Lee Cahill

About Me

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Last updated: 12 February 2012

I'm an independent communications consultant, freelance writer and editor with many years of experience.

I've been in private practice since October 2002, and am the sole proprietor of Cahill Communications, a specialist communications consultancy. My last permanent position was as Group Marketing Manager for Business Partners Limited, South Africa's leading investment company for small and medium enterprises.

I now service a portfolio of clients that includes, amongst others, African Business Database Limited, Sappi Paper and Paper Packaging, Genesis Analytics and PowerHouse PR, and have previously done a number of projects for such clients as Sappi Limited, Sappi ReFibre, Business Partners, Business Partners Mentors, Business Partners International, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), the Institute of Natural Health (INH), the Road Accident Fund (RAF), PG Bison, and the PR agencies, Gillian Gamsay International, Chillibush, On Point and C-Squared.

Ad hoc projects that I've done have included work for such clients as Afrox, FinBond, FirstRand, FNB Leveraged Finance (previously FNB Enterprise Solutions) and Sandvik Mining and Construction.

Working as a contributing writer and/or editor, I've also contributed to a wide range of projects for African Bank, the Department of Transport, the ETDP SETA (the Education, Training and Development Practices Sectoral Education and Training Authority), the Expanded Public Works Programmes (EPWP), the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Grindrod Bank, Mail and Guardian, Monitoring South Africa (MSA), the National Empowerment Fund (NEF), the National Treasury, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the State Information and Technology Agency (SITA), TechnoServe, The Ambassadors Business Support Network, The Freedom Park, THRIP (government's Technology and Human Resources in Industry programme) and Wiphold.

Previous clients have included such companies and institutions as the Anglo-American Central Training Unit, Furman Glass, HSBC, the Johannesburg SPCA, KPMG, National Data Systems, and Telkom, while previous full-time posts have included those of National Marketing Manager: Struik Publishers; Senior Manager (Promotional Marketing): Nedcor; and Manager (Television and Radio Advertising): Standard Bank.

I have an Honours degree in English and a Bachelors degree in Art History. I also completed the Certificate Programme in Strategic Marketing Management at the Wits Business School in 1995, the Intermediate Photography Course at the National School of Photography in 2005, and the Random House Struik Creative Writing Course in 2010, as well as having extensive post-experience training.

In my consulting work, I specialise in strategy development, communications planning, creative conceptualisation and branding.

As a writer and editor, I specialise in developing media content for all media channels, and in researching and writing corporate reports, profiles and in-depth documentation, especially when there is a need to communicate complex concepts in everyday language.

My work philosophy is to provide an expert, efficient and cost-effective professional service, on deadline and to budget. I take pride in forming long-term relationships with my clients, and in developing in-depth knowledge of their companies and organisations.

Services

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I specialise in strategy development, communications planning, creative conceptualisation, branding and content development for both traditional and new media.

The services I offer include:
~ strategic planning
~ marketing and communications planning
~ corporate image development
~ branding
~ corporate, marketing, media, public, internal, stakeholder, corporate social investment (CSI) and mass communications

More specifically, I develop communications strategies and plans for a wide range of products and services; conceptualise, develop and implement branding and communications campaigns and develop copy for communications elements such as:
~ annual reports
~ corporate reports, profiles and presentations
~ media releases
~ editorial features
~ branding campaigns
~ launch and re-launch campaigns
~ ads
~ brochures
~ posters
~ information leaflets
~ web sites and blogs
~ internal newsletters
~ client newsletters
~ e-newsletters
~ special promotions
~ sponsorship support programmes
~ corporate social investment campaigns

I also offer project management services, develop creative briefs and write marketing, sponsorship and corporate social investment proposals.

