#VinoPeople: Lehlohonolo Maphatsoe

Monday, 28 November, 2022
wine.co.za, Trudie Webb
The future is bright for Lehlohonolo "Lolo" Maphatsoe, DGB digital brand manager and UCT Graduate School of Business graduate.

Lehlohonolo "Lolo" Maphatsoe has been sharpening her digital marketing skills over the last seven years. A recent graduate of UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB)'s The Business of Wine course, she is combining her love for marketing with her love for wine. It's been an exciting year as Lolo recently joined DGB as a digital brand manager.

Did you always dream of a career in wine?

I was born and bred in one of the largest townships in South Africa, Soweto, before moving to the South of Johannesburg when I was 16. Growing up, I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps and become a politician. When I got to university, I discovered an open sea of opportunities and embarked on a journey of self discovery. I found a love for marketing and wine. I knew the two worlds had to co-exist.

What was your first wine gig?

The wine industry caught my attention about three years ago when I worked in trade for a Franschhoek-based wine farm while still living in Johannesburg. I always say to people, the wine industry chose me.

I later joined a Stellenbosch-based premium wine estate, managing all digital and brand marketing activities. The best part of that tenure was building solid relationships, engaging with customers, growing the brand, and tasting some of the finest wines in the world. 

You clearly have a thirst for knowledge. What is your study background and what do you still hope to achieve?

I started with my undergraduate degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, graduating in 2016. I completed short courses in Digital Marketing, SEO and Social Media Management and in the space of a year, also completed my WSET Level 2 Diploma in Wine. I recently graduated from UCT GSB with a qualification in The Business of Wine.

I am currently busy with WSET Level 3 with my sights on WSET Level 4 Diploma and hopefully an MBA in the future...

You were quite an impressive class of graduates in The UCT Business of Wine course, with winemakers and wine educators all sharpening their skills. What is the importance of this course?

The UCT GSB programme has been both an academic and career highlight. It's designed for wine professionals, looking to expand their knowledge and understand the value chain of operating a successful wine business.

It also stretches your critical thinking skills by presenting real-life business case studies and tasking students to dissect and "solve" the business cases. We learnt about all things wine finance, brand innovation, leadership innovation, wine marketing to sensory evaluation tasting.

Who is your role model in the wine industry?

The industry is blessed with passionate and serious game-changers. One person who I look up to and who has made a significant impact in my life is Cathy Marston from The Wine Centre, offering Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Level 1-4 Diplomas in Wines.

Cathy makes education fashionable. Her approach to providing wine education is fun, engaging and seamless. She has created a platform that pays forward and changes a lot of individuals' careers. The work she’s doing with PYDA is commendable and noteworthy. What a champion!