Dr Jayne Crawshay-Hall Robertson
Academic Head (OW)
Welcome Address

Dr Jayne Crawshay-Hall (b. 1987), an academic, art historian, curator, and artist, is the Executive Academic Head for The Open Window. Crawshay-Hall has extensive experience in academic strategic leadership, academic organisational management and systems establishment, pedagogy, curriculum design, quality assurance, staff development and regulatory management – as well as how these portfolios influence business strategy and organisation economic health. A passion within this role is the mission to guide national knowledge on the potentials of creative career paths, and outline the economic need for creativity thinking across all sectors. She is committed to innovating and establishing strategic business partnerships and opportunities within the private education sector in South Africa.

Lucinda Jordaan
Art Director – Joe Public
Survivor: Ad Agency edition

Lucinda Jordaan is a highly accomplished visual communicator who started her career by graduating with honours from Open Window. After a year as an in-house graphic designer, she pursued a postgraduate degree in visual communication while working part-time as an illustrator at Conceptual Eyes. Her career continued to thrive when she joined the award-winning studio Fresh Helga from 2018 to 2021, where she worked on major brands like Absa and MTN. During this time, she was ranked among the top illustrators in the Loerie rankings in 2019. Since then, she has held various leadership roles, including Graphic Designer at Abnormal Agency, Art Director at One over One, and currently, an Art Director at Joe Public. In her current role, she oversees art direction, design, and illustration, continuing to advance her career in the creative industry.

Oluko Moche
Co-Founder: Nonfiction – Story Producer & Narrative Strategist
The Story is the Strategy: Marketing a Creative Business through Narrative

Oluko Moche is a highly experienced curator, creative producer, and narrative strategist with over two decades of experience working in storytelling and culture. She has worked across various fields, including television, film festivals, and podcasting, with a focus on amplifying meaningful stories and creating spaces for dialogue. Moche holds a degree in Anthropology from Rhodes University and a broadcasting qualification from Algonquin College. She has been recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian’s “Women Changing South Africa”. She has served on the boards of the Documentary Filmmakers Association of South Africa and the Market Theatre Foundation.

Lesedi Siswana
Co-Founder: Nonfiction – Story Producer & Creative Strategist
The Story is the Strategy: Marketing a Creative Business through Narrative

Lesedi N. Siswana is a senior producer and strategic storyteller with over 15 years of experience in film, television, and digital content. Her work focuses on delivering impactful productions and using storytelling to foster connection and change. Siswana holds a BA in Motion Picture Medium from AFDA and an Advanced Diploma in Arts from Wits University. She is known for her collaborative leadership and ability to build strong partnerships.

Tasos Calantzis
Industrial Designer and co‑founder of SuperUltra
AI at Work: Practical Operating Models for the Professional Design Industry

Tasos Calantzis is a South African industrial designer and co‑founder of SuperUltra, a digital product design studio that creates products, services and experiences for global organisations. SuperUltra+1. He previously served as Jury Captain for the Social Impact category of the Core77 Design Awards. His teams’ work has earned international recognition, including Red Dot and Good Design honours and nominations for the INDEX Award. Tasos has consulted for companies such as Procter & Gamble, BP and Philips, and he regularly speaks about design’s role in building better systems, including at TEDxCapeTown.

Erin Gil
Owner: Gill Studios
Freelance for Dummies

Hi, I’m Erin Gill. Three years ago, I studied Communication Design at Open Window, double-majoring in design and photography. My lifelong passion for design and creativity guided my decision to attend Open Window. Upon graduating, I created my own business, determined not to lose the artistic freedom that can often be stifled in corporate roles. I didn’t want to be confined by a set brief; instead, I valued the autonomy to choose my own projects, collaborate with clients I believe in, and fully express my creative voice. Although the transition after university was initially overwhelming, stepping into freelancing empowered me to build a career on my own terms. Today, I partner with corporates as a creative collaborator, and I’m dedicated to sharing the real-world ups and downs of this path to inspire the next generation of artists and designers.

Xanelé Mennen
Co-Founder: Bini Birdies
The Non-Linear Career Path: 15 Years of Design and Play

Xanelé is a designer who focuses on creating spaces, experiences, and resources that support the well-being of children. She works directly with children, allowing their creativity and input to shape the designs. Her work incorporates play, literacy, and intentional design into children’s daily lives, aiming to foster emotional, cognitive, and social growth. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with various organisations, including corporations, governments, and NGOs. From 2010 to 2020, Xanelé co-founded and was the executive director of a child-focused design studio called See Saw Do. She then spent four years at The Otto Foundation, where she created literacy-rich environments for schools that lacked resources. Most recently, she co-founded Bini Birdies, where she continues to explore the connection between design, play, and placemaking. Her work has earned her recognition, including two nominations for the Most Beautiful Object in South Africa by Design Indaba and the African Illustrator’s Award from the Golden Baobab Prize.

Mohammed Jogie
Award-winning designer, artist, author, teacher, student, and activist.
The potentiality of circular multi-modal design in an evolving design context

Mohammed Jogie is an award-winning designer, artist, author, teacher, student, and activist with decades of experience in creative strategy and social impact. He is the Design and Strategy Director of the Institute of Media, Strategy & Design (iMSD) and a senior lecturer at the Tshwane University of Technology. Jogie holds numerous leadership positions, including Chair of the Design Institute South Africa (DISA) and Vice President of the International Council of Design (ico-D). He has contributed to award-winning projects, mentored young creatives, and led initiatives that connect industry, government, and education. His current research focuses on integrating circular economy principles into South African design practice, for which he developed a multi-modal biomimetic design model. He is internationally recognised for his contributions to design activism and is committed to advancing design as a catalyst for positive social change.

