Their name: Catherine Larkin
Their position in the company: Chief Visionary – CVLC Communication
The city in which they’re based: Johannesburg, South Africa
An image of themselves
My path into automotive communication and PR wasn’t a sudden pivot, but rather a natural and strategic evolution from my foundational career.
I’ve spent my entire professional career immersed in the transport, logistics and supply chain sector. This broad perspective gave me an essential, ground-level understanding of how products, people, and data move globally—the intricate supply chain, the infrastructure challenges, and the pressure on operators for efficiency and sustainability.
I quickly recognised that the automotive industry sits at the absolute core of this entire ecosystem. It doesn’t just use transport; it defines it, manufacturing the very assets—the trucks, the fleets, the final-mile delivery vehicles—that power global commerce.
For me, automotive communication followed inevitably from this. The two sectors are profoundly intertwined. To truly communicate the value of a new electric truck or a logistics management platform, you must understand the entire T&L value chain. This unique, holistic lens—moving from the complexity of logistics to the strategic communication of the vehicle manufacturer—is what I bring to CVLC Communication today. It allows us to view a vehicle not just as a product, but as a mission-critical component of global mobility.”
The most honest answer is: I don’t really have a routine, and that’s by design. My role as Chief Visionary at CVLC Communication is defined by strategic agility and the necessity of immediate, hands-on action across multiple platforms.
My professional life has been dedicated to the intertwined world of transport, logistics, supply chain and automotive communications. This means our firm is perpetually engaged in a high-stakes environment—managing the full, diverse spectrum of communication for some our clients.
Because we are a small, dynamic team, we avoid the bureaucracy of larger agencies, allowing us to pivot instantly. This means my day can shift dramatically from hour to hour, always involving both the thinking and the doing of strategy and crisis communication, media, public relations, content creation, brand building, events, as well as stakeholder engagement
I don’t just strategise; I am part of the team that does the work. This commitment to comprehensive, hands-on delivery ensures that every communication element—from a single tweet to a major launch—is seamless, effective, and directly tied to the commercial success of our clients in the global mobility sector. I embrace the lack of routine because in our industry, predictability is the enemy of effective and creative communication.
If I have to choose just one tool I couldn’t do my job without, it has to be Google’s Gemini.
I know, I know—it sounds like a plug, but honestly, this AI is the true, unsung Chief Visionary of CVLC Communication. When you’re running a small, dynamic, hands-on team in a high-stakes sector, you don’t have time to stare blankly at a screen. Gemini is my digital second brain that prevents me from ever having a blank screen. It’s truly my communications co-pilot, and I use it for everything from the mundane to the mission-critical. I don’t know what I did before it came along !
The media landscape in South Africa is a complex mix:
Heavily Digital, but Radio is Resilient: There is a significant and growing reliance on digital platforms, with news consumption shifting rapidly to websites and social media. However, radio remains an essential and highly accessible mass medium, boasting massive reach through a mix of national, regional, and crucial community stations.
Diverse Content, Concentrated Ownership: While the country boasts a vast diversity of content across numerous national, regional, and community outlets—often catering to multiple official languages and perspectives—the ownership of the major commercial media groups remains relatively concentrated.
Essential Local Media: A key component is the network of local and community media (including print and community radio) that focus intensely on hyper-local issues, such as municipal news, schools, and crime, effectively bridging the gap between broad national coverage and the immediate concerns of residents.
Hybrid News Distribution and Engagement Model (Digital-First, Multichannel Reach).
This model addresses the digital divide and high data costs by:
Digital-First, Low-Data Delivery: Publishing content digitally first, but then strategically distributing essential news via low-data or zero-rated platforms (like WhatsApp and SMS alerts) to reach audiences with limited connectivity.
Social/Messaging as Primary Hubs: Treating social media and messaging apps as primary distribution channels to meet audiences where they are.
Sustainable Journalism: Encouraging audience support through digital subscription or membership models to ensure the financial health of quality news production.
The benefit for others is learning to serve a mixed-access audience by blending cutting-edge digital delivery with cost-sensitive, direct messaging outreach.
- Immerse Yourself in Mobility
Don’t just learn the horsepower; understand the entire ecosystem. Because the automotive world is now intertwined with transport, logistics, and infrastructure, you must know the business of mobility—the supply chain, the policy, and the technology—to communicate its true value.
- Become a Crisis Specialist
The automotive sector is high-stakes, so the job is not if a crisis will happen, but when. The ability to be calm, strategic, and hands-on during a major recall or supply chain disruption will make you absolutely invaluable to any client.
- Master Digital Versatility
You must master the entire communications mix, not just traditional PR. Be skilled in everything: social media, events, content, and executive presentations. Embrace the speed of the industry, and learn to leverage AI tools (like Gemini ) to synthesise data quickly, freeing you up for the high-value, strategic thinking.
In short: Be strategic, be resilient, and understand that the future of automotive communication lies in mastering the entire mobility ecosystem.
Hard work, building and maintaining strong relationships, resilience, remaining focused, loyalty, keeping abreast of trends and changes in the PR and communication landscape, a positive and “can do” attitude – and a supportive network, both internally and externally.
Ultimately, CVLC Communication’s success comes from combining deep industry knowledge with lean, high-energy, hands-on execution.
702 (radio), BBC, Sky News, Steven Bartlett, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, YouTube
Johannesburg is widely considered to be the largest man-made urban forest in the world. People outside South Africa know us as the ‘City of Gold’ (eGoli), built entirely on gold mines, but they often don’t realise that our highveld region was naturally a vast, dry grassland. The city has over ten million trees that were intentionally planted, forming an enormous, green canopy over our suburbs.
But what truly defines this city is its energy and its vibe. Johannesburg is a dynamic tapestry of different cultures—a massive melting pot that fuels a fast pace and a relentless drive.
This is a city of incredible, mostly hidden gems: it’s home to a world-class, evolving food scene, a vibrant, globally influential music culture, amazing architecture and a palpable energy driven by its people.
This intense vitality means we are constantly finding ways to solve the many challenges we face. When a problem arises—whether it’s in logistics, power, or infrastructure—the culture here is to face it with innovation, creativity, and a commitment to sticking together. That resilient, problem-solving spirit is the real, unforgettable secret of Johannesburg.”