#Newsmaker: Kevin Fine spearheads new business unit, Expedite

Kevin Fine, former GM of Jacaranda FM and head of Expedite. Image supplied.

According to Fine, Expedite’s strategy is to revolutionise radio in South Africa by reverse-engineering the way radio airtime has been used and sold over the last 30 years and introducing new business models to accelerate and scale startups, medium-growth and established businesses.

There are a variety of products and models that have been created to fast scale target companies. He says the intention is to exponentially grow market share for these companies with the application of these models.

Nick Grubb, Kagiso media radio chief executive said: “We know Kevin’s skills will help to drive this new venture into a growth engine for the portfolio in a short period of time.”

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Nick Grubb  14 Jan 2019

We caught up with Fine who told us what excites him most about Expedite and how he intends to apply his skills to the acceleration of the business and partner businesses. He also takes us through some of his career highlights and how he’s been able to transform himself.

Congrats on your new venture. How do you feel about it?

Thank you, feeling really energised about this venture and the market response so far has been really positive. It’s also a great time to exit the station after being there for eight years, I feel I’ve taken it to the place it should be in terms of culture, audience metrics, digital metrics, market presence and stature.

Tell us more about Expedite. What excites you most about it?

I’ve been saying, for a while, that in difficult times we should feel challenged to really think and operate in a way that’s conducive with where the world is moving. Expedite’s motto is “in omnia paratus” so effectively ready for all things and, as the title suggests, to get them done at pace.

Looking at the global trends in media, marketing, culture, cooperation and leadership, there is such a great opportunity to adopt these principles and work harder with companies to drive success. In a good deal, everybody gets to eat at the table and, primarily, we are looking to create the environment I’ve been working on for a few months for select clients who want to operate this way.

What do you love most about your career?

Well, the things I’m most proud of are the people whose lives I’ve been privileged to impact positively and, of course, the ability to create social change. Creativity and entertainment are in my blood and with the experiences I’ve had in the non-profit sector, broadcasting, sponsorship, sports marketing and corporate, I get to apply all of those skills to create genuine opportunities.

Jacaranda FM's Kevin Fine: Maximising radio in the 4th Industrial Revolution

Kevin Fine, Jacaranda FM  21 Jun 2019

I love that I’ve been able to transform myself, my thinking and ultimately my engagement with people on completely different spheres, so listeners, clients, stakeholders. It’s been a real challenge to myself and required real grit.

Any career highlights you’re particularly proud of?

Certainly over the past few years, the transformation of Jacaranda as a business from an internal and listener point of view come to mind. Also, I believe the sustainable projects we’ve set up at including providing water and light to communities have made a real impact and I’m particularly proud of that.

Kevin Fine on Jacaranda FM's Station of the Year win

Leigh Andrews  4 May 2015

Apart from that sitting on the Fifa World Cup Marketing Alliance and programme managing the Fifa Football for Hope event in Alexandra during 2010; the awards we won for our Jacaranda More Music You Love Campaign; and the Paul Harris Rotary award I received for my “Bury me in Books” campaign.

Tell us a bit about your experience and how this has equipped you for your new role?

Well for the last 25 years I’ve had broad experience in sport, sports development, broadcasting, management, the non-profit sector, licensing and eventing. That’s apart from the eight years of leadership experience and exponential growth in understanding the digital realm at Jacaranda. Each of these combines to create a larger than the sum of the whole type dimension for me.

The key has really been sitting in the trenches to understand definitively the cognitions of each business and industry and lends itself bringing experience and solutions-based outcomes to the table in the new venture.

What are you most looking forward to/enjoying so far?

What’s at the top of your to-do list (at work)?

Expedite! The challenge now is to connect with and educate as many potential clients as possible and draw them into our way of thinking.

“When it comes to influencers, numbers don’t determine your followers. The key to influencers is that they should be measured by their engagement rate.” - Important worrds from @TheFinester at @RadioDaysAfrica #RDA19 #thepowerof10 pic.twitter.com/AWzSYJpFe2

— Charita (@charitavdb) July 4, 2019

Currently reading The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Wildest, Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports. It’s so interesting and details the growth of one of the finest and most recognised brands in the world.

Tell us something about yourself not generally known?

I’m a coffee and whisky fiend and play the Djembe.