THE FOUNDER
A global career.
A return home.
A new chapter.
Where I come from
I grew up in Harrismith in the Free State, South Africa, and completed my schooling at Grey College in Bloemfontein.
The wider world
I studied communications at Michigan State University, followed by a master’s degree in Communication Management at the University of Technology Sydney. What began as an international chapter became 24 years of living, studying and working abroad.
The return home
Over time, the pull of home, family and belonging grew stronger. My parents, Pieter and Natalia Wagenaar, have called Val de Vie Estate home for the past decade. Today, the Cape Winelands is home again for me too.
EXPERIENCE
A broad perspective with a clear communications centre.
CHAPTER ONE · SYDNEY
Ogilvy Public Relations
I learned the communications craft during nearly nine years at Ogilvy Public Relations in Sydney, progressing from intern to Senior Account Director.
Ogilvy taught me how to listen carefully, think creatively, advise clients, navigate pressure and turn complex briefs into stories that could earn attention and move people.
CHAPTER TWO · AT SCALE
Microsoft Australia and New Zealand
I carried that foundation into almost nine years at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, where the scale and complexity changed, but the heart of the work remained the same.
I led communications across executive positioning, reputation, employee and stakeholder engagement, AI, cloud infrastructure, digital transformation, cybersecurity, sustainability and significant national investments.
Ogilvy taught me the craft. Microsoft taught me how to apply it at scale.
Alpha Comms brings those two chapters together: senior thinking, human communication and a determination to make the work matter.
Experience that connects business priorities with what people need to understand, believe and do.
01
COMMUNICATIONS LEADERSHIP
Corporate communications, reputation and stakeholder engagement.
02
EXECUTIVE POSITIONING
Leadership narratives, presentations and thought leadership.
03
NARRATIVE AND STORY
Corporate narrative, messaging, content and storytelling.
04
STRATEGY AND POSITIONING
Propositions, audience insight and strategic clarity.
05
CHANGE AND ENGAGEMENT
Transformation, employee communication and organisational alignment.
06
PURPOSE AND IMPACT
Purpose-led communication, community engagement and social impact.
A POINT OF VIEW
Communication should create movement.
The objective is not simply to produce more communication. It is to help people understand what is changing, believe in the direction and know what to do next.
01
CLARITY
People understand what matters and why.
02
BELIEF
Communication feels credible, relevant and human.
03
ALIGNMENT
Leaders, teams and stakeholders understand the direction.
04
MOMENTUM
Communication helps move the organisation from intention to action.
WHAT CLIENTS CAN EXPECT
A different kind of communications partnership.
Focused, independent and deliberately small enough to stay close to the work.
01
SENIOR ATTENTION
The person shaping the strategy stays close to the work.
02
CLARITY WITHOUT THEATRE
No unnecessary layers, inflated processes or communication for its own sake.
03
BUSINESS UNDERSTANDING
Communication connects organisational priorities with the reality of the people involved.
04
FLEXIBILITY
Alpha Comms can lead the work, strengthen an existing team or provide experienced counsel.