Our Team

Kevin Welman, managing director of FleishmanHillard in South Africa, provides clients with counsel in many areas, most notably financial services, corporate communications and crisis management. A native South African who has been with the agency since his internship days, Welman has traveled the globe for clients in a wide variety of sectors and enjoys applying his experience with multinationals in the U.K., the U.S. and Asia to businesses in the rainbow nation.

Penny Goodwin specialises in reputation management and has worked across a diverse range of industries, including energy, travel and tourism, and public affairs. Goodwin, who previously served as head of marketing and communications for the African region of D1 Oils, uses her involvement in many corporate social investment projects to combine her interests in sustainable energy and African business.

Peter van der Merwe, a member of FleishmanHillard’s technology team, focuses on multinational clients in the consumer technology industry. In addition, he has experience in the education and energy sectors. A former journalist, Van der Merwe used to be managing editor for Business in Africa and the Mail and Guardian, and continues to write occasional opinion pieces for the latter’s website.

Sharon Piehl supports clients from a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, consumer marketing, logistics and healthcare. In addition, her experience includes investor relations and financial results reporting. In her previous roles, Piehl developed strategic media programmes in both internal and consultancy positions.

Thabo Leshilo is the former head of Sanef’s media freedom committee. In 2008 he left South Africa to become a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard. He sat on the PMSA and Sanef committee that established the Press Freedom Commission. He is the former CEO of Magna Carta Public Relations and brings with him 22 years of experience in newspapers.

Vanessa Baard is a specialist in financial services. Her expertise is in banking and insurance, as well as crisis management and corporate communications. In addition, she has worked with clients in the mining and automotive sectors. Baard, who previously led media and communications at Accenture South Africa, openly admits to loving the challenges of a good crisis.