Lilja Hastie
Jewelry Designer
The business of Jewellery Design

Lilja Hastie, the founder of Lilja Hastie Jewellery (LHJ), is an award-winning jeweller with both South African and international qualifications. After earning her B.Tech in South Africa and her master’s degree in Milan, she established her company to create high-quality, bold, and meaningful pieces. Her designs have been featured on South African red carpets and TV shows, and her work is inspired by her interest in sacred geometry and universal symbolism. Lilja is committed to using locally sourced, high-quality stones and metals. In addition to running her business, she also lectures at her alma mater, the Tshwane University of Technology.

Coenie Grebe
Executive Creative Director
A Code For Creativity

Coenie is a locally and internationally awarded creative with 16 years of Industry experience. He currently serves as Creative Partner at Ogilvy South Africa by day – and sometimes night – leading the charge on big accounts like Cadbury and Coronation Fund Managers. With a background in Information Design, his talents culminate at the intersection of Design Thinking, Advertising & Culture—finding breakthrough, elegant solutions that solve business problems in beautiful, surprising and sometimes perfectly silly ways. His job is to help others fall in love with their own. And, as someone born to 4 consecutive generations of teachers, he thrives in encouraging, nurturing, and celebrating young voices within the industry. Why? Because he believes that his success lies in the success of those he leads.

Kim Chulu Amina
Founder of MindCity
Entrepreneurial Mindset

Kim is an entrepreneur, technologist, and consultant with a background in multimedia and graphic design. His passion lies in creating interactive experiences and games for both educational and entertainment purposes. He has a track record of success, including winning two local NASA App challenges (2014 & 2015), earning the People’s Choice award, and being a Top 20 worldwide finalist in 2014. Kim also won the GIZ Gamification for Social Good hackathon in 2015 and was a finalist at the MTN Business App of the Year in South Africa for Voonja, a citizen journalism platform. As the founder of the Unity 3D Africa User Group, he helps bridge communication between Unity and the developer community in Africa. He’s always eager to discuss the limitless possibilities of technology and turning innovative ideas into reality.

Corneil Clasen
Co-founder and MD of Stackworx
Finding, landing and keeping the right clients

Corneil is passionate about building a scalable, high-performance team, nurturing strong client partnerships, and turning complex problems into elegant, impactful software solutions.

Nino Sekeleni
Senior Art Director
Beyond Pretty: Build a Portfolio That Sells Thinking

I’m Nino Sekeleni, a Senior Art Director with 10 years’ experience specialising in sport portfolios. Rooted in film and TV, I bring cinematic pace, narrative, and craft to brand work. I’ve led creative across publications, FinTechs, and sport brand clients such as Betcoza, Visa, and Lions Cricket, delivering identities, campaigns, and content that move fans and meet business goals. At Migration, a creative and strategic studio, I partner with strategy, design, and motion teams to take ideas from insight to rollout, balancing bold thinking with production rigour. My sweet spot: athlete- and fan-first storytelling, sharp visual systems, and ship-ready work that performs on and off the field.

Retang Sebeka
Photographer – Director
Standing out in the Commercial Industry

Director Retang Sebeka is signed to Incommon, a production company founded by EP Tidimalo Motlhamme, whose decade-plus experience spans agency, production house, and post. Incommon is the perfect home for Retang to direct the kind of work he’s become known for; quirky, story-driven, and beautifully framed. His style sits somewhere between cool and curious, with a voice that blends fashion sensibilities, cultural fluency, and a gently funny take on the world.

Ayanda Mzondeki
Founder & Managing Director: Liyema Consulting
Tech, Talent & Tomorrow: Unlocking Opportunities in the World of Work

Ayanda Mzondeki is an award-winning entrepreneur, executive coach, and global speaker with nearly two decades of experience in human resources, leadership development, and digital transformation. As the founder of Liyema Consulting Group and co-founder of Afro-Future Tech, Ayanda empowers women leaders and innovators across Africa to build confidence and scale their impact. Her leadership approach combines corporate expertise, entrepreneurial grit, and a passion for nurturing innovation ecosystems. Through her work with the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize, she mentors emerging innovators and champions African entrepreneurship. Ayanda’s dynamic career includes international speaking engagements in cities like London, Istanbul, Palm Springs, and Lisbon. She also holds various mentorship roles, connecting startups with global corporations and investors. Ayanda is a certified member of WEConnect International and the Women Presidents’ Organization. She is also an alumna of both the EY Winning Women Program (AMEA) and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Program. These affiliations highlight her reputation as a transformational leader at the intersection of business, technology, and social impact.

Sabeeha Banubhai
Founder & CEO – Jack Studios
Finding Your Tribe

I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur with a wide range of experience in tech, design, and business. I founded Jack Studios as a side hustle while completing my degree at Open Window and am now running it as a successful digital product studio with my dream team. Surrounding myself with people who reflect who I want to be and how I want to feel has been my greatest challenge and biggest accomplishment.