About

About us

Flash is a specialist sponsorship marketing consultancy that focuses on commercial rights.

We represent a handful of established well-respected rightsholders, and our purpose is to seek out and match them with like-minded partners that are looking to connect and engage with their fans and athletes. Our strategic direction and creative solutions provide a fresh way of delivering on partner expectations for rightsholders via simplified commercial structures that are measurable.

Rightsholder contract development and management play a crucial role in ensuring both our rightsholders and brand partners receive exactly what they need to deliver on their strategic goals and brand targets.

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Our team

Say hello to our team

Richard vd Schyff

Richard is a natural, charismatic leader & has over 20 years of experience in the sponsorship industry.

Richard is extremely well connected, holding relationships with most major brands, rights holders & media owners in SA. His contacts extend across Africa and into Europe.

He has managed some of South Africa's largest accounts in MTN, Vodacom, Standard Bank, Absa, Toyota, SASOL, Yellow Pages, Nestle, Eskom, Emirates, BP & Castrol & Huawei.

Born & bred in KZN, Richard was educated at Kearsney College, has a BSocSci from UCT & a PDM from Wits Business School and In his day captained the South African National Water Polo team.

Gill Fraser

Gill is our import from Cape Town, where she studied sports management and worked at the 2013 ICC Cricket World Cup.

After 2 years abroad, she returned and joined 34Sport on the Powerade account, before joining Flash Media & Rights Sales. Gill was 2IC at the 2015 Comrades “Nedbank Green Mile” & Soweto Marathon, followed by Partnerships Rights Manager for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka (2016 & 2017) . She moved across to Dimension Data as Sponsorship Programme Manager for Dimension Data’s sponsorship of the Tour de France.

She’s a masters hockey player, part time mountain biker and scuba diver, but better known for her laugh.

Tex Riba

Tex has over 21-years’ experience and expertise in Sponsorship, Commercialization and Rightsholder Management, brings a powerful network of clients, and specializes in matching brands with sponsorship properties that deliver a return on investment.

Tex has worked at some of South Africa’s leading Sponsorship and Commercial agencies and has been at the forefront of commercial sponsorship sales across the African continent. Rightsholders and major brands include Ford, SAA, The Springboks, SAA CATS, Bonitas Medical Fund Free State Stars Team, Nashua Cricket properties, Orange networks Botswana Team Sponsorships, Globacom (Glo) Africa CAF awards and most recently McDonalds sponsorship of the Blitz Boks.

He has also been involved in various broadcast sponsorship deals most recently with Samsung and McDonald’s in the PSL, and has brokered some of the largest stadium advertising campaigns across South Africa’s major stadiums notably with GEMS, GTA, Department of Community Safety, GPG and PPC.

Tex was raised in the UK and lived there for over a decade before he returned to South Africa in 1998. Fondly given the nickname “the Scouser” for his love of Liverpool Football Club, he loves travelling, playing golf, watching virtually every sporting code and wildlife – the Kruger National Park being one of his favourite holiday destinations.

Testimonials

What they say about us

“Flash is a sponsorship commercial agency which is currently working with Comrades Marathon association exclusively. I started working closely with the FLASH team from October 2019 and we have had a great working relationship. Although the company only started in 2014, the FLASH team comes with a lot of experience and knowledge in their field. The team has been in the industry for more than 2 decades. Since the partnership we have successfully secured sponsorship deals with Mr Price Sport as technical Sponsor to Comrades, Orange Grove and we have managed to renew our relationship with Hollywood Bets, Swinkles Family brewers have also upgraded their sponsorship for 2021 and there many more in the pipeline amid Covid.

The one thing unique about the Flash team is that they work closely with me as a General Manager and do not treat us as just a client, they have become part of Comrades Team. We have had an amazing journey with Flash more especially during the challenging times of Covid-19. They have initiated biweekly meetings with all our Sponsors which has added so much value on our relationships with our Sponsors. We have become closer with all our partners and as results they have been very supportive.

Working with FLASH has been nothing but amazing.”
Keletso TotlhanyoComrades Marathon Association, General Manager

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Flash sponsorship team since 2014.

Over the last 7 years, we’ve achieved many successes together including the re-branding of our Qhubeka brand identity, developing a new commercial strategy and communication plan, as well as conceptualising and implementing campaigns like #Giro100Bikes and #DoYourPart - two very impactful fundraising initiatives for Qhubeka, which leveraged our partnership with pro-cycling team, Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

Flash has also handled our hospitality programme at the Tour de France with flawless professionalism and gave our charity partners memories to last a lifetime. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work hand-in-hand with a partner like Flash who embrace the charity as if it were their own.”
Anthony FitzhenryQhubeka, Founder

“IRONMAN South Africa have developed a close relationship with Flash Sponsorship over the years and they are an integral part of why we have managed to grow as a business. Not only do we appreciate the professional manner in which they conduct their business, but also the personal relationship which we have developed over the years.

Flash have become part of the South African IRONMAN family and we can without hesitation recommend them for any business dealings required.”
Keith BowlerIRONMAN South Africa, Managing Director

“At Mr Price Sport our purpose is to make authentic sport's footwear, apparel and equipment accessible to all South Africans with our Maxed and Maxed Elite sports brands.

The Flash team acknowledged our long history in sport sponsorship and our strategic objectives as a value retailer to present visionary, commercially considered sponsorship opportunities that align to our strategy.

The team at Flash brought experience, sound advice and keen management of the agreement process to the table. Our agreements concluded to date include commercial and technical partnerships with the Comrades Marathon Association, Cell C Sharks rugby team and Team SA as the Olympic team sponsor.

Anthony, Richard, and the team at Flash go beyond to collaborate with passion, partnership, and value at heart.”
Dylan CherryHead of Marketing, Mr Price Sport