Eight questions for the interested and interesting: Khensani Nobanda

We can’t say that we were surprised to hear that Khensani Nobanda has been named Marketer of the Decade (2016-2026) by global marketing consultancy Scopen.

Now group chief marketing officer at Nedbank, Nobanda’s two-decade journey spans Unilever, Diageo, South African Breweries and Vodacom before she landed at the bank in 2017, where she’s championed marketing rooted in real purpose. We asked her our “Eight Questions for the Interested and Interesting” and found out about her walks with Samuel L Jackson!

What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year?

Pepe Marais gifted me the first copy of his book, One Word. So that made me feel pretty special at a personal level. But more than that, the book interrogates why organisations with a clear purpose (which know why they do what they do) are more successful than the ones that don’t. He does this in a succinct and profound way, which I liked, because purpose can seem daunting, and maybe irrelevant in our current global context (geopolitics notwithstanding). The book also helped me to reflect on my own personal purpose, which is to liberate the best in others, to show them – through my own example and life – the art of the possible. And I’ve learnt that knowing my “why” has been a game changer for how I live my life.

How do you keep fit? 

I run. And, no matter the pace, I call myself a runner – no judgment here. I also enjoy walking our dog, Samuel L Jackson.

Weekday, low-key restaurant go-to? What do you order? 

I always say I eat for sustenance because I’m really no foodie. So my go-to is Jozi Gin in Bryanston, where I order their skinny lamb chops … with some shisha on the side.

What is the one artwork you’ll always love?

A Siphamandla Ex piece that reminds me of me. Authentic, unapologetic. Doing what she loves.

What is your biggest regret? 

I can’t ride a bike. I used to be able to. Clearly that “it’s like riding a bike” saying doesn’t apply to me. So many times I’ve wanted to explore places on a bike, and I just can’t seem to keep myself on it.

The one unusual item you can’t live without? 

I guess it’s not that unusual, but my one simple pleasure is shisha, and I make no apologies for it. I lived in Dubai for three years between 2008 and 2011 where it’s more common, and developed a habit for it. Interestingly, I’ve never smoked cigarettes, but I love the taste of shisha, and I am very fussy about how it’s made. And here’s a novel travel tip: I hunt for it in every country I travel to because the places where you can have it are generally off the beaten track.

Who was your high school celeb crush? 

Bobby Brown, especially, in his New Edition days. He and Whitney [Houston] came to Eswatini where I was at high school at St Michael’s boarding school. I skipped school to get a glimpse of him. It was worth all the trouble I got into!

Three songs that you’d take to a desert island? 

Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Wild Horses – the live version that Alicia Keys does with Adam Levine – which is a hauntingly beautiful song and also incidentally what I walked down the aisle to at my wedding. And then finally some South African hip-hop: Lemons (Lemonade) by AKA and Nasty C.

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_{Top image: Khensani Nobanda. Picture: supplied.}