Van Damme, Patel and Stanton Launch The War Room New corporate affairs advisory for geopolitics, crisis, and reputational risk

South Africa’s corporate affairs landscape is getting a new heavyweight player. Former MP and disinformation specialist Phumzile Van Damme, geopolitics strategist Khadija Patel, and award-winning communications leader Keri-Ann Stanton have launched The War Room — a new advisory offering designed to help organisations navigate today’s era of risk, disruption, and reputational volatility.

Launching February 2026, with client engagements opening from March, The War Room provides strategic counsel across geopolitical risk, crisis response, reputation management, executive positioning, and digital-era stakeholder communications.

“We are seeing geopolitical and economic risks top the list of challenges in the corporate affairs world,” says Patel. “Excos and Boards need answers, scenarios and context fast — which is where we come in.”

Van Damme adds: “I work with data first and foremost to isolate an issue. While we can offer pointed solutions in the moment, it’s about working with client teams to build a long-term plan in a digital-first world.”

Stanton says: “The War Room is built for leaders who need clarity at speed — where policy shifts, public sentiment, and digital crises can reshape an organisation overnight. In fact this has moved so fast we already signed our first client in December, ahead of our launch.”

About The War RoomThe War Room is a corporate affairs and strategic advisory offering housed within KAMuses Consultancy. It supports organisations facing geopolitical uncertainty, reputational risk, crisis situations, and rapidly shifting stakeholder expectations in a digital-first world. For more information see https://warroom.global/.

Bookings & Media EnquiriesBookings open from March 2026. Media enquiries: Keri-Ann Stanton. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website:https://warroom.global/.

Shortened bios (full ones avail on request)Phumzile Van Damme is an award-winning international consultant advising corporate clients, governments, and global organisations on political risk, regulatory strategy, strategic communications, and policy development. A former Member of Parliament in South Africa and a 2023/24 Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center, she is widely recognised for her work combating disinformation and navigating digital-era governance challenges.

Khadija Patel is a distinguished journalist, editor, and media executive focused on press freedom, information integrity, and public-interest media. Former Editor-in-Chief of the Mail & Guardian and a founding executive at the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM), she has served on the executive board of the International Press Institute, including as Chairperson. Her work has appeared in leading global outlets including Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and BBC World News.

Keri-Ann Stanton is one of Africa’s leading strategic communications voices and the Founder and Chief Strategist of KAMuses Consultancy. With over two decades in reputation management, corporate affairs, and creative strategy, she has led award-winning work for major global brands, earning more than 86 industry awards at KAMuses alone. Named one of Provoke Media’s Top 25 Innovators in EMEA, she is known for building trusted brands through culture, credibility, and earned-first ideas.