JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (CelebrityAccess) – Universal Music Group (UMG) has promoted Manusha Sarawan to Managing Director of Southern and East Africa. In her new role, Sarawan will continue to work closely with Adam Granite, UMG’s Executive Vice President (EVP) of Market Development, to grow UMG’s roster of artists.
UMG describes Sarawan as “an experienced business leader, with decades of experience working at the intersection of business and creativity,” including several years at Sony Music in South Africa. She was most recently Chief Operating Officer (COO) at UMG Sub-Saharan Africa, where she oversaw the label’s day-to-day operations.
According to Universal, at UMG South Africa, Sarawan “pioneered a digital-first approach to business that has been integral to the company’s success in the region as streaming has become increasingly widespread.”
In addition, she has played a crucial role in negotiating contracts with what UMG describes as “some of the most successful African artists.”
The company notes that it was the first major label to open offices in Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, and Morocco, alongside its established operations in Nigeria and South Africa.
Granite, EVP of Market Development, said: “I am delighted to promote Manusha to Managing Director for Southern and East Africa. She’s someone I’ve known since her days at Sony, and during her time at Universal, she has repeatedly shown her leadership skills and strong business acumen.
“Manusha is ideally suited to developing the careers of our market-leading label roster – regionally and internationally. I can’t wait to see her go from strength to strength.”
Sarawan, Managing Director, Southern and East Africa, added: “This is an incredibly exciting time for African music, as it continues to build new audiences here and worldwide. We have an amazing roster of talent here, and it’s a huge privilege to get to work with our artists and our talented team to promote African music on the world stage.”
