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Langalakhe Mabena
The newly-appointed CEO of the Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima), Fungai “Kush” Zvirawa, has expressed her commitment to engaging with various stakeholders to foster the growth of the music industry in Zimbabwe.
Taking over from Reason “Rizzla” Sibanda who has been at the held from 2017, Zvirawa said she aims to position Zima as a highly sought-after awards organisation globally, building on the progress made over the years.
Having been involved with Zima since last year, she intends to continue supporting Zimbabwean talent and expanding the reach of the Zimbabwean music awards. She plans to collaborate with music executives on a global scale to gain valuable knowledge and expertise.
Prioritising the improvement of the organisation’s internal structure, Zvirawa emphasised the importance of recruitment and establishing strategic partnerships. She also invited stakeholders who are passionate about the growth of the music industry to contribute and collaborate with the awards institution.
“Ultimately, Zima’s long-term goal is to consistently shine a spotlight on Zimbabwe and gain international recognition. I am grateful for this appointment and I am eager to make a positive impact in the music industry to improve lives of the creatives,” said Zvirawa.
Zima board chairman, Joseph Nyadzayo, gave Zvirawa the green light to employ people of her choice and empower other women. The outgoing CEO encouraged Zvirawa to be firm and resolute in her new post, which has its fair share of demands. Meanwhile, the dates for the 2024 Zimbabwe Music Awards will be announced in two weeks with new categories set to be added.
Who is Fungai “Kush” Zvirawa?
Zvirawa is the founder and CEO of two highly acclaimed boutique agencies, Khaya Defero and Rogue & Associates. She holds a BSc Honours degree in Communications and Media Studies from Brunel University.
With over 15 years of experience in brand development, Public Relations and marketing and strategic communications, Kush has made a name for herself in the industry.
Before starting her own businesses, she worked for Kazoo (UK), Nonstop Promotions (UK) and Joe Public (Zimbabwe), where she held various positions including Communications Director, Senior Account Executive and Client Relations Manager.
Throughout her career, she has worked with notable clients such as Disney, Sega, Sony, World Vision and PSI. As the CEO and visionary of Khaya Defero, Kush became an internationally renowned entrepreneur.
Her agency has organised successful events like RSVP, AGW, The Big Chill and Zimdaba and has nurtured talented individuals like ShaSha and Shingai Shoniwa.
Through her communication strategies, she has created a bridge between Zimbabwe and the global music scene, working closely with major record labels and distribution companies.
In just five years since its establishment, Rogue made a significant impact on the advertising scene in Zimbabwe. The agency has worked with clients such as Toyota Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Banc ABC, FBC Bank and Zimre Holdings Limited.
Kush also holds a Non-Executive Member position on the Board of Directors of CredSure Insurance Zimbabwe, where she chairs the Marketing Committee. She is currently the (acting) president of the Executive Committee for the Zimbabwe Association of Accredited Practitioners in Advertising and she has recently become a Non-Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Advertising Research Foundation Board (ZARF).
Online Reporter