Afternoon TalkSIPHO SITHOLE - FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF NATIVE RHYTHMS
SIPHO SITHOLE - FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF NATIVE RHYTHMS AND GROUP CHIEF STRATEGIST OFFICER AT PRASA
Married for 29 Years to Velile Sithole
Children: 1 Son (30) and Daughter (26)
Overall Experience: Sipho Sithole’s experience cuts across from being a gardener from the age of 12 to occupying executive positions in aviation, telecommunications, broadcasting, sports administration, arts, culture and entertainment, transport and to Board directorships position in financial services, entertainment companies, as well as music and culture. He is an ardent speaker at international conferences on music and culture as well as management and leadership. His love for the academia has seen Sipho returning back to school to pursue a PhD Degree at Wits University in the field of Anthropology, which he submitted in April 2016.
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1993: After completing his studies in the United States (B.Sc. In Political Science and International Relations) and an M.Sc. Personnel Management and Industrial Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Sipho returned to South Africa in October 1993 and took up a lectureship position at Wits University’s Graduate School of Public and Development Management (now Wits School of Governance).
1994: After a shot stint at Wits University, Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) recruited Sipho in early 1994 and subsequently became ACSA’s Regional HR Manager for the 6 regional airports and would later become the company’s strategic planning executive. Sipho was credited with ensuring that ACSA’s industrial relations strategy formed an integral part of the total strategy of the company with which it pursues its business objectives. The inclusion of labour in the total transformation of the company became the pillar of ACSA’s restructuring which led to its partial privatization and equity participation by an international airport operator, Aeroporti Di Roma in 1998.
1998: After the successful restructuring of ACSA in March 1998, Sipho joined Ericsson Telecoms in April of the same year as Human Resources Director. In this position, Sipho became one of the top 100 HR Manager of Ericsson and was soon spotted for general management position to be groomed to lead any of Ericsson’s entities. Three year later Sipho was appointed Managing Director of EXi Telecoms (an Ericsson spin-off company) responsible for the rollout of GSM and 3rd generation mobile networks in Anglo-African countries.
2002: Sipho was later recruited by Johnnic Entertainment (now Times New Media) to the position of Group Executive: Strategy and Development looking after the group’s entertainment portfolio (Nu Metro Cinemas, Exclusive Books, and Gallo Music Group). In this position, Sipho was responsible for the Group’s Africa expansion strategy and he was instrumental in the rollout of Nu Metro Cinemas in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
2003: Sipho was later appointed by Johnnic to the position of Deputy MD of Gallo Music Group and responsible for growing the company’s local repertoire. Sipho was responsible for turning around the local division of Gallo Records and introduced fresh sound and signed young artists who have later became leading pioneers of the now popular Afro-Soul genre and local hip-hop, such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Simphiwe Dana, Skwatta Kamp, Pro Kid and Bhambatha, just to mention a few.
2005: In late 2005, Sipho left Gallo to set up his own record label, Native Rhythms Productions, and the company quickly assumed its leadership as an independent record label specializing in Afro and Ethno Soul genres. The company has impressive roster of the most successful double-platinum and multi-awards winning artists and has become a reference when it comes to the country’s artistic and cultural expressions.
2007: Whilst running his record label, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) recruited Sipho as its Executive: Strategy and Risk Management. Agreeing to take the position for only 3 years, Sipho was responsible for the development of SABC’s turnaround strategy and the introduction of the corporation’s new audience segmentation strategy and the preparation for digital terrestrial television.
2012: Whilst back at his own company, Native Rhythms, Sipho was again recruited by the Local Organising Committee to the position of Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for AFCON2013 and the CHAN2014.
2014: In October 2014, Sipho was appointed Group Chief Strategy Officer at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, a position he has held since then.
Board Directorships
1. Airports Company of South Africa (Aviation) (1998 – 2007)
2. Momentum Limited (Firstrand Group of Companies) (2004 – 2010)
3. Nu Metro Kenya (2001 – 2005)
4. Gallo Music Group (2001 – 2005)
5. Music Mayday International (Holland) (2008 – 2012)
6. Moral Regeneration Movement (2007 – Feb ‘14)
7. Recording Industries of South Africa (2013 – present)
8. Moshito Music Conference and Exhibitions (Chair) (2013 – present)
9. Joburg City Theatres (2014 – present)
10. National Philharmonic Orchestra (2016 – present)
Publications:
1. “A Principal, A Vision and Change in an Uncompromising Community, Part I & II”, in Schütte, Lauren Blythe; Schwella, Erwin, and FitzGerald, Patrick (eds.): Changing Public and Development Management. Juta, 1995, p. 30 - 37
2. Sithole, Sipho. “Bargaining for Economic Development: Wage Determination and Implications for Macro-economic Performance”. Industrial Relations Journal of South Africa, Vol. 14, NO. 1, 1994: 15-23
3. Sithole, Sipho. “Bargaining for Economic Development: Wage Determination and Implications for Macro-economic Performance”. South African Journal of Economics, Vol. 63, No. 1, 1995
Unpublished Manuscripts”
1. “Lest I Forget: Through the Eyes of a Township Child” (A Semi-Auto Biography)
2. “Kuse Mpondo Zankomo (Meet Me at the Break of Dawn) “– A Stage Play
3. “The Romanticization of Poverty: A Tragedy for the Black Man” – still in progress
Married for 29 Years to Velile Sithole
Children: 1 Son (30) and Daughter (26)
Overall Experience: Sipho Sithole’s experience cuts across from being a gardener from the age of 12 to occupying executive positions in aviation, telecommunications, broadcasting, sports administration, arts, culture and entertainment, transport and to Board directorships position in financial services, entertainment companies, as well as music and culture. He is an ardent speaker at international conferences on music and culture as well as management and leadership. His love for the academia has seen Sipho returning back to school to pursue a PhD Degree at Wits University in the field of Anthropology, which he submitted in April 2016.
________________________________________
1993: After completing his studies in the United States (B.Sc. In Political Science and International Relations) and an M.Sc. Personnel Management and Industrial Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Sipho returned to South Africa in October 1993 and took up a lectureship position at Wits University’s Graduate School of Public and Development Management (now Wits School of Governance).
1994: After a shot stint at Wits University, Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) recruited Sipho in early 1994 and subsequently became ACSA’s Regional HR Manager for the 6 regional airports and would later become the company’s strategic planning executive. Sipho was credited with ensuring that ACSA’s industrial relations strategy formed an integral part of the total strategy of the company with which it pursues its business objectives. The inclusion of labour in the total transformation of the company became the pillar of ACSA’s restructuring which led to its partial privatization and equity participation by an international airport operator, Aeroporti Di Roma in 1998.
1998: After the successful restructuring of ACSA in March 1998, Sipho joined Ericsson Telecoms in April of the same year as Human Resources Director. In this position, Sipho became one of the top 100 HR Manager of Ericsson and was soon spotted for general management position to be groomed to lead any of Ericsson’s entities. Three year later Sipho was appointed Managing Director of EXi Telecoms (an Ericsson spin-off company) responsible for the rollout of GSM and 3rd generation mobile networks in Anglo-African countries.
2002: Sipho was later recruited by Johnnic Entertainment (now Times New Media) to the position of Group Executive: Strategy and Development looking after the group’s entertainment portfolio (Nu Metro Cinemas, Exclusive Books, and Gallo Music Group). In this position, Sipho was responsible for the Group’s Africa expansion strategy and he was instrumental in the rollout of Nu Metro Cinemas in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
2003: Sipho was later appointed by Johnnic to the position of Deputy MD of Gallo Music Group and responsible for growing the company’s local repertoire. Sipho was responsible for turning around the local division of Gallo Records and introduced fresh sound and signed young artists who have later became leading pioneers of the now popular Afro-Soul genre and local hip-hop, such as Thandiswa Mazwai, Simphiwe Dana, Skwatta Kamp, Pro Kid and Bhambatha, just to mention a few.
2005: In late 2005, Sipho left Gallo to set up his own record label, Native Rhythms Productions, and the company quickly assumed its leadership as an independent record label specializing in Afro and Ethno Soul genres. The company has impressive roster of the most successful double-platinum and multi-awards winning artists and has become a reference when it comes to the country’s artistic and cultural expressions.
2007: Whilst running his record label, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) recruited Sipho as its Executive: Strategy and Risk Management. Agreeing to take the position for only 3 years, Sipho was responsible for the development of SABC’s turnaround strategy and the introduction of the corporation’s new audience segmentation strategy and the preparation for digital terrestrial television.
2012: Whilst back at his own company, Native Rhythms, Sipho was again recruited by the Local Organising Committee to the position of Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for AFCON2013 and the CHAN2014.
2014: In October 2014, Sipho was appointed Group Chief Strategy Officer at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, a position he has held since then.
Board Directorships
1. Airports Company of South Africa (Aviation) (1998 – 2007)
2. Momentum Limited (Firstrand Group of Companies) (2004 – 2010)
3. Nu Metro Kenya (2001 – 2005)
4. Gallo Music Group (2001 – 2005)
5. Music Mayday International (Holland) (2008 – 2012)
6. Moral Regeneration Movement (2007 – Feb ‘14)
7. Recording Industries of South Africa (2013 – present)
8. Moshito Music Conference and Exhibitions (Chair) (2013 – present)
9. Joburg City Theatres (2014 – present)
10. National Philharmonic Orchestra (2016 – present)
Publications:
1. “A Principal, A Vision and Change in an Uncompromising Community, Part I & II”, in Schütte, Lauren Blythe; Schwella, Erwin, and FitzGerald, Patrick (eds.): Changing Public and Development Management. Juta, 1995, p. 30 - 37
2. Sithole, Sipho. “Bargaining for Economic Development: Wage Determination and Implications for Macro-economic Performance”. Industrial Relations Journal of South Africa, Vol. 14, NO. 1, 1994: 15-23
3. Sithole, Sipho. “Bargaining for Economic Development: Wage Determination and Implications for Macro-economic Performance”. South African Journal of Economics, Vol. 63, No. 1, 1995
Unpublished Manuscripts”
1. “Lest I Forget: Through the Eyes of a Township Child” (A Semi-Auto Biography)
2. “Kuse Mpondo Zankomo (Meet Me at the Break of Dawn) “– A Stage Play
3. “The Romanticization of Poverty: A Tragedy for the Black Man” – still in progress
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