by Thinus Ferreira
It's a homecoming of sorts for the South African content topper Tracy-Ann van Rooyen who has jumped from her programming perch at The Walt Disney Company Africa to MultiChoice's Showmax where she is now the the new executive head of of content strategy for the streamer since February.
The watch-a-lot programming executive spent years at M-Net and MultiChoice before she jumped to The Walt Disney Company Africa in July 2021 and took up the role of senior manager for programming and scheduling.
After three and a half years she is back at MultiChoice but will now oversee MultiChoice's content strategy for its Showmax streamer.
Previously at M-Net - first as head of programming for M-Net's set of local entertainment channels and then as head of acquisition and scheduling for M-Net series - the influential and tele-friendly exec amassed vast experience and a deep contact list of connections across content distribution and scheduling, formats, as well as local and international production.
Tracy-Ann van Rooyen now permanently fills the Showmax head of content position in which M-Net premium exec Nicola van Niekerk held the fort in an acting capacity since the middle of last year.
Nicola van Niekerk was the acting Showmax content boss in the wake of Allan Sperling's exit at the end of April 2024 to become the programming boss for Warner Bros. Discovery for the Nordics region in Europe since November.
At The Walt Disney Company Africa the programming and scheduling department is for the time being managed by the current internal team.
In response to a media query about Tracy-Ann van Rooyen's appointment, MultiChoice tells TVwithThinus "Tracy-Ann van Rooyen has been appointed executive head of content for Showmax, a role centred on strategic content development".
"This position expands upon the foundation laid by Nicola van Niekerk, who previously served as acting head of content. Nicola has since transitioned to acting executive head of programming for general entertainment."
"With over two decades of experience in the television industry, Tracy-Ann has a proven track record in creating, producing, acquiring, and curating content for diverse audiences across the African continent. In her new role, she'll assist the team to continue delivering top-tier content experiences for our customers."
"Her appointment, which commenced on 1 February 2025, reflects MultiChoice's strategic emphasis on strengthening its content leadership with great expertise, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and well curated content."
Next week at 2025's 7th Joburg Film Festival in Sandton, Tracy-Ann van Rooyen is set to be one of the speakers at the 3rd JBX content market running concurrently.
She will be a panellist on Wednesday morning for a session looking at Showmax's subscriber growth and talk about the streamer's content strategy, sharing various learnings on how audiences consume content on video streaming platforms.