IFPI, the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide, has opened its first regional office in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Based in Nairobi, the office will be headed by the newly appointed Regional Director, Angela Ndambuki, who will work across the region’s 46 countries to promote the value of recorded music, campaign for the rights of record producers and expand the commercial uses of recorded music.
Milestone for Angela
IFPI Chief Executive Officer, Frances Moore, said Sub-Saharan Africa has an exciting and diverse music landscape. More said the SSA office in Nairobi will enable IFPI to better champion issues affecting the local recording industry and support the development of the music market in these countries.
According to IFPI’s recently released Global Music Report, in 2019, recorded music industry revenues for Africa and the Middle East grew by 15.9% to US$101 million.
“I’m delighted that Angela is joining the global IFPI team to spearhead our work in the SSA region and support its growing recording industry,” Moore said. “Angela is enormously talented and comes with a wealth of experience.”
Ms Ndambuki takes on the regional role immediately, moving on from her position as Chief Executive Officer at the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), East African state’s nationwide trade lobby and member of the International Chambers of Commerce (ICC).
“I am looking forward to working on strengthening the copyright industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, both in policy and operations, especially in light of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area,” said Ms Ndambuki, who has extensive experience in strategic decision making and leadership.
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This is another milestone for Ms Ndambuki, the accomplished performing and recording artist who rose from the all-girl group Tatuu. Her new appointment is a sigh of relief for the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) board which had unsuccessfully tried to kick her out as CEO.
Extensive experience
Angela Ndambuki holds a Master of Laws Degree in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Nairobi.
She is is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Performers’ Rights Society of Kenya (PRISK), a collective management organization licensed by the Kenya Copyright Board to represent performers in copyright and related rights works, which she was instrumental in setting up in 2009.
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In addition, Ndambuki is an expert at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Academy. In 2018, she was recognized among the 100 Most Reputable Africans by Reputation Poll for various roles in advancing corporate governance, intellectual and human rights interests.
In 2017 she was voted Kenya’s Top 40 under 40 Women Winner by the Business Daily for her role in policy and advocacy in trade facilitation and intellectual property rights in Kenya. She also serves as the Vice-Chairperson of the Kenya Association of Music Producers.
“We would also like to thank Rob Hooijer whose work as the Regional Coordinator has helped us expand our presence in the region and laid the groundwork for the opening of our office in S-SA. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with him.”
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