Universal Music, EMPIRE and Ditto execs to share knowledge at ACCES 2022

ACCES, which stands for the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases, is a pan-African trade show that takes place in a different African city every year with a strong programme of industry talks, pitch and networking sessions, workshops, exhibitions, awards and music performances. Dar es Salaam will be the fifth African city to host ACCES, following editions in Dakar, Senegal (2017), Nairobi, Kenya (2018), Accra, Ghana (2019) and Johannesburg, South Africa (2021).

The latest batch of music executives confirmed for ACCES 2022 include Ditto Music regional manager for Africa Wendy Verwey Bekker (South Africa), EMPIRE Publishing Africa managing director Munya Chanetsa (South Africa) as well as Universal Music Africa’s head of label and publishing Pit Baccardi (Ivory Coast) and the company’s head for live and brand Mamby Diomandé (Ivory Coast).

The speakers will be added to ACCES’ conference programme where they will take part in panels featuring other music professionals from Africa and around the world to discuss the latest trends in the local and global music business. The panel discussions – which will interrogate topics such as music publishing, intellectual property and streaming, among many others – will be followed by Q&A sessions where delegates will get to interact with the speakers.

ACCES 2022’s conference sessions will take place at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) while the highly anticipated showcase programme will be held at Brake Point Makumbusho (Village Museum) where artists from across the African continent, including top local talent, will perform in front of fans and international talent buyers.

Registrations for ACCES 2022 are now open on a first-come, first-served basis. African delegates register for free. 

Other ACCES 2022 speakers:

• A'salfo, founding member Magic System (Ivory Coast)
• Godwin Tom – managing director, Sony Music Publishing Nigeria (Nigeria)
• Abigail – singer and multi-instrumentalist (Tanzania)
• Andre le Roux – managing director, IKS Consulting (South Africa)
• Beth Achitsa – artist and label relations executive for East Africa at The Orchard (Kenya)
• Sandra Brown – founder, Stargaze Company Limited (Tanzania)
• Raphael Benza – founder, Vth Season (South Africa)
• Marc Brown – founder, Byta (Sweden)
• Annamary Ishengoma – co-founder, Quinn Law Chambers (Tanzania)
• Stephan Eicke – record producer (UK/Germany)
• Eric Soul – DJ, event producer, radio and TV host (Rwanda)
• Elisabeth Stoudmann – Vibrations Magazine founder (Switzerland)
• David Tinning – a co-founder, Santuri East Africa (Kenya)
• Chioma Onuchukwu – head of TuneCore for West and East Africa (Nigeria)
• Natasha Stambuli – general manager, Boomplay Tanzania (Tanzania)
• Jusnah Gadi – founder, Young Music Boss (UK)
• Sevi Spanoudi – CEO, Black Major (South Africa)
• Karabo Senna – sales and licensing general manager, SAMRO (South Africa)
• Baraka Issadu – director, Action Music Tanzania (Tanzania)
• Thando Makhunga – managing director, Sheer Publishing Africa (South Africa) 
• Yusuf Mahmoud – festival director, Sauti za Busara (Tanzania)
• Gareth Wilson – A&R exec, Electromode/Ingrooves (South Africa)
• Islam Elbeiti – musician and cultural curator (Sudan)
• Ghita Khaldi – production director, EAC L'Boulvart (Morocco)
• Ade Bantu – founder, Afropolitan Vibes (Nigeria)
• Eddie Hatitye – director, Music In Africa Foundation (South Africa)

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe. ACCES is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Française, the Tanzanian Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports, and the National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA).