Team

Ryan Wilder

Founder & Digital Strategy Consultant

Ryan is a founder and digital strategy consultant at ibay, and a catalyst for growth and innovation. His core mission is to lead, motivate, and inspire, driving the team to be their best.

With a career rooted in co-founding his first agency in 1998, Ryan has witnessed the advertising industry’s evolution from print to today’s data-driven digital landscape. His commitment to harnessing new media’s potential shapes ibay’s high-impact multimedia campaigns.

Ryan’s diverse skill set delivers holistic, multi-channel solutions that resonate with audiences on an emotional level, making him a driving force behind ibay’s success in the digital arena.

Darren Swartz

Founder & Creative Director

Darren Swartz, ibay’s visionary founder and creative director, is the driving creative force behind our clients’ brands. As creative director, with a career spanning traditional and digital design over two decades he sets the creative tone, inspiring our team to push creative boundaries.

His talent lies in simplifying and distilling messaging to its core essence impacting visual identity and brand narratives.

Darren’s unwavering commitment to impactful and visually compelling solutions is the bedrock of ibay’s success, ensuring our clients’ brands resonate deeply with their audiences.

Jason Hobbs

Founder & Technical Director

Meet Jason Hobbs, ibay’s co-founder and technical director, a digital visionary with a career spanning decades. His unique approach fuses cutting-edge back-end technologies with visually captivating front-end designs. Beginning as a designer, he transitioned into development in the early 2000s, combining the developer’s mind with an artist’s eye.

Jason’s unrivalled work ethic inspires the team, mirroring the rapid evolution of web development and coding. A philosophy of daily self-improvement guides both work and life.

Jason isn’t just a co-founder and technical director; he’s a trailblazer, a visionary, and a leader dedicated to continuous growth and excellence in the digital landscape.

Louise Lerm

Senior Account Manager & Project Manager

Louise has been an invaluable member of the ibay family since 2016. Over the years, she has diligently expanded her expertise, becoming well-versed in every facet of operating a digital agency. Louise excels at overseeing large-scale development projects and maintaining open lines of communication with our valued clients.

Her dedication to understanding the intricate details of each client’s campaign is nothing short of remarkable.

Louise is always available for a friendly chat.

Zoë Hofstander

Senior Social Media Strategist

Zoë, our senior social media strategist, joined ibay in 2019 fresh from university with a degree in social sciences and communication. Her rapid rise within the company reflects her dedication and exceptional reliability. Zoë’s profound understanding of social media led to her promotion as a senior strategist.

Despite her youth, Zoë exhibits a level of maturity that belies her years. Her approach to social media activities is marked by profound insights and an unwavering focus on results. Under her capable leadership, her department has experienced remarkable growth, all managed with a calm and composed demeanour. Zoë excels in creating and nurturing fiercely loyal online communities for our clients, transforming their social feeds into vibrant hubs of engagement.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Zoë is a passionate advocate for the power of social media. She is a micro-influencer in her own right, using her platform to amplify a positive and healthy narrative. It’s clear that Zoë is on an upward trajectory with a future that shines as brightly as her talents.

Zoë Hofstander is not just a strategist; she’s a driving force behind our digital success, with a bright future ahead.

Kayla Smuts

Graphic Designer & Illustrator

Kayla Smuts is our creative dynamo. Having qualified with a graphic design degree in 2018, Kayla joined ibay in 2021, bringing with her years of freelancing experience. Her freelancing journey cultivated design expertise, resulting in an awe-inspiring portfolio that immediately captured our attention.

Kayla’s talent shines as she effortlessly translates clients’ brand essence into captivating corporate communications. Design becomes an art form in her hands, elevating brands to new heights.

Her dedication to her craft is evident in every pixel, stroke, and concept she creates. Kayla is the embodiment of ingenuity, turning ideas into visual masterpieces that captivate, inspire, and push the boundaries of design.

Daniel Bowers

Junior Web Developer

Meet Daniel, the newest star on our web development team. In 2023, Daniel joined ibay as a junior web developer, holding a website development diploma from Life Choices Academy. His journey was marked by shining moments at the LC Studio, honing skills, especially in WordPress.

Daniel’s showcases all the traits to become a brilliant developer: curiosity, tenacity, and problem-solving prowess. His diverse interests, including reading, translate into meticulous work with unwavering diligence.

Daniel is a grounded addition, swiftly tackling tasks in our development department with enthusiasm. His potential is undeniable, marking the start of a promising web development journey, a rising star embodying continuous growth and learning.