Executives and Staff

Executives

Directors

Thando Makunga (Chair)

Sheer Publishing

Thando is a South African music business executive and the Managing Director of Sheer Publishing, the largest independent music publisher in Africa which has a 25-year track record of success in the music industry. Sheer is part of Downtown Music Holding, a global independent rights management and music services company based in New York. Thando has worked on the continent to drive collaboration, knowledge sharing, and improved access to information on publishing and the rights of creators.

She has an extensive background in broadcasting having started her career at Deloitte followed by programming roles at Kagiso Media. She has held executive roles at Primedia Broadcasting where she was Group Music Manager for KFM, 702, CapeTalk and 947 the largest commercial broadcaster in South Africa where she was Station Manager for 3 years. She has been instrumental in creating opportunities for women and the youth in the media industry and implemented strategic initiatives within the organisation to identify and develop talent. She works privately as an executive and management coach with clients in the creative and corporate industry.

Rob Cowling

Gallo Music Publishers

Rob Cowling has 25 years experience in the music business. From retail to co-ownership of an independent record label and publisher, to head of Gallo, a 93 year old “major independent” housing Gallo Music Publishers and Gallo Record Company. Cowling is also on the board of Directors of South African music Industry Trade bodies RISA and RAV, and has a wealth of experience in recording rights & copyrights, label & publishing services, A&R, marketing and running label support for the IDOLS SA franchise. In 2019 Cowling was acknowledged in Billboard magazine’s “International Power Players List” as one of the top global music executives driving the industry’s success outside the U.S.

Malcom Burger

Peermusic

Cape Town based Malcolm Burger has spent the last 26 years immersed in various facets of the music industry – ranging from retail to running clubs and events. Eventually starting a career in publishing 18 years ago with Peermusic, the largest independent music publisher in the world, he has been the General Manager in South Africa since 2016. Malcolm has significant experience in copyright, royalty administration, finance, A&R, and other general publishing interests. Personal interests include writing, recording, and performing of music.

Ryan Hill (Vice Chair)

Universal Music Publishing

Ryan Hill, a seasoned South African Music Publisher with a Master’s in music composition, brings nineteen years of industry expertise. As the Managing Director of Universal Music Publishing, he actively shapes industry development. Ryan co-founded and chairs the Music Publishers’ Association of South Africa (MPA SA) and serves as vice-chair for the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of South Africa (CAPASSO). Additionally, he is a non-executive director at the Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO). Ryan’s diverse experience ranges from composing and copyright administration to licensing and A&R. He has played a pivotal role in industry leadership and development in West and East Africa, contributing to copyright law reform. Passionate about empowering writers and publishers, Ryan has been key in closing regional digital licenses and establishing collective management organizations. Whether in the studio, office, or at the piano, he thrives in contributing to the music industry.

Rowlin Naicker

Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Rowlin Naicker embarked on his musical journey at Primedia Music in 1999, later transitioning to Electromode Music. In 2005, he joined EMI Records as Royalty Manager, overseeing royalty accounting for artists and composer/publisher royalties. By 2007, he assumed the role of Head of Finance and Music Publishing at Sony/ATV. In 2012, he was promoted to General Manager, playing a crucial role in the global acquisition of EMI Music Publishing’s South African branch.

In 2016, Rowlin became Managing Director of Sony/ATV and EMI Music Publishing, overseeing acts like Abdullah Ibrahim, Joyous Celebration, Jack Parow, Arno Carstens, and Theo Kgosinkwe (Mafikizolo). He renewed legacy agreements and secured notable signings such as Simphiwe Dana, DJ Maphorisa, Matthew Mole, Mi Casa, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Kid Fonque, and Samthing Soweto. Rowlin serves as Chairman of MPA SA, a Non-Executive Board Member of SAMRO, and is a FINCOMM member of CAPASSO, bringing two decades of industry experience and a passion for promoting South African music globally.

Natalie Sanderson

David Gresham Entertainment

Natalie Sanderson is the CFO of The David Gresham Entertainment Group and has 25 years’ experience in Africa’s Music Industry. She sits on the Board of Directors for The Music Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA), RISA Audio Visual (RAV) and The South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO). With her knowledge and experience, Natalie brings key insight to all her positions to actively find solutions in the shifting landscape of the music industry from copyright issues to technological innovations.

Shiran Weltsman

Stella June Pty Ltd

Shiran, a business enthusiast since an early age, has explored diverse industries, including finance, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare. Over the past 13 years, her passion has led her to excel in the dynamic media and music sector, where she thrives on innovation and forward thinking.

As a Co-founder of Stella June Pty Ltd, an Independent Record label, Publishing, and Media House, Shiran embraces her entrepreneurial spirit. Additionally, she holds certification as a Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner.

