Ross Chowles

Executive Creative Director

Every career has to start somewhere and the career of Ross Chowles started in the studio of a small agency where he was an artist. Eight years later Ross had moved up in the world and had found himself working as the Creative Director of Y&R's Direct mail division. He then went on to become the Creative Director of Y&R Cape Town, where he met Kevin Aspoas. Together, they opened The Jupiter Drawing Room office in Cape Town.

They have spent eleven years growing The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) into a significant through-the-line creative force. Ross is no longer just the Executive Creative Director of The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) - he is now also known as Mr Chowles to his students. 2005 will be the second year that he has been running "The Ripple Effect" an educational initiative for young students. So when he is not teaching, painting portraits of new staff members, judging Cannes, One Show, Art Director's Club of New York or the Canadian Marketing Awards, Ross can be found not wanting for much.

Kevan Aspoas

Chief Executive Officer

Kevan Aspoas began his career at the Rand Daily Mail. As part of a research team, he helped develop its business pages into a separate section and then into the stand-alone Business Day newspaper we see today.

Kevan then worked at Reader's Digest before moving across to the agency side at Partnership in Advertising & Marketing, Ogilvy & Mather Rightford Searle-Tripp & Makin and Young & Rubicam. It was at Young & Rubicam that he met his business partners, Ross Chowles and Joanne Thomas and together they started The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town. Now in its fourteenth year of operations it is not only Cape Town's most awarded advertising and design agency but also its fastest growing.

The Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town was the first South African agency to be invited to judge the D&AD awards in London. The client list also reads like the "who's who in SA" with Woolworths, Sanlam, Hyundai, Musica and Brandhouse to name but a few.

Kevan travels the world, speaking at conferences, and has attracted a number of international clients to the agency.

Joanne Thomas

Creative Director - Design

Joanne T homas has been with The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) since it opened its doors in 1993.

Joanne received a National Diploma in Graphic Design (Cape Town Technikon) in 1988, and began her advertising career at Young & Rubicam Hedley - Byrne the following year. After a short spell in the UK, she returned to work in Y & R's brand division for three years, during which time she gathered a number of prestigious international awards.

Despite these accolades, Jo seriously considered a switch to the world of fashion design, but her love of advertising triumphed, and she left Y & R in late 1993 to start up the Cape Town chapter of The Jupiter Drawing Room with Ross and Kevin. She has been instrumental in the creative direction of many of The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town’s) award winning campaigns.

Kevin Duke

Financial Director

After completing his studies and articles towards his CA, Kevin joined the Foschini Group. During his 7 years at Foschini, Kevin first held positions in systems auditing and later computer auditing, during which time he obtained his international computer auditing qualification (ISACA). He then moved on to financial management and was responsible in this area for all Group companies as well as for other credit initiatives set up to service companies outside of the Group.

Looking to expand his experience into something completely different, Kevin joined The Jupiter Drawing Room in 2000. Kevin is married to Sue with 3 children. With what time is left in the day, Kevin enjoys running (a few marathons but just one Two Oceans to date) and he also participates in various church activities.

Claire Cobbledick

Managing Director

Claire Cobbledick started out her career in advertising as an Account Executive at The Jupiter Drawing Room (Cape Town) 13 years ago and has now come full circle, being promoted from Strategic Director to Deputy MD to Managing Director.

Her career highlights include leading the Red Bull SA marketing team, Business Unit Director on MTN at TBWA Gavin Reddy and strategic planner for OIL at Lowe Bull CT.

Claire holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Legal Studies and politics from The University of Natal. After graduating she studied brand management at the AAA in Cape Town, where she scooped the Student-of-the-Year Award. She also attended the Kellogg School of Business in Chicago, where she completed a course in strategic marketing.