Founder & Account Strategist
Samantha Perry is the owner and founder of SJ Perry PR. She has 20-odd years’ experience as a journalist and a PR professional, and holds a Master’s degree in ICT Policy & Regulation from the University of the Witwatersrand.
As a journalist, she covered the ICT sector for the likes of Computing SA (editor), ComputerWeek, and Brainstorm magazine (editor). In her capacity as a PR professional and consultant, she has and does work with a variety of companies including Google (South Africa & Nigeria), Salesforce, CLEVVA, Euphoria Telecom, OfferZen, Mindjoy and Root.
She co-founded and runs an initiative called WomeninTechZA, which aims to bridge the gender diversity gap in the tech sector. Her background as a journalist means she has an in-depth understanding of what drives media engagement and how to position stories and angles to attract their interest and get the right messages out to her clients’ desired audiences.
Account Manager
Ansie Vicente is a media professional with more than 30 years’ experience across newspapers and magazines (custom, trade and consumer), as well as in PR and marketing.
She has done strategic and tactical planning and execution of communication plans and publications for clients as diverse as ITWeb, the Mail & Guardian, MultiChoice Africa, the Legacy Hotel Group, NFTfi, Mindjoy, Root Platform, OfferZen, Microsoft, HP, Google, Euphoria Telecom, Peach Payments and the Human Sciences Research Council.
She holds a Higher Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and lives in Johannesburg, where she is a keen backyard vegetable gardener.
Media strategist
Renée Conradie started her career at a computer bureau where she worked on various computer systems across commercial and stockbroking firms. After Y2K, she changed career path and joined an IT-focused PR agency.
She combined her tech knowledge with PR and took many brands to press. Under The Shuttleworth Foundation umbrella, startups such as translate.org.za, The Freedom Toaster, MobiLearn, M4Lit, Siyavula and The Village Telco. VC InvenFin’s funding recipients ArcAqua, Ad Dynamo and BOS Brands. The introduction and launch of Obami.com will remain a memorable success. Some other highlights include working with multinational tech clients IFS, Oracle, Symantec, MediaTek and WorldRemit.
She loves working with the media and lives for cats – somewhere in Jo’burg.
Operations Assistant
Chantel Coetzee supports the head of SJ Perry PR, Samantha Perry, as an Operations Assistant. Her background includes community management and her focus is on social media strategy, client reporting management, and enhancing the company’s online presence. Chantel combines her professional responsibilities with travel, working remotely while exploring new cultures.
Office Manager
Pip takes her role as Office Manager at SJ Perry PR very seriously, and focuses on chasing tails, attacking mice and sleeping on keyboards.