Dave Duarte
Founder & CEO
Dave Duarte brings a wealth of experience leading change and impact for organisations and communities around the world.
As founder and CEO of Treeshake, Dave creates campaigns that have reached over a billion people — shifting behaviours, shaping policies, and sparking public engagement on issues ranging from the public health to renewable energy.
A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Dave has given talks in 25 countries, including on stages at Davos, TEDx, and the United Nations. His core message is simple but powerful: if you want to lead change, you need a story.
In the agency world, he pioneered digital transformation as the founder of the Ogilvy Digital Marketing Academy, helping one of the world’s largest ad groups adapt for the digital age.
Dave was Programme Director at the UCT Graduate School of Business, where he developed and taught Africa’s first executive level programmes on Digital Marketing and Leadership.
Passionate about learning, Dave serves as Chairman of the Reach Trust, scaling tech enabled solutions for early childhood development; and he serves on the academy for the Global Teacher Prize, the Oscars of education.
A trailblazer in the field of digital influence, Dave co-founded South Africa’s first social media agency, led Creative Commons South Africa, and is an experienced board member and top leadership advisor. He has co-authored five books, including the best-selling "The Book Every Leader Needs to Read."
His work is all about helping people and organisations connect strategically, act courageously, and work that matters.
Cordène Midgley
Marketing Director
Cordène is passionate about 3 things in business - strategy, education, and getting the right message across – effectively – every time. A passionate educator, she has been teaching Sales and Marketing skills for over a decade. She holds an MBA from NMU and received the Council Award for Best Master's by Coursework Social Sciences and Humanities and Best MBA Graduate.
She has a background in sales, had her own Strategic Marketing firm and was VP of Education for an EdTech company. Skilled in new business development and consulting; developing market penetration strategies (both local and international); campaign management; rebrand implementation; influencer management; project management; designing and conducting market research; stakeholder and supplier management and digital marketing strategy development. She has experience in markets across Africa, Australia, America, UAE and Europe.
Prof. Elaine Rumboll
Managing Partner
Award-winning poet and businesswoman, Elaine Rumboll is deeply committed to fostering creative leadership in individuals and organisations.
As director of Executive Education at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, Elaine led her unit to the #1 in Africa, and to top 5 globally according to the Financial Times. She was awarded Business Woman of the Year in South Africa. Prior to that she was Dean at Damelin Management College, responsible for the learning of over 55,000 students.
Through her work at The Creative Leadership Consultancy, she champions new ways of leading in organisations through playfulness, agility, resilience, and connection, and encourages individuals to harness their creative potential to drive positive change. Her work in LEGO Serious Play forms a cornerstone of her leadership development work. With a profound passion for bridging the gap between art and business, Elaine emphasises the importance of understanding the language of business for artists from diverse disciplines. Her annual programme, Business Acumen for Artists, serves as a platform for empowering artists to navigate the business world effectively while maintaining their artistic integrity.
Elaine is dedicated to advocating for meaningful change in the business, environmental, and artistic realms. She utilises her platform to campaign for social and cultural transformation, encouraging individuals to use their talents and influence to address pressing issues and drive impactful change within their communities and beyond.
Kirsten de Klerk
Community Engagement Specialist
Kirsten de Klerk is a passionate advocacy leader and Campaign Manager at Treeshake, a Cape Town-based social marketing consultancy.
Kirsten
drives impactful campaigns in public policy, health, and sustainability, leveraging her expertise to connect organizations with communities for transformative results.
As Co-Founder of SA Diabetes Advocacy and a International Diabetes Federation Young Leader in Diabetes, Kirsten champions equitable access to diabetes care.
Kirsten’s work blends lived experience with strategic advocacy, making her a respected voice in health and community engagement.
With a Bcom in Financial Management, Kirsten brings strong financial discipline to the campaigns and budgets she manages.
Emma Ferns
Content Manager
Emma Ferns is a Content Manager skilled at crafting engaging narratives and steering online brand presence. With a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, focusing on Political Science and History, complemented by an Honours in Marketing, Emma possesses a unique blend of analytical prowess and creative finesse.
Her expertise lies in crafting topical, reader-friendly features while meticulously maintaining brand consistency. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for design, she collaborates seamlessly with cross-functional teams to develop and execute marketing strategies that captivate audiences and drive customer satisfaction.
Emma is committed to staying up-to-date with industry trends, continuously innovating to deliver fresh and compelling content that resonates with the target demographic.
