Siya Kolisi becomes Mercedes-Benz SA’s newest 'Friend of the Brand'

World Cup winning Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi has been named as the newest addition to the Mercedes-Benz family.

Negotiated via Roc Nation Sports, the partnership will see Kolisi collaborating with the luxury carmaker on a range of projects in the coming 12 months.

Mercedes-Benz SA marketing director Selvin Govender said Kolisi was “the perfect athlete” to represent the Mercedes-Benz brand.

“Our brand ambassadors are inspiring pioneers, explorers, high achievers. They overcome barriers and set new standards. They use their abilities to achieve enduring success in diverse projects. They tell stories and write history, and inspire us to continuously take on new paths and perspectives. Siya ticks each and every one of those boxes,” he said.

Kolisi led the Springboks back to the top of the rugby rankings and made history as the first black Test player to captain the team in its 129-year history. He has dedicated time during the Covid-19 lockdown to the development of the Kolisi Foundation which was founded with his wife Rachel.

The mission of the Kolisi Foundation is to help alleviate extreme poverty, mentor underprivileged youth and promote equality. Since the pandemic began, the foundation has fed more than 25,000 families and provided vital PPE to front-line health workers, collaborating with organisations such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

“ I am committed to partnering with purpose and I truly believe that Mercedes-Benz can be a real asset to the development of the Kolisi Foundation, and critical to the foundation reaching the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities,” said Kolisi.

He joins a range of elite athletes around the world who are “friends” of the brand for Mercedes-Benz, including tennis legend Roger Federer, F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton and golfer Rickie Fowler.