The news:
Sony Music Publishing – a global music publisher has announced its expansion to Africa. The announcement ushers in a new office in Lagos, Nigeria and the appointment of Godwin Tom as its Managing Director.
Sony Music Publishing was founded in 1955 by Michael Jackson and Lew Grade and currently has over five million songs owned or administered.
About Godwin Tom
Godwin Tom is a talent manager, creative entrepreneur and the Chief Executive officer at iManage Africa – a talent and events management company set up in 2019. In his capacity as a talent manager, he has in the last decade worked with artists such as MI, Wizkid, Waje, Davido, Rooftop MCs, and many others.
Tom focuses on developing tailor-made strategies that align with the business needs and goals of clients. He has practical experiences at management levels for marketing, public relations, image consulting, branding and publishing.
In addition to his roles within the entertainment industry Tom is a strong supporter of the development of youth. As a result, he has developed key mentoring schemes that will enable young men and women keen to join the industry and gain first hand working experience with The Godwin Tom Company and iManage Africa Entertainment.
What next:
Following his appointment as managing director, he would be reporting toPublishing’s the company’s International president – Guy Henderson. Also, in his capacity as the head of Sony Music Publishing’s Nigeria division, Tom will oversee the company’s expansion into Africa as it aims in growing its roster of songwriters and composers across the region.
Speaking on his appointment, he said, “I am honoured and humbled by the opportunity to work for the number one music publisher in the world. Africa has so much talent, culture and uniqueness to share with the rest of the world and I am excited to be a part of the incredible global network of teams that will help build a home for Africa’s best songwriters.”
Following his years of experience Tom has a deep understanding of the African music industry and has fostered relationships with top stakeholders in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Godwin has also supported the development of future industry leaders through the Music Business Academy for Africa, an e-learning platform dedicated to training the next generation of music and entertainment professionals.
Speaking for Sony Music Publishing, the International President, Guy Henderson said, “It is a real pleasure to be able to announce the appointment of Godwin Tom as the Managing Director of our start-up company in Nigeria. As Sony Music Publishing enters West Africa, Godwin’s wealth of experience and knowledge of the market, as well as his background in music industry education make him the perfect leader for our business”.
“Together with our talented team in South Africa, Sony Music Publishing looks forward to an ongoing acceleration in its global African footprint”, he added.
He will be bringing this wealth of experience into helping Sony Music Publishing expand its base into Africa.