With a strong belief in empowering women in business and music, Shiran actively contributes her time to organizations promoting shared interests in South Africa and internationally. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Membership for Woman in Music South Africa and holds key roles in the CAPASSO CSI Committee and the Music Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA).

Reuben Makondo (Treasurer)

EMI Music Publishing

Reuben joined Sony/ATV Music Publishing heads the finance department. His primary role is to provide support to the organization and improve decision-making by providing pertinent information that drives pricing, appraisal of catalogue(s) and artists, evaluating investments/transactions, revenue maximization among a variety of duties.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce with honours in Accounting from the University of Johannesburg. Reuben trained with Deloitte, worked in the finance departments at M-Net and Lee Executive Imaging with a key focus on financial reporting and investment analysis. The experience enabled him to learn important skills and to develop the smarts needed to succeed in a competitive environment.

Louise Bulley

VV Publishing

Louise Bulley has been in the production music industry since 2003, starting at the then NORM, as the production music manager.

There was a brief time at SAMRO and from there she went to Synchro Music Management in March 2008 and left in October 2018, as the Managing Director of Synchro Music.

This year, 2019, she has joined the Mama Dance Music team and is currently with them, working from Johannesburg for the team.

Miss Bulley is a member of the Production Music South Africa (PMSA).

Moonga Mkandawire

Mpezeni Street Holdings

Moonga is a singer, songwriter, author, consultant and property developer.

He is the founder and managing director of Mpezeni Street Holdings. Mpezeni Street Holdings is the parent company for all his business ventures and is pioneering how songwriters and music artists can build successful companies on the foundation of their talent and brands.

For MPASA, he sits on the following committees:

Government and Trades Relations (Chair) and represents the MPASA on SAMIC as well as MOSHITO.
R&D, Governance and Best Practice.
Membership, Workshops and Social Media.

Moonga is committed to growing the creative industries in Africa through research and creating links with other sectors. His past work includes facilitating the relationship between SAMRO and DownTown Music Hub which led to a SAMRO Hub at the studios.

Geoff Paynter

Geoff Paynter Music Publishing

Geoff Paynter, an independent music publisher, served as M.D. of Gallo Music Publishers for two decades and held a Board Director position at SAMRO for much of that time. With nearly 50 years of experience in record companies like Teal Zambia, Gallo, and WEA, he has been running his own music publishing company since 2008. Paynter played a pivotal role in overseeing the international careers of artists such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Lucky Dube, and the Mahotella Queens. His extensive travels in Africa contributed to promoting East African and Congolese Rumba music in Central Africa, Zimbabwe, and South Africa in the seventies and eighties. Notably, he played a key role in reviving Mahlithini’s career in the 1980s and successfully contributed to Mango Groove’s recordings and publishing at Gallo. Additionally, he orchestrated the “Heinz” advertising campaign that propelled Ladysmith Black Mambazo to chart and sell over 1 million albums in the UK.

Geoff Paynter has been actively involved in legal battles for composers’ rights, including the “Mbube”/”Lion Sleeps Tonight” case, the litigation against Helmut Lotti in a Belgian Court, and the defense of composer’s rights in the long-running “Umoja” and “SARRAL” legal cases. As a strong advocate of ‘good governance,’ he emphasizes the importance of “maximizing royalty distributions” to members. Serving on the Board of MPASA and its predecessor NORM since 1988, Paynter continues to contribute significantly to the music industry.

Staff

Tsenolo Ntsane

Operations Manager

Tsenolo is creative native and champion of music. Her journey of experience began as a song writer, performer and she too provided skill as a vocal arranger and booking agent. Her song writing experience includes contributing to albums of industry legends such a Vetkuk vs Mahoota and extends to writing children’s songs for TV.

Her role in the corporate sector of the music publishing industry began at Universal Music Publishing, where she played a large role in the organizing of the annual Universal South Speaks Song Writers’ Camp. She has been instrumental in facilitating collaborations among writers and publishers. As Operations Manager of the Association, her focus now is on the music copyright landscape and the interests and protection of rights holders in the music industry.

Kabelo Mpolenyane

Operations Assistant

As a marketing co-ordinator with a huge passion for music, Kabelo specialized in social media management, content creation, and digital marketing strategy. Kabelo provided a warm, personal, yet objective perspective to all his marketing projects at Maluti Digital and SABC Corporate Marketing.

As a member of the Damien Keys Music Academy, an IMM Graduate School student, and Damelin Graduate, Kabelo learned how to market and promote his own music, and always works to create sustainable growth on every project he undertakes through creative and engaging content on social media.