ABOUT US
DELIVERING DIGITAL SOLUTIONS
WHO WE ARE
Thrive Online Group is a dynamic team delivering digital solutions from our offices in Nottingham, UK and Cape Town, South Africa, as well as offering remote digital media to clients in Australia. TOUK’s focus is on creating and delivering the best digital solutions to build brands online. We partner with you to build your custom digital presence.
Our USP:
The Group manages its digital operations out of our head office in Cape Town, South Africa. This structure gives Thrive Online Group a distinct competitive advantage in the UK… We deliver expert digital solutions at a very competitive cost to client, whilst achieving exceptional results and driving real value from all our work.
Our Group business experience is over 15 years in the market, working with medium- sized to blue-chip companies, on a national and multinational basis, including South Africa, Australia and the UK.
OUR VISION
OUR VISION
Thrive Online Groups vision in the UK is to deliver innovative, full service digital marketing solutions that empower our clients digital marketing and build solutions that deliver real value.
At Thrive Online Group, we believe in forward thinking and innovation, employing some of the best digital experts as part of our team and growing the next generation of digital creators. As part of the UK business growth, we believe in investing in the local community and will be actively investing in and expanding our UK operations, whist still driving our USP… Delivering value to our clients through our South African senior operational core.
Thrive Online Group UK is here to build long-term business relationships, work with our clients in the most impactful way and always deliver high-quality work that has been entrusted to us.
Our Approach
WORK THAT REFLECTS OUR CLIENTS VISION
Every client has a different vision for their digital success. We work with our clients to understand their strategy and goals and then develop the best digital solution, realising the required outcome at the best value.
A consultative approach has always been key to our success in all our work, and we understand that every client and every brief will be different. We work as a multinational team, matching the right people to the right client. We value our client relationships, nurturing and building on our successes together.
With strategic staff in both the United Kingdom and South Africa, our clients will have a team that can think differently, create new and innovative solutions within local markets, and help our clients’ digital marketing stand out from the crowd.
MEET THE MANAGEMENT TEAM
England born and South African raised, Mark has returned home to set up our UK offices. With 20 years in the marketing and media sales industry, at Senior Executive and Board levels, Mark has a wealth of experience in launching and building successful agency businesses. Having worked for some of the largest media businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, with exposure to many national and international brands, he will be the driving force behind our UK office and our clients main contact point. You can find Mark at the cricket pitch most weekends either supporting his family or playing himself, he has a love for good coffee and scotch whisky…. and a well pulled pint.
MARK FUTCHER
UK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Born and schooled in England, Edward graduated from the University of Cape Town in Economics and Political Studies. He spent 25 years in Advertising and Sports Marketing working on International brands such as Cadbury’s, Colgate, Xerox, Unisys, Bosch and global sports brands Manchester United, Springbok Rugby and the FIFA World Cup. In 2010 Edward launched Thrive Online with Grant and Curtis focusing on Digital Lead Generation in South Africa expanding into Australia and now into the UK market with Mark. His passion is yoga, walking the beautiful False Bay landscape and enjoying the fantastic wines of the Cape.
EDWARD LINDSAY-BOWMAN
GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Grant has spent more than 30 years in the Direct and Sponsorship Marketing industries, including Readers Digest, Old Mutual Direct, as well as managing one of the largest international affiliate programs Referback. For the last 16 years he’s specialised in Digital Marketing. Based on their strong insights into Financial Services, Grant, Curtis and Edward originally focused on Blue Chip FS clients when launching Thrive Online and have since moved into other categories such as Leisure, B2B, and the Wine industry. Thrive now has varied clients in SA, Australia and England. Grant spends his leisure time with his family or fly fishing in the mountains of South Africa or its fantastic oceans.
GRANT LAUBSCHER
GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Curtis started in the online gaming industry in 2000 working in the US, UK and European markets for 6 years where he cut his teeth on digital performance marketing. With a focus on ROI he moved IOL to apply his skills in the South African Publisher environment. In 2006 he started his own Agency working with Motoring, Cellular and Financial services clients. Having previously worked with Edward and Grant The Trio teamed up in 2010 to form Thrive Online Group, leveraging their experience in performance marketing in global markets. Curtis enjoys the outdoors and spends his free time touring Southern Africa and camping with his family.
CURTIS BANTJES
GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Victor heads up all things Google at Thrive Online Group. With a resume that’s seen action from customer service in the early days to senior account management, he has weathered all the storms of digital marketing for over 15 years. His journey in mastering digital began at the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM-GSM), where he clinched a BBA in Marketing Management. He also acquired certifications from the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) and Quirk eMarketing amongst others. The digital world waits for no one, and Victor keeps us ahead of the curve with a keen grasp of analytics, e-commerce, and the ever-evolving realms of performance marketing.
VICTOR GELDENHUYS
HEAD OF GOOGLE OPERATIONS
Michelle studied Graphic Design at CPUT, thereafter starting her creative journey as a print designer in a creative studio before joining Independent Newspapers. During her time there, she dove into the digital world just as the internet was taking off in South Africa. She moved over to IOL where she eventually headed up the design team. In 2011 she joined the team at Thrive, heading up all creative work as well as managing Thrive's development projects. She loves crafting creative solutions to match a brand's voice, designing with purpose, always sticking to the principle of form following function. Off the clock, she'll be spending time with her family and diving into all manner of creative and crafty endeavours.