Zibusiso Mkhwanazi is an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and Executive Chairman of M+N, CEO of Avatar X and widely recognised as the co-founder of Avatar, one of Africa’s leading black-owned integrated marketing and advertising agencies. His journey from humble beginnings to industry trailblazer is a testament to vision, resilience, and a deep commitment to unlocking African creativity for the world.Mkhwanazi began his entrepreneurial path by investing R2,000 from his mother into the stock market, growing it into R14,000, seed capital that funded his first business, Csonke, a web development company. After merging with a competitor to form Krazyboyz, he helped build one of South Africa’s top five digital agencies. He later partnered with Veli Ngubane to launch Avatar, a through-the-line agency that has redefined the marketing landscape through innovation and inclusive leadership.Under his leadership, Avatar has achieved numerous industry firsts:• Selected by Absa as the first black-owned lead agency for a top 10 brand in Africa• Appointed by the South African Presidency to lead national communications during the COVID-19 pandemic• Expanded to service nine African markets through Absa and Isuzu• Became the first African global agency for a global brand through its partnership with TECNO MobileIn 2024, Avatar won the Small Biz, Big Impact Ministerial Award at the Presidential MSME & Cooperatives Awards. That same year, Mkhwanazi was nominated by MarkLives for Agency Business Leader 2025 and celebrated as an Africa Rising Star. His leadership continues to position Avatar among the top five independent agencies in Africa, with over 200 employees and a turnover exceeding half a billion rand annually.Mkhwanazi is also the author of Business by Grace, a hybrid memoir and entrepreneurial manual. The book achieved #1 and #2 bestseller status at selected Exclusive Books stores, offering insight into his philosophy of faith-driven leadership and sustainable business growth.His accolades include being named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, a finalist for the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Awards, and receiving an entrepreneurial excellence award presented by Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.Beyond business, Zibusiso is a dedicated philanthropist and mentor. He founded the Mkhwanazi Foundation, which empowers emerging entrepreneurs through skills development and mentorship, and established David’s League, a Christian-based mentorship programme cultivating values-driven leadership. He also served as a trustee of NEET, a non-profit that has funded over 4,200 scholarships for underprivileged ICT students.Mkhwanazi’s impact lies not only in the brands he’s built, but in the lives he continues to uplift, championing inclusion, creativity, and African excellence on a global stage.About the podcast: Kasi Business Podcast is powered by TEA. A weekly business podcast that seeks to unlocking opportunities and practical resource tools to start and grow your business. We also profile corporate leaders, legendary black business leaders, industry practitioners and entrepreneurs. The podcast is hosted by Bulelani Balabala who is an awarded entrepreneur, business speaker and author. This podcast is aimed at unlocking opportunities and practical skills for micro-enterprises, start up, small businesses while sharing insight with professionals and policy makers. For guest enquiries and partnerships, get in touch with us: E: info@JoinUsForTEA.co.za T: 011 572 1033
