ABOUT JACK FROST
JACK FROST HELPS LEADERSHIP TEAMS ALIGN FASTER & INNOVATE SMARTER.
Today’s innovators aren’t just chasing advantage - they’re building businesses that last.
From founders scaling new ventures to leaders rethinking strategy and culture, Jack Frost helps purpose-driven teams move fast - from insight to idea to tested solution - transforming how work gets done and shaping future possibilities.
BRAND STORY
In Norse mythology, Jack Frost is a playful outsider - a creative disruptor who sparks energy, challenges the status quo, and helps teams become more than the sum of their parts.
We chose this name because we believe serious work benefits from serious play. Creativity thrives when there’s space for curiosity, bold thinking, and a touch of mischief. That spirit lives in how we show up, how we work, and how we help teams unlock meaningful, lasting change.
PURPOSE & MISSION
We exist to help teams innovate boldly - creating solutions that improve lives and strengthen the organisations, communities, and ecosystems they’re part of.
We help turn complexity into clarity, cohesion, and commitment - through collaborative innovation that sticks, scales, and shapes a better future.
OPERATING PRINCIPLES
PLAY — We use curiosity, joy, and just the right amount of rule-breaking to unlock fresh thinking and spark new ideas.
COLLABORATE — We create space for shared ownership - because the best solutions come from diverse perspectives working together.
DELIVER — We don’t stop at ideas or strategy. We help teams implement - turning plans into action, and action into results.
OUR TEAM
Paul Steenkamp
Co-Founder
"My purpose is to help people uncover, protect, and nurture their inherent creativity. I'm grateful that in my role at Jack Frost I live this purpose by helping executives and their teams improve lives using the power of human-centered design."
For nearly 30 years, Paul has worked across industries to help solve complex problems, deliver effective innovations, and drive measurable impact at scale.
He is the co-founder of Jack Frost, a Cape Town-based design and consulting firm that helps organisations build future-focused strategies, innovative operating models, and sustainable innovation cultures. Through Jack Frost, he has partnered with brands like Unicef, Woolworths, Sanlam, Naspers, Investec, and Capitec to turn bold ideas into accountable action.
Paul has led and supported the launch of multiple internal ventures, including Unicef’s Yoma, as well as SnapScan, Shyft, and Edge Banking at Standard Bank. He also led the award-winning innovation programme at First National Bank, recognised as the world’s most innovative bank during his tenure.
A passionate advocate for character-driven leadership, Paul explores the intersection of innovation and personal effectiveness in his writing. His book, Character Insights for a Regenerative Future, highlights five leadership superpowers for the future of work. His upcoming book, First to Four, dissects the Springboks’ world-class innovation operating system.
For over six years, Paul has also been a faculty member at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, teaching on the Advanced Leadership Certificate in Design Thinking. He contributed to South Africa’s national innovation agenda as a two-term committee member of The National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI).
Beyond his work, Paul is committed to supporting the professional development of early childhood development (ECD) educators from marginalised communities. He believes in building regenerative futures through collaborative innovation and character-driven leadership.
"I am passionate about democratizing innovation, and my business is built around doing this."
Janéne Steenkamp
Co-Founder
"I believe mindful connection with nature is essential for developing the kind of leadership our world demands today. Time outdoors - in a group or solo - cultivates highly-prized qualities like adaptability, resilience, interconnectedness, and holistic perspective. The natural world has accumulated 3.8 billion years of experience in evolving, thriving, surviving and adapting. To benefit from this deep wisdom we dedicate time and commit to connecting and listening. Nature's systems and models can guide us toward the solutions we need."
As an experienced facilitator, accredited Forest Therapy Guide and professional artist, Janéne applies her expertise in biomimicry and psychological safety at Jack Frost. Her creative lens contributes to both problem-solving and visual impact and communication.
"Today's leadership landscape requires balancing traditionally "masculine" traits like decisiveness and action with "feminine" qualities such as empathy, collaboration, and intuition. I value that Paul and I have cultivated a partnership and practice that embodies this essential equilibrium."