SAMRO appoints Leanne Thomas as new CFO

Thomas had been serving as the acting CFO and was officially chosen for the position after careful consideration by SAMRO’s board.

With more than 10 years of experience at SAMRO, Thomas has demonstrated her value as a member of the finance team, having held progressive roles from financial accountant to senior group financial manager, SAMRO said. She holds a bachelor of commerce degree with honours from the University of Johannesburg and is a chartered accountant.

SAMRO’s executive committee is now exclusively composed of women, which includes CEO Annabell Lebethe and chief operating officer Mpho Portia Mofikoe. The organisation emphasises the importance of succession planning and fostering women’s empowerment.

Commenting on Thomas’ appointment, SAMRO’s board said: “Her knowledge of SAMRO’s business model and stakeholders, as well as her institutional memory, make her an ideal fit.

“The SAMRO board wishes Thomas the best as she takes on this challenging position and has full confidence in her ability to continue contributing to SAMRO’s strategic goals.”

SAMRO also acknowledged Thomas’ role in fulfilling the collective management organisation’s commitment to promote internal growth and address gender imbalances in the music industry. Additionally, her expertise is particularly essential in managing the organisation’s complex financial arrangements with licence holders, it said.