For Mandie van der Merwe, Chief Creative Officer of Saatchi & Saatchi, creativity isn’t just about bold ideas, it’s about who gets to shape them. And at a time when advertising is grappling with representation, inclusion, and leadership, she’s urging the industry to rethink what strong looks like.
Chatting with us ahead of the B&T Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media, van der Merwe a frequent inductee on the Women In Media Power List said that awards like this “do more than celebrate, they amplify voices that too often go unheard”.
“Creativity can only change culture when all perspectives are visible and valued. These awards don’t just hand out trophies; they set new standards, create role models, and prove diverse leadership drives the best work. They’re essential beacons pointing our industry to a more inclusive, powerful future”.
Enter B&T’s Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media now.
Van der Merwe’s perspective is grounded in experience. Over the past 17 years, she has worked as an art director and creative leader across Australia, South Africa, and the Middle East, rising to the rank of Executive Creative Director before becoming CCO at Saatchi & Saatchi. She has picked up more than 100 awards across nearly every major show. Her portfolio spans iconic brands such as Tourism Australia, Nando’s, Fox Sports, Tourism New Zealand, David Jones, MINI and Virgin Money. Notably, her work on Go Gentle Australia was recently nominated as one of the Australian Campaigns of the Decade.
All throughout, her leadership philosophy has been clear: diversity must go deeper than intention. “This is a space where there is always room to evolve and improve. And I won’t stop pushing for this. Change takes consistency, not perfection,” she explained.
“What gives me confidence is the groundwork we’re laying across the Groupe. The L’avenir program invests in 50 female creatives across APAC every year; that’s not symbolic, that’s structural change. Our Rise & Thrive program supports women early in their careers to step into leadership, and Marcel Mentors connects talent across borders, disciplines, and perspectives. We’re already seeing the shift: over half of our creative team now identifies as Millennial or Gen Z women. That’s real, measurable progress”.
Van der Merwe’s leadership has also been shaped by her personal and professional journey. “In South Africa, I was fortunate to have mainly female bosses, so I never doubted my ability to lead—oh, the joy of being young and naïve!” she joked.
Working through the country’s affirmative action era, where measures were introduced to ensure that qualified people from designated groups have equal employment opportunities and are equitably represented in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce, gave her a deeper understanding of inclusion and empathy.
“It was a government-led effort to correct the deep inequalities caused by apartheid, by creating more opportunities for people who had been historically excluded, especially in workplaces like ours. As a white South African, it meant I sometimes had to step aside so others could step forward,” she said.
“That experience gave me a new level of empathy for people navigating inclusion today, and I saw firsthand how much stronger and more representative our industry became because of it”.
In Australia, the environment was markedly different. “Female creative leaders were rare,” she recalled. “But coming from South Africa, I could imagine a different reality for myself. Plus, Avish Gordhan, my life and creative partner, is a person of colour, so the importance of diverse perspectives isn’t abstract for me. It’s personal and ever-present.”
That personal understanding drives her approach to creative work and team culture. “As a leader, I use the influence I have — who gets the opportunity, who’s behind the camera, whose voice is in the room — because diverse work doesn’t come from intention alone. It comes from action.”
“Change doesn’t happen by waiting, it happens by choosing who gets the mic, the brief, and the seat at the table,” she explained.
Van der Merwe is also keen to dismantle lingering myths around women in leadership. “The biggest misconception is that women lead with less boldness or decisiveness, that we’re more emotional or less risk tolerant,” she said.
“Harvard Business Review data shows that women consistently score higher than men in critical leadership competencies like resilience, collaboration, initiative, and driving for results. Despite this, we’re still expected to carry more of the emotional load, smoothing team dynamics, mentoring quietly, keeping the culture intact, often without recognition.
“We dismantle the myth by redefining what creative leadership looks like. Empathy, clarity, and collective thinking aren’t soft skills, they’re competitive advantages. And when women lead with them, it’s not a compromise. It’s what strong looks like now”.
Her views on mentorship also reflect this nuance.
“I don’t think your boss should be your mentor. There’s often too much power in the room for it to feel truly open or safe. Research backs this up – “developmental relationships” outside direct authority lines are more effective, especially for women. Why? Because external mentors can offer candid advice, advocacy, and perspective without the pressure of performance reviews or hierarchy,” she said.
“One of the mentorships I value most is with a brilliant female creative who used to work for me and is now based in the Netherlands and part of Publicis Groupe. She no longer reports to me, but we’ve kept that relationship going. And I see that as a real honour, it means I was a good enough boss that she still wants me in her life.
“My advice? Create structures that connect women with mentors outside of direct reporting lines, such as peer networks, cross-agency initiatives, or respected industry figures. That’s where the most honest, transformative conversations happen, the kind that help women grow on their own terms”.
Van der Merwe is also vocal about the need to stop romanticising risk in creativity. “The best work isn’t a leap of faith, it’s the result of clarity, trust, and shared ambition,” she said. “Inclusion isn’t a brave act either. It’s a leadership responsibility.”
“It means creating spaces where people can think freely, challenge safely, and bring their whole perspective to the table.
“One thing I do is actively invite my team to challenge my opinions. That’s not performative, it’s because I genuinely believe better ideas happen when power isn’t dominating the room. When people feel safe enough to push back, especially junior creatives or those from underrepresented backgrounds, that’s when you get real originality.
“You don’t need to tell people to be brave when the environment is built for boldness”.
When asked how she stays inspired in such a fast-moving landscape, she didn’t hesitate for a second. “If you’re not someone who thrives on the rush of constant change… maybe advertising isn’t the right industry for you,” she said. “I’ve made so many Christmas ads in my career, imagine how dull they would be without the advent of AI, social, and a constantly shifting media landscape.”
“I’m reminded of a quote from A Complete Unknown: “everyone asks where the songs come from…But when you watch their faces, they’re not asking where the songs come from. They’re asking why they didn’t come to them.”. It’s a reminder that creativity isn’t magic, it’s about being open and ready to receive, especially in a world that’s always shifting.
“So how do I stay inspired? By embracing change as a constant, staying curious about new ideas, and creating space for my team to experiment and push boundaries. Future-focused means accepting that nothing stays the same, and that’s exactly what keeps the work alive and exciting,” she said.
And when it comes to the future of women in the industry? Van der Merwe is hopeful, but realistic. “The biggest opportunity right now is that more women are in visible, creative leadership roles,” she says. “But the real shift? It’s when our presence isn’t treated as something to celebrate, it’s just expected. When women in leadership feels so normal that not seeing us there would be like walking out the door without your phone instantly, something’s missing”.
“That’s the future I hope I’m helping to build: where women’s creativity, authority and perspective aren’t the exception, they’re part of the everyday fabric of the industry. Because when women’s creativity, authority and perspective are part of the everyday fabric of the industry, that’s when we’ll know we’ve made real progress”.
Enter B&T’s Women In Media Awards, presented by Are Media now.
