Chris Botha is the Group Managing Director of Park Advertising – the owner of two of South Africa’s most prominent media agencies – The MediaShop and Meta Media.
A Bloemfontein boy by birth, Chris started his life in media when he was a student at the University of the Free State. He ran the local campus radio station (RSFM) and was the proud presenter of the sport show.
Chris joined The MediaShop in January 2000. He grew his media knowledge working on brands such as Nando’s, MINI, Virgin Mobile, Absa, and Shoprite Checkers.
Chris was appointed to The MediaShop management team in 2006, and to the Board of Directors in 2008. In January 2011, was made Group MD of the entire MediaShop operation.
Under his guidance The MediaShop has shown massive growth in billing, and initiated various industry first initiatives that has set the agency apart from its competition. In 2018 the group launched a new media agency called Meta Media and housed it under the Park Advertising holding company. The group further launched a large number of new services including a data hub, to a full digital capability, Outdoor production, as well as an Integrated Marketing services offering.
He considers himself an “alternative thinker” and believes in doing things differently. This was recognised in 2010, when he was chosen as the Media Innovator of the Year. In 2011 he was a judge at the Cannes Festival of Creativity, and in 2012, he was selected to be a judge at the International Festival of Media in Montreux.
In 2013 he was chosen as one of the 200 Young South Africans to look out for by Mail and Guardian, and also as one of the Top 40 under 40 in The Media. He was chosen as the “Media Rising Star” by the media owners of South Africa at the MOST Awards in 2013, and received the Shepherd Award at the MOST Awards in 2022.
In 2014 he was the recipient of the “Cum Laude award for business achievement” from the University of the Free State. Chris is a member of the board of the Advertising Media Forum (AMF) and served as Chairperson of the Board of the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation).
His personal allegiance lies with the two loves in his life. His family (wife Julie and kids Adam and Lauren), and the Free State Cheetahs rugby side.
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