Kabelo Manyelo Takes Regional Marketing Role at Colgate-Palmolive
As competition intensifies across Africa's fast-growing oral care market, Colgate-Palmolive has strengthened its regional marketing leadership by appointing Kabelo Manyelo as Marketing Manager, Colgate Total & Therapeutics for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
The appointment places Manyelo in charge of driving the strategic growth of two of the company's flagship oral care portfolios across multiple Sub-Saharan African markets. In her expanded role, she will lead consumer-focused marketing strategies aimed at deepening brand relevance, accelerating portfolio growth and responding to the evolving oral health needs of consumers across the region.
The promotion reflects Colgate-Palmolive's continued focus on strengthening its leadership bench with experienced marketers capable of delivering innovation, building brand equity and supporting sustainable business growth in one of its key international markets.
Announcing the new role on LinkedIn, Manyelo described the appointment as the beginning of "a new chapter" in her professional journey, noting that the expanded responsibility aligns with her passion for purpose-driven brand building.
"A new chapter. A bigger mandate," she wrote.
"In this role, I'll be leading the strategic growth of the portfolio across diverse markets, consumers and oral care needs; building brands that go beyond the shelf to make a meaningful difference in people's lives.
"This opportunity brings together so much of what I'm passionate about: people, purpose, brands, innovation and growth. Excited for the journey ahead."
Manyelo's elevation follows a steady rise within Colgate-Palmolive since joining the business in 2023 as Brand Manager for Protex. Her performance subsequently earned her the role of Marketing Manager, Colgate Total, where she contributed to strengthening one of the company's most recognisable oral care brands before taking on broader regional responsibilities.
Prior to joining Colgate-Palmolive, she spent more than six years at Nestlé, managing a diverse portfolio that included Klim, Milkybar, Quality Street, Smarties and seasonal KitKat campaigns. During her tenure, she led integrated marketing initiatives, introduced new products to market, developed brand communication strategies and collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive long-term commercial growth.
She also began building her consumer goods expertise at Reckitt, where she gained broad commercial experience across marketing, sales, supply chain and business operations, providing a strong foundation for her subsequent leadership roles.
Recognised for championing consumer-centric marketing, Manyelo advocates for strategies grounded in deep consumer insight, continuous innovation and meaningful brand engagement. Beyond business performance, she is equally committed to developing future marketing leaders and advancing opportunities for women within the profession.
Academically, she holds both a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree in Marketing Management from the University of Pretoria. She has also completed several leadership and capability-building programmes at Colgate-Palmolive, including the Marketing Academy Accelerator and the Total Digital Programme.
Her appointment comes as global consumer goods companies continue to invest in localised leadership across Africa to better respond to changing consumer expectations and intensifying market competition. For Colgate-Palmolive, expanding Manyelo's responsibilities signals a continued commitment to strengthening its oral care portfolio through consumer-led innovation and regional market expertise.
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