Journalism · strategy · content · photography

I find the story
inside the complexity.

Freelance PR strategist, content creator, financial & investigative journalist, and photographer. Founder of NAP-Logic.

Special Mention Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism Winner Telkom Journalist of the Year — 2004 & 2006
BA LawRAU
MA Journalism & Media StudiesWits
Investigative Journalism & Advanced Financial JournalismCertificates · Wits
Nicola Mawson smiling outdoors in an urban setting
Clarity first. Then the story.

About

Journalistic rigour.
Strategic thinking.
A human voice.

I operate at the intersection of journalism, strategic communications, content creation and photography — grounded in more than two decades of financial and business reporting.

My work turns complicated economics, regulation, corporate strategy and technology into clear narratives people can actually use. Through NAP-Logic, I bring the same discipline to PR strategy, thought leadership, executive messaging and visual storytelling.

Ethics sit at the centre of both sides of my work. I maintain clear Chinese walls between journalism and commercial or PR assignments, with strict separation of clients, sources and confidential information. Where a potential conflict exists, it is identified and managed rather than blurred.

“At NAP-Logic, logic isn’t just in the name — it’s how every story begins.”

Writing & content

Different voices. Different briefs.
Same standard.

From client thought leadership to columns and reported journalism — selected work, not an archive dump.

01

PR content creation

Third-party content

Thought leadership and specialist editorial researched, structured and written for clients in their voice.

Business DayBRICS skills passport could help bridge SA gapsThought leadership ↗ BizcommunityCompliance is not a marketing strategy. Trust is.Thought leadership ↗ Business ReportTurning regulatory requirements into strategic assetsThought leadership ↗
02

In my own voice

Own columns

IOL OpinionI was going to bet on a rate hold. Then inflation hit 5%Column ↗ BusinessBriefSupporting the side-hustle economyColumn ↗ Sunday Times BusinessLead through a crisis by passing on skillsColumn ↗
03

Personal finance column

10X

Money, retirement and investing — explained with numbers, perspective and a distinctly personal voice.

10XCats, curve balls, and my retirement income optionsRead ↗ 10XWhere am I going to live in retirement (if my cat doesn’t kill me first)?Read ↗ 10XBlack Friday and the destruction of my retirement two-pot savingsRead ↗
04

Reported work

Journalism

Financial, investigative, technology, business and consumer reporting across leading South African publications.

Visual storytelling

Editorial ideas, made visible.

Concept, research, information architecture, creative direction and AI-assisted production — always built from supplied or researched source material.

Bespoke AI portraits

Directed, not random.

Concept-led portrait art shaped through research, client detail, curation and iterative creative direction. These are AI-created artworks, clearly separate from my photography.

Bespoke AI dog portrait in a fashion-inspired concept
Bespoke AI dog portrait in an executive concept
Bespoke AI dog portrait artwork
Bespoke AI dachshund portrait artwork
Bespoke AI dachshund portrait artwork

Photography

People, context, movement.

Selected work across portraits, events, photojournalism and commercial photography.

Young violinist performing outdoors
Photojournalism
Tight editorial portrait
Portraits
Silhouetted dancers on a stage
Events
Two boys concentrating on an activity
Photojournalism
Portrait of a bearded man in a bookshop
Portrait
Man holding a small dog in front of bookshelves
Editorial portrait
Drummer performing on stage
Performance
Business speaker on a branded stage
Corporate events
Two people laughing in front of a graffiti wall
Human moments

Commercial detail

Products, too.

Jewellery product photograph Golf club product photograph Xbox console and controller product photograph

Recognition

Credibility earned in public.

Winner and finalist in major financial and ICT journalism awards, published across leading South African business, technology and consumer titles.

Contact

Have a complicated story?
Good.

Journalism, communications strategy, thought leadership, visual storytelling, photography and speaking.

Connect on LinkedIn ↗