ABOUT ME | ZODWA KUMALO-VALENTINE

My core strengths are conceptualizing, shaping, creating, and commissioning content for a target audience. I’ve worked on magazines such as DRUM & City Press’ iMagazine - tailoring content for an urban, lifestyle-driven readership; MARIE CLAIRE and ELLE - both highly aspirational readerships with a strong fashion, beauty, celebrity and popular culture focus; and was also part of a team that successfully created content (features and video) that sits comfortably alongside potatoes, vases and baby rompers and serves to enhance and drive sales on the newly launched Woolworths e-commerce site.

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I worked at Arena Holdings, responsible for conceptualizing, commissioning and editing digital native content campaigns for brands on Sunday Times, TimesLIVE, Business Day, Wanted, SowetanLIVE, Financial Mail, HeraldLIVE, DispatchLIVE.

I was the arts culture and entertainment editor at Mail & Guardian responsible for creating a convergent strategy that strengthens the brand’s editorial coverage across both platforms; conceptualizing, commissioning and editing content on a daily to weekly basis; and creating an editorial environment - working closely with the advertising and sales team.

I have a strong design background. I have a strong knowledge of the consumer magazine industry with established industry contacts, work to strict deadlines and deliver on time every time. Having worked across all media platforms, and being primarily tasked with creating synergy between sales and editorial teams, and very much project-focused, my experience gives me a unique perspective in terms of the publishing industry, as well as communications and media relations.

I am digitally savvy (mostly about the UX) and enjoy working both in the back end and in the front end.

In summary, I have a strong background and experience in both print and online media.