"I will be heading up the office from Cape Town and working closely with our clients, our team on the ground and the business as a whole," Rocha says.

Rocha adds, "This is to make sure the work we put out is fresh and that we create space in consumers' lives for the brands we build."

Rocha says that creativity brings perspective to brands and gives them a role to play.

"Over my almost 20 years in this crazy ad game, a lot has changed — from the people, to tech, to channels. I've learnt that bringing solutions to life in a way that feels like they are not just another ad is what works, and that is what I will keep pushing for," adds Rocha. "Life is already way too serious, so let's play more; if we can bring some delight to the people who engage with the work, that's the job done."

"As a shining star of our Cape Town creative team, Rocha has driven some of the best work our agency has ever done," says joint CEO Diane Wilson. "With a client roster that now includes Hollard, Google, Strettons and Uber, she has become a powerful female creative leader and we couldn't be more pleased to see her grow to the natural next level."

"I love the work we create at VMLY&R, and the opportunity to grow our brands, the team and our clients is awesome," adds Rocha.

Rocha concludes, "I'm looking forward to shaping great work for South Africa. I think the bar is high and we have strong players. I really believe South Africa has a lot to bring to the industry globally."

For more information, visit www.vml.com. You can also follow VMLY&R on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.