If anyone appreciates the luxury of time, it is Sylvester Chauke, who makes being an overachiever look effortless.

The ‘Chief Architect’ at marketing and brand consultancy DNA Brand Architects, Sylvester has won multiple awards, was chosen to represent Africa at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Switzerland, and has been invited to sit on numerous industry boards.

Last year, he participated in the first Rupert & Rothschild’s Making Moments event, entitled Marking Milestones, which was hosted at Circa Gallery in Rosebank. Sylvester joined fellow creative titans Legend Manqele and Theo Baloyi in a panel discussion of how some of South Africa’s most distinctive brands were built. Most recently, Sylvester published his first book, Stand Against Bland, which details his most innovative marketing strategies to creatively bring brands to life.

Let’s not forget: the man is only 42 years old. However, he has had to learn to slow down to keep up with his own fast pace. ‘I used to love being busy and rushing from one meeting or project to the next,’ Sylvester admits. ‘But I realised that staying creatively abundant and leading my team relies on my not burning out. And that means taking moments to quietly reflect and be fully present in my life.’