Yoel Kenan

Yoel Kenan is the founder and CEO of Africori, a leading pan-African digital music distributor.

Africori offers label services, digital distribution, synch licensing and publishing to artists, songwriters, labels and other music rights holders in Africa.

Kenan has more than 30 years of experience in the international music industry at senior executive level in the fields of A&R, marketing, and business development at companies such as Universal, Sony BMG and mp3.com.

Kenan began his career in France by organising concerts and setting up an independent record label before joining Universal Music. He then moved to London to work at Universal Music International where he served in various positions in areas of marketing, A&R and digital. In 2001, he was appointed as the CEO of mp3.com Europe, a leading digital music portal.

Kenan later joined Sony BMG as its senior vice-president of international marketing and business development, where he was responsible for the international marketing strategies for artists such as Dido, Avril Lavine and Christina Aguilera. He was also responsible for developing news revenue streams for the company.

In 2005, Kenan relocated to Africa to develop new digital business opportunities for the music industry across the continent.

Africori is based in Johannesburg and has offices in Lagos and London and representation in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.