| Tue 3 Sep 2002, 0:00 | | Primidia Limited - Primedia Appoints CEO Of Advert |
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Press Release
3 September 2002
PRIMEDIA APPOINTS CEO OF ADVERTISING BUSINESSES
Primedia today announced the appointment of Kuben Pillay as CEO of the group`s
advertising business (Adco). Adco comprises some of the country`s biggest media
brands, deriving its income from advertising sales and revenue with an annual
turnover of R570 million.
Kuben has been intensively involved in transformation and change in the media
industry over the last seven years. He lead the consortium which comprised a
partnership between Primedia, the Mineworkers Investment Company ("MIC"), the
Sactwu Investment Group and Wiphold in successfully bidding for 94,7 Highveld
Stereo and Cape Talk, and again jointly lead the Free to Air consortium which
acquired the first free to air television licence awarded in South Africa. He
took on an executive director`s position at Primedia two years ago with the
responsibility for Corporate Affairs and Strategy when the MIC acquired a
strategic and controlling interest in the group.
Kuben has also held a number of important executive and non-executive
directorships in several private and listed companies and government
commissions. He served as one of the founding executive directors of MIC,
representing the company`s interests in many of its investments and as a
managing partner at Cheadle Thompson and Haysom, the pre-eminent anti-apartheid
law firm. Kuben is a qualified attorney with a Masters degree from the Howard
School of Law, Washington DC.
In 2001 Primedia realigned its businesses along operational lines into
advertising, filmed entertainment and one-to-one communications, each with its
own core competencies and growth prospects. As part of this process, Ferdi
Gazendam was appointed CEO of the filmed entertainment businesses (Filmco)
incorporating the Ster-Kinekor group of companies, Ster Century Europe and Ster
Century Middle East. The advertising businesses, comprising the Broadcasting
and Internet, Out-of-home, Cinema and Print, Commuter Media and Sport divisions,
were realigned to form Adco. The heads of these five divisions have in the past
reported directly to the Primedia CEO.
Commenting on the appointment, Primedia CEO William Kirsh said, "Kuben is the
right person to take Adco forward, he has the relevant industry experience,
management style, strong empowerment credentials and internal credibility. The
appointment will also enable me to concentrate on driving growth and innovation
for the group as a whole in the local market, as well completing the balance of
the restructuring programme."
Paul Nkuna, chairman of Primedia, welcomed Kuben`s appointment as further
entrenching Primedia`s total commitment to internal transformation, and said:
"This appointment, together with others already made at Primedia, sends a very
important signal to all of our staff, showing them that change and the
development of people from within our own ranks can be a positive stimulus for
continued organisational growth."
Kuben Pillay said: "I am honoured and excited to be leading Adco in its next
growth phase and I look forward to working together with a very capable
management team to enhance its prospects and contribution to Primedia."
Primedia will now have three key executives reporting to the Primedia CEO - the
CEO Filmco, CEO Adco and CEO One-to-one.
Enquiries:
Brunswick 011 268 5750
Di Munro 083 326 5958
Date: 03/09/2002 02:15:00 PM Produced by the JSE SENS Department
