The first Bloomberg Africa Business Media Innovators 2015 summit will open next week in Johannesburg, bringing together a select audience of invited media owners, senior editors, investors, and entrepreneurs from Africa and around the world who will identify strategies and actions to accelerate development of a globally competitive media and financial reporting industry in Africa.
Commencing on Monday, November 9, the three-day summit, convened by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the Ford Foundation, is part of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA), a pan-African program launched by Michael R. Bloomberg last year, to strengthen media capacity, promote innovation in the sector and improve access to high-quality data and information on the continent. The aim of BMIA is to enhance the contribution of the media to accountability, transparency and good governance.
The summit, hosted by Justin Smith, CEO of Bloomberg Media, and Matthew Winkler, Co-Founder of Bloomberg News and Editor Emeritus, will include participants from 14 countries and many diverse media organizations who will share their ideas and experiences about the role business and financial journalism plays in attracting investment and supporting the future economic success of the continent.
Speakers at this inaugural summit include:
Teresa Clarke, CEO, Africa.com
Colin Coleman, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Africa
Ferial Haffajee, Editor, City Press
Scott Havens, SVP, Digital, Time, Inc.
Jay Ireland, President and CEO, GE Africa
Uzo Iweala, Editor in Chief, Ventures Africa and author, Beasts of No Nation
Jeff Jarvis, Founder, Buzzmachine.com
Phuti Mahanyele, Executive Chairperson, Sigma Capital
Joseph Muganda, CEO, Nation Media Group
Solomon Mugera, Africa Editor, BBC
James Mwangi, Executive Director, The Dalberg Group
Trevor Ncube, Owner, Mail & Guardian
Ory Okolloh, Director of Investments, Omidyar Network
Zach Seward, Vice President of Product and Executive Editor, Quartz
Omar Ben Yedder, Group Publisher, IC Publications
“With the rapid economic growth in key markets throughout Africa, it is important to have a strong media industry that provides accurate and timely coverage, data and information to citizens, investors and public officials,” said Justin Smith, CEO of Bloomberg Media. “This intimate gathering provides a unique opportunity for key African and international media leaders and influencers to roll up our sleeves and develop the right set of ideas, plans and programs to strengthen business and financial journalism on the continent.”
Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation said: “The role of vital information and quality journalism in building a robust civic dialogue cannot be underestimated. As we look toward the future in Africa, we are confident that innovation and data will be necessary ingredients of storytelling to combat intolerant narratives with powerful counter-narratives that embrace diversity and inclusion.”
Bloomberg Africa Business Media Innovators 2015 is an unusual and highly interactive gathering featuring world-café style roundtable discussions and town hall interviews. Speakers and participants, including publishers, editors, journalists, entrepreneurs and leaders from business and civil society will share their experiences and perspectives on how to create more dynamic new media businesses and inclusive financial journalism in Africa.
