creative standards, immense humility and a relentless commitment to building ideas with purpose.”
As Executive Creative Director, Masisi will now oversee Retroviral’s integrated creative output while leading multidisciplinary teams focused on producing work that delivers commercial impact and meaningful cultural conversations.
- Koketso Masisi was appointed as the first Executive Creative Director (ECD) at Retroviral, an independent integrated creative agency in South Africa.
- Masisi played a key role in transforming Retroviral from a social media specialist business into a leading integrated creative agency.
- Under her leadership, Retroviral won major awards including Ad Age International Small Agency of the Year (Silver), SABRE Africa Consultancy of the Year, and MarkLives and AdFocus Small Agency of the Year awards in 2025.
- Women comprise 78% of Retroviral’s workforce, with Black women making up 52%, reflecting the agency's commitment to diverse creative leadership.
- Masisi founded Ko.Kreate, an initiative aimed at creating opportunities for women of colour in advertising through mentorship, collaboration, and leadership development.
Women's
For Koketso Masisi, that journey has reached another defining milestone after being appointed as the first executive creative director (ECD) at independent integrated creative agency Retroviral.
Masisi becomes the first person to hold the Executive Creative Director title at Retroviral, following several years of helping transform the agency from a specialist social media business into one of the country's leading integrated creative agencies.
Retroviral founder and Chief Creative Officer Mike
"Koketso's promotion represents far more than a new title. It represents the next chapter of our agency. We've always believed creativity shouldn't sit inside channels. It should solve business problems, create culture and earn people's attention," he said.
He credits her with helping redefine creativity at the agency by elevating design into integrated thinking and turning strategy into storytelling that resonates with audiences.
Her leadership has also coincided with a period of remarkable recognition for the agency.
Today, women make up 78% of Retroviral's workforce, while Black women account for 52% of the business, reflecting a deliberate commitment to nurturing diverse creative leadership.
Outside the boardroom, Masisi has steadily built a reputation as one of
Perhaps her most personal contribution to the industry is Ko.Kreate, an initiative she founded to create opportunities for women of colour in advertising through mentorship, collaboration and leadership development.
For Masisi, leadership is inseparable from creating opportunities for others.
"For me, creativity has never been about making advertising. It's about creating work that changes how people think, feel and behave while building spaces where talented people can thrive," she said.
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"Great creative leaders don't simply produce great work.
As Executive Creative Director, Masisi will now oversee Retroviral's integrated creative output while leading multidisciplinary teams focused on producing work that delivers commercial impact and meaningful cultural conversations.
