Mathabo Sekhonyana is a multi-award-winning marketing specialist, storyteller, and purpose-driven leader known for her innovative flair and bold brand vision. Recognised as a 2024 Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South African in the category of Technology and Innovation and named a Rising Star at the 2024 Africa Career Summit, Mathabo is rapidly carving out a reputation as a standout female force in male-dominated sectors such as technology and gaming.
Most recently serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Bettabets, Mathabo made waves with her pioneering approach to socially conscious brand building. There, she spearheaded the company’s first responsible gambling financial literacy initiative, using marketing as a force for good and delivering real impact to underserved communities. Her career is underpinned by a deep belief in purpose-led communications, combining business goals with social progress.
Before Bettabets, Mathabo was Head of Marketing & Communications at Adoozy Power, where she played a critical role in elevating the tech start-up to national prominence. Under her leadership, Adoozy became a recognised ‘One to Watch’ disruptor, securing partnerships with leading brands like UBER and SASOL, earning over R7 million in media coverage, and growing an engaged online community of nearly 20,000 followers. Notably, she also launched Adoozy’s gender-based violence campaign, delivering free self-defence and safety workshops to young women on university campuses across South Africa.
Mathabo’s core strengths lie in ‘Big Idea’ marketing, digital and social media strategy, public relations, influencer marketing, partnerships, and strategic communications. With an instinct for storytelling and a commitment to social impact, she brings energy and excellence to every brand she touches.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Mathabo is a proud board member of the B.E.A.R Foundation, an organisation focused on empowering young women, and serves as an ambassador for the Kay Mason Foundation, which supports promising young scholars.
Her motto:
“If I can think it, I’ll do it”
Associations and Membership:
- Professional Associate of The Institute of Marketing Management South Africa (IMM)
- Board member of B.E.A.R Foundation ( young female empowerment organisation)
- Ambassador for The Kay Mason Foundation
- Adjudicator for the Kay Mason Foundation’s Ethical Leadership Programme
Speaker engagements:
- Innovation Summit 2023 – speaker on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC) panel, on the topic of Fuelling Global Competitiveness in a Digital Age
- BEAR Foundation Women’s Month events 2023 – Female Empowerment and young girls’ Safety
- Marketing Café 2024 – Social listening 2.0 and leveraging artificial intelligence
- SIGMA 2025 – Africa's New Era of Safer Gambling and the role of marketing
- BiG Africa Summit 2025 – The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Sports Betting and Marketing
- Marketing Café 2025 – Speaker on the panel titled The Connection That Unites Us: Generational Marketing Explained
- Marketing Café 2025 – Moderator on the panel titled Building high-impact teams through a fusion of tradition and innovation
- Strategic Communication Summit 2025 – Using Real-Time Analytics to craft Engaging, Relevant, and Emotional Brand Experiences
- Kay Mason Foundation Career Summit 2025
A few of Mathabo’s Media Thought-Leadership articles/ Press:
Business Live
Bizcommunity
Pat on Brands Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GArXD0SY24U
Modern Marketing
https://modernmarketing.co.za/the-trump-ramaphosa-meeting-was-a-brand-moment/
Media Update
Standard Bank Top Business Women
https://www.topbusinesswomen.co.za/building-marketing-success-into-tech-innovation/
ItWeb
https://www.itweb.co.za/article/the-mobile-data-explosion-are-you-ready/RgeVDvPRVloMKJN3
IOL Business Report
MoneyWeb/ Hot FM with Jeremy Maggs
https://hot1027.co.za/business/when-pink-turns-problematic-how-brands-risk-losing-womens-trust/