SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe to speak at ACCES 2024

Lebethe joins previously announced speakers including COSOMA executive director Dora Makwinja (Malawi), ONDA deputy director general Mehdi Delmi (Algeria), BMG SVP of A&R Tab Nkhereanye (US), Octopizzo (Kenya), IKS Cultural Consulting managing director Andre Le Roux (South Africa), Ditto Music regional manager Africa Wendy Verwey Bekker (South Africa), Music In Africa Foundation director Eddie K Hatitye (South Africa), CISAC regional director for Africa Samuel Sangwa (Rwanda) and CAPASSO CEO Jotam Matariro (South Africa), among others.

Lebethe’s keynote address, Efficiency in Music Rights Administration, will highlight the vast, untapped market in African countries that collective management organisations (CMOs) have yet to fully leverage to benefit their members. The address will also emphasise Africa’s immense potential and the importance of collaboration among CMOs, drawing lessons from European examples. Additionally, Lebethe will share SAMRO’s best practices in increasing the value generated for music creators in South Africa, with a specific emphasis on revenue generation and operational efficacy.

“The overall basis is on the need for aggressive continuous improvement of CMOs through collaborations and partnerships so that there can be exponential growth to the value created by CMOs on behalf of their membership and ensuring that CMOs are part of the solution in improving music creatives revenue streams,” SAMRO general manager for sales and licensing Karabo Senna told Music In Africa.

ACCES is set to host a programme featuring over 50 industry experts, who will lead in-depth discussions and share insights on key aspects of the music industry, including music rights management, music entrepreneurship and music publishing, among other topics. These discussions will provide attendees with valuable knowledge, practical advice, and networking opportunities to help them navigate and succeed in the music industry.

Lebethe’s distinguished career in the arts and culture sector spans numerous senior and consulting positions, showcasing her broad understanding and experience. Before becoming SAMRO CEO, she led Ditsong Museums of South Africa as CEO. Her notable accomplishments include serving as CEO of the National Arts Council of South Africa in 2009 and interim CEO of the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State, where she successfully stabilised the entity, implemented a turnaround strategy, and formalised governance structures. She also demonstrated leadership and management capabilities as CEO of the Market Theatre Foundation.

As SAMRO’s CEO, Lebethe has achieved remarkable success, including the organisation’s largest royalty distribution in the Radio and General category during her inaugural year. Under her leadership, SAMRO has experienced substantial revenue growth, a testament to her effective management and strategic direction. A proponent of the creative sector, Lebethe has initiated various corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives, including the Music Business Lab Training Programme and Music Business Masterclass.

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe. ACCES 2024 is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with the Rwanda Convention Bureau, Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut. See the full list of ACCES partners on the official website.

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