Page 56 - 2018 Powerlist

Business, Corporates, Financiers & Entrepreneurs

NEW Yolisa Phahle joining the BBC World Service in 1996 as a studio manager
2018 and later music producer.
CEO, M-Net
Following stints as a sound and vision mixer for BBC
Television she was appointed senior music producer at BBC
Although born in the UK, it is Yolisa’s roots – her parents 6 Music, the broadcaster’s first ever digital radio station.
left South Africa in 1965 – that eventually led her to one of In 2004, she moved to South Africa, joining M-Net as
the highest roles in South African TV. head of its Channel O. She then became channel director of
As CEO of the country’s subscription-funded M-Net its Special Interest Channels, where she was instrumental
television channel, she is responsible for channel in launching many successful local networks including
performance and revenue recruitment, strategy, financial Mzansi Magic.
management and governance. In 2013, she was appointed M-Net South Africa CEO
The channel, which has more than 10 million before taking over the reins of the M-Net business across
subscribers and is comparable to the Sky TV of South the African continent in 2015.
Africa, broadcasts local and international programming She is the first black female CEO of the company. Yolisa
across entertainment, children’s, sport and movie also has an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business
content. Science in Johannesburg.
Yolisa cut her teeth, however, as a musician, training at She says she aims to be part of the transformation of the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she majored in South African TV and film industry: “We need to create
the piano and violin. opportunity for young black entrepreneurship.
As a session musician she shared a stage with the likes “There is abundant talent and many wonderful stories
of Duran Duran, Soul II Soul and Jamiroquai, before that need to be told.”

52 Powerlist 2018