NBF establishes media and communications sector

15 Jul 2009

The NEPAD Business Foundation for Africa (NBF) recently established a new sector in the organisation for media and communications. It is headed up by Sharon Penhallrick, MD of Telmar SPC. The Media and Communications sector was set up in order to communicate the NBF's activities more successfully.

Sharon Penhallrick, MD, Telmar SPC

The NBF Media and Communications sector aims to:

Be an educational division that communicates NEPAD to all markets in Africa, including the goals of NEPAD, past successes and future endeavours.
Provide a training platform that may develop skills across all disciplines.
Create a network and discussion forum for companies operating in Africa to promote partnerships; stimulate synergies; and promote an environment conducive to business.

The first industry meeting took place on 25 September 2008 and due to the sector's size, three sub-sectors were created. The first includes journalism and reporting, the second groups media, marketing, advertising, research and PR and the third creative and film production.

Penhallrick represented NEPAD at the African Experiential Marketing Summit 2008 and has spoken at various pan-Africa conferences in African markets. Topics covered marketing, advertising and research in Africa over 2009 and included a summary of the objectives and benefits of being part of the NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF).

Penhallrick has been involved in the marketing, advertising, research and media business for over twenty six years in South Africa, rest of Africa, Europe and Asia. She has also worked on the ground in some thirty market in Africa. She was previously managing director of various South African media independents, consulting media drector of Ogilvy Africa, managing drector of McCann Africa, and Universal McCann Africa. She is also a member of the key local media and research committees across Africa, as well as a founding member of PAMRO (Pan African Media Research Organisation).

The sector is currently exploring available investment opportunities and generating an interest around the 2010 World Cup.

The Media and Communications sector is seeking participants in this field and the NBF is inviting those in the media and communications industry to join the new sector.

Requests for further information or applications to join can be sent to , as well as and .

The NBF consists of the following sectors that aim to deliver business opportunities for the private sector: Agribusiness, Asset management, Audit and Accounting, Banking, Energy, FMCG, ICT, Infrastructure, Legal, Mining, SMME, Stock exchange, Transport, Water and Media and Communications.