About

Savvy. Direct. Relentlessly on Your Side.

Four decades of leadership, a nation's brand transformed, and a fierce commitment to helping you break through what's holding you back.

The Short Version

I'm a Master Coach, former CEO, Harvard speaker, and reformed advertising executive who's spent 40+ years helping people and organisations cut through the noise and get where they need to go.

I've led teams, built brands, advised presidents, and sat on boards. Now I work one-on-one and with leadership teams to create the kind of change that actually sticks.

I'm known for being direct, disarming, and deeply transformative. I won't waste your time—and I won't let you waste your potential.

The Full Story

From Advertising to Nation Branding to Coaching

The Early Years

My career began in advertising and marketing, where I spent over two decades learning how to shape perceptions, build brands, and move people to action. I rose to Group Media Director at Ogilvy & Mather South Africa—one of the world's most respected agencies—where I honed my ability to think strategically, communicate clearly, and deliver results under pressure.

But I wanted more than campaigns. I wanted impact.

Annual board meeting

Annual board meeting

Brand South Africa

In 2002, I was appointed founding CEO of Brand South Africa, a body established by President Thabo Mbeki to redefine how the world saw our nation. It was audacious. It was complex. And it was one of the most meaningful challenges of my life.

Under my leadership, we created the "Alive With Possibility" campaign—a global initiative that earned international acclaim and became a case study in nation branding. We didn't just change perceptions; we shifted how South Africans saw themselves.

I reported directly to the Presidency, worked with government ministers, engaged global business leaders, and represented South Africa on stages from Harvard to the World Economic Forum.

Yvonne Johnston with President Nelson Mandela

With Madiba

The Shift to Coaching

After Brand South Africa, I could have stayed in the corporate world. Instead, I followed my deeper calling.

Since 2015, I've been a certified Master Consciousness Coach (ICF PCC), building a global coaching practice that draws on everything I've learned—about leadership, about people, about what it really takes to change.

I work with senior executives, entrepreneurs, and individuals who are ready to stop settling and start leading their lives with intention. My clients come from across the globe, and they stay because this work delivers.

How I Work

I don't do comfortable coaching.

I ask hard questions. I challenge lazy thinking. I call out blind spots with precision and care. And I hold you accountable to the person you're capable of becoming.

This isn't therapy. It's not consulting. It's a partnership built on radical honesty, fierce belief in your potential, and a process that creates real, lasting change.

My Commitments:

Credentials & Recognition

ICF PCC Certified

Professional Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation

Master Consciousness Coach©

Certified in Consciousness Coaching methodology

Founding CEO, Brand South Africa

Appointed by President Thabo Mbeki

BWA Businesswoman of the Year Finalist

2005

Harvard Speaker

Presented on "Changing the Perceptions of Africa"

World Economic Forum

Represented South Africa on global stage

Group Media Director, Ogilvy & Mather

5 years leading media strategy

Board Member

South African Tourism, Valued Citizens, and others

When I'm Not Coaching

I believe life should be lived fully—not just worked through.

When I'm not coaching, speaking, or stirring up change, you'll find me exploring a new corner of the world, experimenting in the kitchen (I take my cooking seriously), or out on the golf course pretending I'm getting better.

And then there are my cats. According to them, my true calling is professional cat-lap-provider. They may have a point.

I bring all of this into my coaching: curiosity, humour, a refusal to take myself too seriously, and a deep appreciation for what makes us human.

Yvonne Johnston

The Work That Changed a Nation

The "Alive With Possibility" campaign wasn't just advertising—it was a movement. It redefined South Africa's global image and reminded an entire nation what they were capable of.

This remains one of my proudest achievements, and it taught me what's possible when you combine bold vision, disciplined execution, and an unwavering belief in potential.

Watch the Campaign →

Let's See What's Possible

Whether you're leading an organisation or navigating your own path forward, I'd be honoured to work with you.

Get in Touch

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