Brand Builder
Motivational Speaker
Strategy Intervention
Consultant
Lecturer

Introduction

I am Raymond van Niekerk. I spread magic. I help build, create & challenge brands and businesses. I motivate people. Years of experience, years of international travel & years of executive decisions make for a robust and honest insight. There are no sacred cows in my approach to brand guidance. I don't do marketing speak. Tough truths, pragmatic answers and honest evaluation are what I give.

BACKGROUND

Branding Expert & International Speaker
Raymond motivates, creates, builds, and challenges brands and businesses.

Currently active in brand advisory services and equity investing in start-ups, Raymond also finds time for international public speaking engagements.  Through covering various topics including corporate culture, building corporate and personal brands, the interrelated nature of culture and brand, and various other motivational topics, he gets to share his own business and life lessons learned.

For 16 years Raymond was the architect of Investec’s brand, as global head of marketing for the group.  Prior to joining Investec (who as a client insisted he sign up), he was founding partner and director of Sw!tch Branding & Design, with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London.  Before starting Sw!tch, Raymond was Director of Consulting, and board member of KSDP Pentagraph (at the time the 10th biggest design consultancy in the world), where he was involved in both international & local branding, and design projects.

At Investec, Raymond was involved in sponsorships ranging from the Epsom Derby, the Lords media centre, Elena Dementieva, the autumn rugby internationals at Twickenham, English cricket, Cameron van der Burgh, Stefan Garlicki, the Stormers’ rugby franchise in South Africa, Super 14 Rugby in Australia, The Rugby Championship and Super Rugby in New Zealand, the Investec International Rugby Academy and Investec Hockey Academy in South Africa, golf in Swaziland and polo in Cape Town. He made TV adverts in Prague, and ‘on’ the North Pole, helped invent the Investec Zebra icon, crafted a brand management system and helped shape a culture and values mind-set.

Raymond matriculated at Grey College in Bloemfontein, read for a Bachelor of Arts (Communication) degree at the University of the Free State, and holds a MBA from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.

More importantly, Raymond has a degree from the university of life: this includes managing a crystal engraving factory, being cellar master at a London hotel, working on a Kibbutz, as a professional soldier, bouncer, aerobics instructor and more. He moves between hyper and sloth with strange ease.

Using what could be described as colourful vocabulary, he is a gadget freak, a compulsive shopper, rides noisy motorcycles, he loves sailing, good food, wine, travel, books, movies and walking around beautiful cities. He hates flying, bureaucrats and fence sitters and can pick a fight in an empty room. Sometimes kind and often intolerant, he considers still being alive after doing some incredibly stupid things proof that having good luck is his greatest asset.

Raymond is that rare breed - a global brand marketeer, with an intelligently disruptive and personal approach. 

Leigh Thomas

Chief Executive Officer at Dare

Working with Raymond means you will challenge boundaries, break some rules, it will never be dull and it will always be rewarding.

Rupert Trevelyan

Regional Director at Jockey Club Racecourses

Not one to shy away from a good idea, Raymond challenges convention. It is a rare commodity in a senior executive and even moreso in the consulting world. There are times at work when I still ask myself, 'What would Raymond do with this?'

Claire Linton-Evans

Marketing & Communications Director, Fairfax Columnist, Author

Raymond is an inspirational leader and an exceptional brand marketer. Raymond is one of the greatest intellects I have had the pleasure of working with and his understanding of brand marketing and brand development is second to none. He is one of life's true characters and has the uncanny ability of being able to motivate individuals without trying.

Kevin Vandrau

Director at Essentially

Raymond is an insightful, knowledgeable source of inspiration that I have had the pleasure of working with over the last 11 years. He is passionate and experimental with the brand, which keeps it forever current and relevant.

Justin Robinson

Co-Founder and Design Director at Simplr

I found Raymond to have a deep seated passion and understanding of Brands and their importance to the success of organizations both Global and local. Raymond is highly intelligent and incredibly insightful in his approach to the unique challenges that Brands and Brand Strategy offer.

Larry Shiller

Founder and Managing Partner
The Switch Design Company

He was brilliant at getting the best out of his and my team.

Johnno Spence

CEO at JSC Sport

Contact details

Raymond van Niekerk

raymond@fivelincoln.com

Twitter     Linkedin

To book a speaker engagement, fill out the speaker brief.  Please contact Raymond directly for advisory services.

Speaker Brief

Please leave this field empty.

Please complete as much of the information below as possible.
Contact person:




The audience:





The event:








For any questions please email Raymond at raymond@fivelincoln.com

Close