BASA Business Breakfast to offer crucial insight into role of arts in business in Africa

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Taking place on 31 July at the Gordon Institute of Business (GIBS) in Johannesburg and supported by Standard Bank, the speakers are Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa; Hazel Chimhandamba, Head of Group Sponsorships at Standard Bank and Tony Lankester, National Arts Festival CEO.

The BASA Africa Business Breakfasts, supported by Standard Bank, are open to all businesses and artists with an interest in African opportunities, with tickets costing R250 a person.

"It's a really great line-up of speakers, each of whom has had real experience in how innovation and creativity, through the vehicle of the arts, can work to both stimulate business growth and create shared value in Africa," says BASA CEO, Michelle Constant.

As head of Viacom International Media Networks' pan-African operations in Africa, Alex Okosi is responsible for managing the growth and development of VIMN's brands on the African continent, including MTV, MTV Base, VH1 Classic, BET International, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. Since joining MTV Networks in 1998, Okosi has been instrumental in launching MTV Base, the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) and initiatives that motivate, empower and educate Africa's youth, including Choose or Lose (a youth voter mobilisation campaign - 2011 Nigerian elections), MTV Base Meets (an initiative in which global influencers exchanged ideas with young Africans), and Shuga (an award winning TV drama and multimedia campaign designed to change sexual behaviour among young Nigerians).

Now Head of Group Sponsorships at Standard Bank, Hazel Chimhandamba has been involved in sponsorship management for over 10 years. Her vast experience in marketing management, brand and advertising management, PR, event management and sponsorship management has been gained through working for several global brands, among them Citibank, Discovery, and MTN. Chimhandamba holds a BCom degree in marketing management as well as an IMM qualification in marketing management and has managed numerous sponsorship projects in the sport and lifestyle space.

Tony Lankester started his working life at SAfm with a Rhodes Journalism degree, eventually holding several positions at the national station including marketing manager, programme manager, producer and presenter. After leaving SAfm, Lankester headed up Old Mutual's Media Communications department, before moving from communications into the world of brand marketing as Old Mutual's sponsorship manager in 2005. In December 2007 he joined the National Arts Festival in the newly created CEO role and, since then, has become a recognised expert on festivals in Africa - taking the role of Chairman of the World Fringe Alliance and Treasurer of the African Festival Network, and frequently lecturing and training locally and internationally in arts marketing and strategy, sponsorship strategy and social media.

The second in BASA's Africa Business Breakfast series, supported by Standard Bank, follows the first successful gathering in March, which was addressed by Praekelt Group's Gustav Praekelt, GIBS Senior Researcher, Lisa Brown and multiple award-winning jazz musician, Kesivan Naidoo.

Seating is limited so make sure you book your place now on the details below.

Date: 31 July 2014
Where: GIBS
Starting time: 7.30am
Ticket price: R250. Tickets available at www.basa.co.za

For more information email az.oc.asab@ofni or call 011 447 2295

About BASA (NPC):

Business and Arts South Africa is an internationally recognised development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporates' commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts in order to grow shared value. Business and Arts South Africa was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of the Department of Arts and Culture and the business sector, as a public/private partnership. Business and Arts South Africa is proud to be celebrating 20 years of Freedom.