The Top 40 under 40 is a showcase of local business talent under the age of 40 compiled by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber (NMBBC).
Warren Upton (32) and Matthew Swarbrick (30) are the Directors and Co-founders of Strategy Advertising.
Warren Upton and Matthew Swarbrick began Strategy Advertising with an eye to revolutionizing the local industry. 2006 saw them joining forces and pooling their creative talents.
This is the team behind the successful rebranding of the NMMU Business School, and it is because of them that The Herald was named the seventh most recognized daily newspaper in the country.
On graduating with a National Diploma in Graphic Design, Upton spent three years working in hospitality in London, where he was headhunted to open a bar on the banks of the Thames. Swarbrick has nine years experience in advertising, and a BTech in Graphic Design and Advertising. The guys, who served their time in local agencies before striking out their own, have added a number of high profile clients to their already bulging portfolio, and they’ve accumulated a talented and passionate staff.
“We started Strategy Advertising to fight for creative freedom and to change people’s perceptions about the advertising industry in the Eastern Cape,” says Upton. Swarbrick agrees: “Sure, the established industries are in the larger centres, but the rewards are far greater when you follow the road less travelled.”

Original Image by: Sandy Coffey Photography.
The Top 40 Under 40 list, an NMBBC initiative, was compiled from nominations and selected by an independent panel at the NMBBC. The end result is a showcase of talented and ambitious young businesspeople from diverse sectors in Nelson Mandela Bay. From 7 December 2011, MyPE showcases one under 40 achiever a day.
See all the Top 40 Under 40 HERE.
Alan Straton
Latest posts by Alan Straton (see all)
- Samro brings senior Leadership team to Cape Town for #MEX26 - 2 October 2026
- Serious Social Investing Conference 2026 Focuses on Doing More With Less - 2 October 2026
- How AI Is Helping Detect Eye Problems Earlier - 2 October 2026
- What Are the Limits to Upload and Analyse an Audio File Using AI? - 2 October 2026
- St. Petersburg Hosts Information Tour for Tourism Industry and Media Representatives - 1 October 2026
