NICO Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Taweni Gondwe Xaba as Group Head of Marketing and Customer Experience, effective 1 October 2025.

Taweni is a seasoned marketing and communications executive with 30 years of leadership experience across Africa working with global brands under Associated Media Publishing/Hearst, Viacom, Unilever and Mr Price Group, among others. She brings a proven track record of driving strategic growth, brand transformation, reputation management and customer engagement, across the media, advertising, and development sectors.

Taweni has held leadership roles at The Hardy Boys (VML/WPP), The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Viacom, Associated Media Publishing, Nation Publications Limited and Interactive Africa.

Her work has earned awards from the World Women Leadership Congress, Women in Marketing, and Toastmasters International, among others. A passionate advocate for women’s empowerment, she was launch editor of the global award winning Design Indaba Magazine, driving thought leadership in brand design and experience, as well as the launch editor of O, The Oprah Magazine and The Deal Magazine, and presenter of The Power Within on SABC3.

Taweni holds a BA in Humanities from the National University of Lesotho, a Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising from the AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Line Production from the Hollywood Film Institute (USA). She serves on several international advisory boards.

We welcome Taweni to the NICO Group Leadership Team. Her global perspective and deep expertise in brand building, communication, and customer experience will be instrumental in positioning marketing and communications as strategic drivers of growth across the Group.