Meet South Africa’s Entrepreneur Champion of 2024

Adam Hunter, founder and managing director at Hook, Line & Sinker

This year's Small Business Awards took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week, a perfect pairing and celebration of innovators who dream big and launch startups that bring ideas to life.

Now in its 16th year, the Small Business Awards is a hallmark event that recognises innovation, resilience, and excellence within the country’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. Winners are celebrated not only for their business success but also for their contributions to broader economic development and ethical leadership.

Adam Hunter, founder and managing director of integrated public relations and marketing agency, Hook, Line & Sinker (HLS), embodies such qualities and strengths since registering his business just five years ago in 2019, six months before Covid. Under Hunter’s stewardship, HLS has achieved remarkable growth, maintaining an impressive +25% year-on-year revenue increase. The agency’s success is driven by its digital expertise and offerings, earning the trust of high-profile clients such as SAP Global, Cisco Africa, Amazon Europe, Radisson Hotel Group, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The recognition follows several accolades over the last 12-months for the entrepreneur. Earlier this month, his agency won Corporate Vision’s ‘Most Creative Agency Award’ for 2024, adding to its silver 2023 title for South Africa's Best Small PR Consultancy. These achievements highlight HLS’s role as a trailblazer in the PR and marketing landscape, both locally and globally.

In addition to his business ventures, Hunter plays a significant role in shaping the future of PR and sustainability. He serves as a board member for the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Africa, where he forms part of the PR Ethics & Network Committee. Hunter is also Africa PR representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its Climate Change Task Force, centered around sustainability and global purpose-driven campaigns.

Adam Hunter’s recognition as Entrepreneur Champion of 2024 underscores the extraordinary impact of visionaries like him who are redefining South Africa’s small business sector.

The NSBC Awards is sponsored by Absa, Experian, Netstar, Sage, Toyota, and Vodacom Business. For more information about the South African Small Business Awards, visit www.nsbc.africa/small-business-awards.