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I can exclusively break the news that major top executive changes are coming to M-Net as the Randburg-based pay-TV operator will make Theo Erasmus the new channel director in South Africa for the AfricaMagic channels and Pierre Cloete will take over overseeing both the M-Net (DStv 101) and M-Net Series (DStv 114) channels in addition to his current work load from January 2013.
The top executive changes, not yet publicly announced, are part of a internal management restructuring under M-Net CEO Patricia van Rooyen.
The executive changes at M-Net, according to insiders, include Biola Alabi in Nigeria who is currently M-Net Africa's managing director who will remain the managing director of M-Net Africa but getting assistance from Theo Erasmus.
Theo Erasmus, currently M-Net's director for general entertainment, is becoming the channel director based in South Africa for the rebranded AfricaMagic channels since the packaging and the operations of that division happens from this country. He will be overseeing the day-to-day operations for the AfricaMagic channels for a 2 year period.
During this time Theo Erasmus and Biola Alabi will have to work together to find and groom a new chief operating officer (COO) for this expanding operational division. Theo Erasmus will move to this position and new title from 1 January 2013 and will be reporting directly to Patricia van Rooyen.
Meanwhile Pierre Cloete, currently the director of the M-Net Movies channels since this year after he was the M-Net channel head, is being moved into a bigger management role, expanding to oversight over the M-Net and M-Net Series channels, also from 1 January. He will also be reporting directly to Patricia van Rooyen I'm told about the M-Net Movies channels, as well as these two M-Net channels - now placing all M-Net branded TV channels under his control.
According to sources the changes are part of M-Net's focus on increasing local content across Africa whilst containing costs and relooking at all sistems regarding the licensing and acquisition processes and channel packaging as part of M-Net's plan to launch more channels across the continent.