Strategy

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As strategies developed for and on behalf of clients are not in the public domain, I'm unable to post any examples.
However, this is a list of some of the larger strategies I've researched and written in recent years, beginning with the most recent:
~ Sappi Paper and Paper Packaging: Strategic Rationale and Communications Plan for the launch of Sappi's first-ever consumer campaign, 'i choose paper' (2010)
~ PG Bison: Brand and Product Portfolio Marketing and Communications Strategy (2008)
~ Sappi Kraft: Brand and Product Portfolio Marketing and Communications Strategy (2008)
~ Sappi Kraft: Resilio Launch Marketing and Communications Strategy (2007)
~ Sappi Kraft: Barricoat Launch Marketing and Communications Strategy (2007)
~ South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI): Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden and Harold Porter National Botanical Garden Marketing and Communications Strategy (2007)
~ Sappi Fine Paper: Triple Green Media Launch Strategy (2006)
~ Afrox: Strategic Marketing, Media and Stakeholder Communications Strategy (2005)
~ South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI): Lowveld National Botanical Garden Marketing and Communications Strategy (2005)
~ Sappi Limited: Mpumalanga Regional Communications Strategy (2005)
~ FNB Leveraged Finance: Launch Strategy (2004)
~ Now Media: Travelinfo Marketing and Communications Strategy (2003)
~ Institute of Natural Health: Marketing and Communications Strategy (2002)
~ Furman Glass: Brand Re-Launch Strategy (2002)
~ Business Partners Limited (previously the Small Business Development Corporation): Brand Re-Launch Strategy (2002)
~ Struik Publishers (Johnnic Communications): Brand Re-Launch Strategy (1999)
~ Struik Publishers (Johnnic Communications): Sales and Marketing Strategy (1999)
~ D Sat: Advertising Strategy (1999)
~ Johannesburg SPCA: Brand Re-Launch and Communications Strategy (1998)
~ KPMG: Corporate Communications Strategy (1996)
~ HSBC Simpson Mc Kie: Brand Re-Launch Strategy (1996)
~ HSBC Simpson Mc Kie: Marketing Plan (1996)
~ HSBC Simpson Mc Kie: Creative Strategy (1996)

Corporate and Marketing Communications

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These are just a few examples of corporate and marketing communications I've developed.

Click on any of the links below to view or download examples, which have been archived as PDF files at scribd.com. Please let me know if you experience any broken links - click on the Contact Me tab in the toolbar for an easy-to-use response form.

~ Business Partners Limited: 2007 Annual Report
~ Business Partners Limited: Empowerment Fund Brochure
~ Business Partners Limited: Tourism Fund Brochure
~ Sappi Limited: 2007 JSE Profile (Original Copy)
~ Sappi Fine Paper: Triple Green FAQs
~ SA National Roads Agency: Roads to a New Tomorrow Ad (Original Copy)

NOTE: Please click on the tabs at the top of the page for examples of work done between 2008 and the present.

Media Communications

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I have a large portfolio of media releases, editorials and features that have been written for a range of different clients and publications.

Click on any of the links below to view or download examples, which have been archived as PDF files at scribd.com. These are listed in date order, beginning with the most recent. Please let me know if you experience any broken links - click on the Contact Me tab in the toolbar for an easy-to-use response form.

~ Mail and Guardian: Faith in a Green Tomorrow (Editorial for the Mail and Guardian "Greening of the Future" Supplement, 5 September 2008)
~ Department of Public Works / International Labour Organisation: 12th Annual ILO Regional Seminar (Editorial profile of the seminar, Mail and Guardian, 1 October 2007)
~ Sappi Limited: 2007 Ideas That Matter Awards (Announcement of the world-wide Sappi Ideas That Matter Design Awards, 28 August 2007)
~ Business Partners: Jumping the Wage Gap (Editorial for the Business Day National Women's Day Survey, 9 August 2007)
~ Sappi Kraft: Changing the Face of Product Packaging (Editorial for a Financial Mail Packaging Feature, 12 April 2007)
~ Sappi Limited: Enabling Children to Speak Out in the Own Voices (Editorial for Mail and Guardian "Emerging Voices" Feature, February 2005)
~ FNB Leveraged Finance: FNB Launches Enterprise Division for Entrepreneurs (Launch Media Release, May 2004)

NOTE: Please click on the tabs at the top of the page for examples of work done between 2008 and the present.

Web Content

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Sappi Paper and Paper Packaging "i choose paper" Campaign

"i choose paper" is Sappi's first consumer campaign, and is specifically designed to inform consumers of the benefits of using fully-sustainable paper packaging in preference to other non-sustainable and environmentally-damaging options.

I'm proud to have developed the strategy for this campaign and to have conceptualised and developed all of the communications elements with the stirling input of my design associate, Cilmi Steyn of Steyn Photo&Graphic and the able assistance of web designer Mark of Bellboy Media. See the "i choose paper" web site for more.

