Loyiso Bala, John Vlismas receive Henley MBA Scholarships

© Rabia Elif Aksoy – 123RF.com

Bala, who received the Johnny Clegg scholarship, is a multi award-winning South African artist, well-known for his contribution to both the local and international music industry. As a former member of the Drakensberg Boys Choir he was appointed, at 19, as the youngest conductor of the National Youth Choir. His versatility in music has led him to move with ease between different genres in music.

Vlismas received Henley’s Creative and Music Industries MBA scholarship. He is well known for his outspoken and observational humour. His ability to understand and comment on political, social and economic affairs has earned him a broad fan base and growing corporate client base, as well as invitations to perform in England, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

A third MBA scholarship has been awarded to Mariapaola McGurk who runs The Coloured Cube, which focuses on creating exhibitions and activations.

“I am honoured to be part of empowering artists through this scholarship, and working with Henley to share this opportunity with the right candidate,” Johnny Clegg said. “I trust that this MBA will propel them on to great things in both this country and the rest of the world.”

“The collaboration with Johnny Clegg adds weight to the course. As an artist, his story is applicable to the principles of this MBA – he has harnessed his creativity and applied sound business principles to ensure that his art reaches audiences the world over. He transformed perceptions, improved our lives and is commercially successful. This is at the heart of what the Henley MBA has set out to achieve,” said Jon Foster-Pedley, dean of Henley Business School.

Foster-Pedley said the scholarships cover the full MBA course and include workshops with select groups of individuals focusing on developing their creative and innovative capabilities. The programme develops and grows the skills for creative and music industry leaders as well as business innovators and entrepreneurs.

The creative side of business

“Marketing and business understanding have become the backbone of a successful career in the arts, but most creative undergraduate degrees are still craft-focused and exclude business modules. Creatives are left to figure out the business side on their own,” said Foster-Pedley.

“There is a change in the business world. Creativity is being used not only in marketing but also for addressing business challenges. New creative ways of working are being implemented and encouraged.”

He said that creativity in business is integral to the future growth of SA managers. “But most businesses remain reluctant to be creative for fear of failure. But for those who do, the potential exists to create business growth and enhance employee satisfaction and retention.”

“With the Creative MBA we encourage students to think outside the box compared to traditional management styles. We find that allowing staff to be creative, even in the small areas of their responsibility, increases productivity, affects the company’s bottom line and can also provide a competitive advantage,” said Foster-Pedley.