HALO MEDIA - OUR PEOPLE
Hi, we're Halo.
Our work is corporate. We're not.
Our studios are full of noise, laughter, friendship and food.
This culture is important to us and we love it.
Our team work from our UK and South African offices.
We’re not just a creative agency, we’re business designers.
136 years - that's how long we've been in the design business! That's a lot of experience for a team of eight (we'll save you the math, each member has an average of 17 years' experience). We're very intentional about creating a compassionate and caring work culture – with our team and our clients. If you choose Halo, you'll choose a group of skilled people who are values-based. We choose value in how we behave, the value we bring to our clients, and how we select the companies we work with.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR | OWNER Hayes Cunningham
With more than 25 years in the brand and advertising world, Hayes is passionate about brand strategy and unpacking the "why" behind a company and how that plays out in the marketplace.
A perfectionist by nature, his strengths are understanding the psychology behind branding and the art of visual storytelling.
Hayes is known for his quiet honesty and unique approach to solving problems with a calm perspective.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
UK office - Special skill:
Brand Strategy and Video Production - Can be bribed with:
Pizza - TV shows:
James Bond movies - Can't get enough of:
Fishing & guitar
Learn more about Hayes, and how a childhood in a war-torn area defined how he thinks with brands.
BRAND DIRECTOR | OWNER Louise Cunningham
Louise is really into operational brand cohesion – i.e. getting it all to work together just right.
Her 25 years of international experience in the graphic design and marketing industry have exposed her to learning from some of the top global businesses and bringing that knowledge to her clients.
She’s a seasoned traveller and brings her love of adventure to pushing boundaries in marketing strategy and creative R&D.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
UK Office - Special skill:
PowerPoint presentation design - Can be bribed with:
Anything chocolate - TV shows:
Bad reality TV (not stooping as low as the Kardashians though!) - Can't get enough of:
Hiking with her dogs
CREATIVE MANAGER | DESIGN LEAD Deshnee Subrayen
Deshnee is a bit of a speed freak. Not on the road, but just watch her on a Mac! A solid all-rounder, she’s calm under pressure and has a wide range of technical experience in visual communication, UX and web design. She is a long-term member of Halo and leads the team in the Durban office.
Despite her love of all things pink and sparkly, she excels in her specialist experience in high-level financial and mining brand design – none of which are sparkly.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Speciality:
Brochure & Annual Report design - Can be bribed with:
Pasta - TV shows:
Suits - Can't get enough of:
Anything pink!
Discover more about Deshnee, including her belief in brand consistency.
Senior Designer | Researcher Dominique Balie
Dominique brings an international flavour to Halo Media with a (somewhat compulsive) obsession with Italy and global design ideas!
A strong ‘business’ designer, she has research and data interpretation skills to ensure the design effectively meets its target.
Dominique’s thoughtfulness means she brings detail into strategic implementation plans and thinks around corners for our clients.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:
Research-based creativity - Can be bribed with:
Buffalo mozzarella - TV shows:
Documentaries - Can't get enough of:
Non-fiction books
Discover how Dominique marries a love of knowledge with design.
FINANCE | ACCOUNTS Gill Crawshaw
Gill is like a charming sniper! Her keen financial mind helps us to streamline not only Halo Media but also helps our clients' businesses be more profitable.
She is not only a qualified AGA(SA) Accountant, but she’s also an Archer (yes really!) so she actually does reach targets!
Gill differs from every accountant we've ever met – she brings enthusiasm, creativity and dynamic thinking energy to Halo.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:
Seeing financial patterns - Can be bribed with:
Greek food - TV shows:
Lie to Me - Can't get enough of:
Her parrot, Kevin, and good music
Find out more about how Gill mixes her financial acumen with business strategy.
KEY ACCOUNTS | CONTENT & PROOFING Shivani Poovalingam
Shivani’s been in the advertising game since 2011. She enjoys conceptualising hard-hitting campaigns and keeping our clients happy.
Shivani is our resident grammar police and hyphen ninja. Incorrect hyphen usage won’t get past her and she even has a real paperback dictionary.
With keen attention to detail and a can-do attitude, she's so dedicated that she has to be told to go home at the end of the day!
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:
Proofreading. Shivz can spot a double space from across the room - Can be bribed with:
Cupcakes - TV shows:
Modern Family, Stranger Things - Can't get enough of:
Cats
Learn more about how Shivani's competitive nature boosts her professionally.
ACCOUNT MANAGER Ratiba Mohale
Ratiba is not only an efficient account manager, he is also a qualified geologist! His expertise and unique background ensures he brings a fresh and informed perspective to every project he manages.
His other passions include connecting with people and forming relationships. Whether it’s reading the latest psychology books, hosting an empowerment podcast or attending a TEDX Durban event, he’s always driven to uplift those around him.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:Strategic thinking and building relationships
- Can be bribed with:Streetwise three with pap from KFC
- TV shows: Anything sports related, especially Soccer
- Can't get enough of: Understanding Human Psychology!
Discover how Ratiba uses psychology and public speaking to influence his role.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER | MULTI-MEDIA Tannah Renou
Tannah is a multi-disciplinary graphic designer. She writes, illustrates, animates, web designs, video edits and is a social media whizz!
Tannah's ability to output creatively across multiple channels means she can not only conceptualise an idea, but roll-out the entire project too!
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:
Research-based ideation - Can be bribed with:
A yummy desert - TV shows:
The Office - Can't get enough of:
European novels and a good sunset!
Account Manager Jo Moon
Jo’s bubbly, and confident personality brings energy and warmth to our team. As an account manager, Jo has a knack for communication. Pair this with her ability to plan, organise and execute and you can be sure that your projects will be in the best hands.
Outside of the office, Jo finds her rhythm with a good run. She loves running on wild trails or around the neighbourhood because it connects her with people from all walks of life.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:Communication
- Can be bribed with:PS bars that say, ‘I’m Awesome!’
- TV shows: Emily in Paris
- Can't get enough of: Running and her family!
Learn more about how Jo uses a run to recharge and refuel in order to crush her targets.
Graphic Designer | Multi-Media Nick Naidoo
Nick is our AI aficionado and multimedia designer, which means he’s always on the pulse of the latest trends. His passions for 3D animation, artificial intelligence and digital art mean that he brings cutting-edge creativity to every project.
You’ll find him assisting in a campaign, making a video or using his razor-sharp attention to detail. In short, Nick ensures our designs are nothing short of perfection!
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:Mastering Photoshop
- Can be bribed with:Chateau Gateaux
- TV shows: The Big Bang Theory
- Can't get enough of: Traveling and deep sea snorkelling with
marine life!
Find out more about Nick's infectious passion for AI and 3D animation.
Administration | Finance Kay Worthington
Kay is a cool, calm, and collected presence in the office. This is just what we need to bring some sanity into our creative madness!
She is an integral part of our behind-the-scenes team who keep our ship running smoothly. If there’s something we need, she’s on it.
QUICK FACTS
- Location:
South African Office - Special skill:Attention to detail and time management
- Can be bribed with:Whispers Chocolate
- TV shows: Shonda Rhimes shows
- Can't get enough of: The ocean, reading books and self-improvement!
Top brands trust us
We've had the pleasure of working with brands that we have brand crushes on.
We pride ourselves on our trustworthiness and reliability.
Working with leading brands has meant we've stepped out of our comfort zone to work with giants.
We've learned a lot working with them, and it's this cumulative experience that has given us, we believe, superpowers!