The team behind design week

Having spent 10 years building her namesake clothing studio, Margot Molyneux, a manufacturer and retailer of boutique collections of men’s and womenswear, Margot more recently turned her attention to the world of media, specifically focusing on interiors, architecture and decor, fulfilling the role of Managing Editor of House and Leisure publication and General Manager at independent publisher LOOKBOOK Studio. 2024 brought the launch of, Design Week South Africa, a seemingly natural career transition as she combined her love of design and storytelling with her enthusiasm for the local creative industry and its growth and development.

Since joining the biggest Sunday newspaper and working in various roles at the top lifestyle publications in the country, Zanele Kumalo continues to partner with premium brands to create and lead communities built around the creative economy – art, culture and design. With a twenty-year career in media, marketing and communications that sees her growing the now six-year-old boutique content studio whatzandidnext, she works as the Johannesburg liaison for Soho House Cities Without Houses, a global members club; the founding director of kumalo | turpin, a newly launched contemporary art space in Johannesburg; and on other projects.

Roland Postma believes that building people-first cities is a necessity, not an idealistic goal. With a first class Honours in Urban and Regional Planning from RMIT in Melbourne, he is currently the Managing Director at Young Urbanists NPC, where he aims to inspire a new generation of thinkers and doers around city design and management. Through co-founding the Active Mobility Forum and the public-private partnership Safe Passage Programme with the SDI Trust, he wants to prove that change is possible by providing solutions to local governments around the areas of housing, urban design and transportation.

Following on from her position as editor-in-chief of Asia’s leading design publication, Design Anthology, Simone Schultz brings an international perspective and understanding of the global creative landscape and its evolving narratives. She has spent a decade working with stakeholders in Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa and beyond at the intersection of design and media, helping designers, architects, thought-leaders and brands communicate their stories across mediums, geographies and contexts. Her involvement in Design Week South Africa marks her renewed focus on her home continent, where she will draw on her global experience to help build a window into and a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world.

Bielle Bellingham is a Business and Brand Director, cultural strategist, and former editor whose career spans creative direction, design journalism, and lecturing in design history and critical thinking. Formerly the editor of ELLE Decoration and a contributor to international design publications, she has championed design as a force for cultural reflection and transformation. As Executive Creative Director of Decorex Africa and 100% Design Africa, she reimagined exhibitions with bold vision, positioning them as platforms for innovation and dialogue. Today at Chommies, she leads the brand’s marketing and business strategy, building experiences and campaigns that celebrate African craftsmanship and quality design while broadening its influence locally and internationally.

Nandi Dlepu is a Johannesburg-based cultural entrepreneur, creative strategist, and curator. She is the founder of Mamakashaka, a creative agency, and the driving force behind Mamakashaka & Friends, a third-space venue that fosters connection through art, music, design, and dialogue. With a career rooted in storytelling and curating experiences, Nandi has shaped platforms such as Pantone Sundays, Feel Good Series, and Bloom, creating spaces where community and creativity thrive.

Sunny Dolat is a curator, creative director, and cultural producer working at the intersection of art, design, and storytelling. His practice merges heritage and innovation, translating cultural narratives into resonant experiences that honor tradition while shaping new design futures.

Ellen is driven by the realisation of design and craft as tools for socio-cultural, environmental, and political change. She has worked internationally for the past seven years in South Africa, Europe, and the UK, where she practiced in curation, creative production, product, and interior design. Ellen currently works as Curatorial Project Officer for Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture at the NGV where she supports the curation and implementation of Melbourne Design Week. She studied Industrial design at RMIT and Parsons and holds a Masters in Culture Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.