JOHANNESBURG — Senior executives from Sasol, Microsoft and the GSMA are the latest high-profile additions for the Holmes Report's first African Innovation Summit, taking place in Johannesburg on 1 April.

Sasol public affairs SVP Wrenelle Stander will join McDonald’s South Africa corporate affairs director Sechaba Motsieloa and Uber Johannesburg and Durban GM Alon Lits in a session that explores how communications is being elevated into a C-suite discipline.

Meanwhile, Microsoft South Africa’s marketing and operations lead Nir Tenzer will feature in the 'collision' session on how communications, marketing and digital are converging. In addition, GSMA Africa director Mortimer Hope will take part in the opening session with Weber Shandwick EMEA CEO Colin Byrne, which will explore how public relations in Africa is being transformed.

Draft programme details for the event are available here.

The new additions join a lineup  that already includes:
- McDonald’s South Africa corporate affairs director Sechaba Motsieloa
- Kate Johns, head of Africa communications, Standard Bank
- Uber Johannesburg and Durban GM Alon Lits
- Google South Africa communications head Mich Atagana
- Telkom group communications chief Jacqui O'Sullivan
- Weber Shandwick EMEA CEO Colin Byrne
- Samsung Electronics public affairs and corporate citizenship manager Abey Tau
- King James Group co-founder and creative partner Alistair King
- Khadija Patel, co-founder, Daily Vox
- Platco Digital MD Patrick Conroy
- Gau Narayanan, regional director, BBDO Africa
- Robyn de Villiers, chairman/CEO, Burson-Marsteller Africa
- Kevin Welman, managing director, FleishmanHillard South Africa
- Magna Carta CEO Vincent Magwenya
- Keri-Ann Stanton, managing partner, Engage Joe Public.

The conference, which is taking place at the Hilton Sandton hotel, will explore how communications and marketing are evolving in South Africa and the wider African region. The conference is being backed by eight partner firms: Weber Shandwick, Atmosphere, Burson-Marsteller, FleishmanHillard, Engage Joe Public, Magna Carta, Ogilvy PR and WE Communications. The event is also being backed by PRISA.

Limited places, priced at US$50 (ZAR800), are still available.