Sappi / WWF Tree Routes Partnership

I conceptualised and developed the content for the Sappi WWF TreeRoutes Partnership web site to the client's brief.

The project's aim is to foster a new concept in co-operative rural development that fulfils both human and environmental needs. This is being done by creating unique community-owned and run eco-tourism destinations in the endangered forests and wetlands of KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape provinces.

Please note that the original copy may since have been amended by the client or the webmaster.

Business Partners Limited

I conceptualised and developed most of the content for the Business Partners web site, including all of the downloadable elements, such as the annual reports and brochures.

I have also developed some content for the related SME Toolkit, an International Finance Corporation initiative. Business Partners is South Africa's leading investment company for small and medium enterprises and, since inception, has invested over R6 billion in entrepreneurial ventures.

Please note that the original copy on may have been amended by the client or webmaster.

I've also previously developed either complete web sites or web site content for Sappi Limited, Sappi Fine Paper, FNB Leveraged Finance, Struik Publishers, Furman Glass, the Johannesburg SPCA and Uniglobe Bay Travel, as well as establishing and running my own web site, SAbookworm.com (now dormant).

Executive Speeches

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These are some examples of executive speeches I've written, which have been archived as PDF files at scribd.com. They are listed in chronological date order, beginning with the most recent.

Please let me know if you experience any broken links - click on the Contact Me tab in the toolbar for an easy-to-use response form.

~ Road Accident Fund: Executive Speech - UN World Day of Rememberance, Johannesburg (2007)
~ Sappi Limited: Executive Speech - Retirement of Chairman Eugene van As, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga (2003)
~ Sappi Limited: Executive Speech - Sod Turning Ceremony, The Innovation Hub, Pretoria (2003)
~ Sappi Limited: Executive Speech - Smart Partnership Summit, Ezulwini, Swaziland (2003)
~ Sappi Limited: CEO's Address - Launch of LignoTech Expansion, Umkomaas, Kwa-Zulu Natal (2002)
~ Struik Publishers: Executive Speech - Launch of "And Nothing But The Truth ...?", the first book to be published about "Hansiegate", Johannesburg (2000)

I've also written many executive speeches for other clients that are unfortunately not in the public domain, and therefore cannot be made available here.

Mass Communications

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Click on one of the links below to view or download examples of mass communications or community newspapers that I've written, which have been archived as PDF files at scribd.com. These are listed in date order, beginning with the most recent.

Please let me know if you experience any broken links - click on the Contact Me tab in the toolbar for an easy-to-use response form.

~ iMali Matters February 2008 Issue (Original Copy): A financial literacy publication distributed monthly through all South African post offices
~ Community Talk February 2008 Issue (Original Copy): A community magazine distributed free in the major metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth

Pro Bono Work

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Pro bono work is very important to me, and I devote a lot of time to it.

As far as community-based projects are concerned, I'm the founding member of the Joburg Advocacy Group, which I also run. We advocate for best practice governance, social justice and environmental protection in the City of Johannesburg. Our current projects include the Joburg Billing Crisis Campaign, the Jukskei River and Bruma Lake Project; the Acid Mine Drainage Project, and the Service Delivery and Rights Project.

In a similar vein, I'm a member of and committed cyberactivist for Greenpeace, and a volunteer and cyberactivist for Avaaz.org, a global web movement with the simple democratic mission of closing the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want.

In the professional arena, I've been actively involved in mentoring black and female candidates in business and non-profit organisations for many years. I do this on an individual basis, either on request or having personally identified a candidate for mentorship during the course of my own work.

The process is on-going, and covers both formal and informal issues. The objective is to assist the candidate not only with skills development, but also with insight into situational analysis, interpersonal communication and conflict management.

In animal protection, I've served on the Board of the Johannesburg SPCA, the largest of the 110 societies countrywide, and done pro bono work for Friends of The Cat.

Less formally, I believe it's important to try and make a difference where I stand. I attempt to do this by assisting people I come into contact with in everyday life in small ways that will make an immediate difference to them. As Mohandas Gandhi said, you can't pray on an empty stomach, and sometimes the greatest good is served simply by making sure that someone is able to have a meal at the end of the day.