DStv Online Entertainment Pioneers

John Kotsaftis

What got them on the A-list?

His career spans the growth of the World Wide Web, starting out as a programmer and then start-up entrepreneur in London during the dotcom boom. He returned to SA in 2003 to launch I-Zone, Naspers’ first Internet incubator, housed at MWEB.
He subsequently moved to be part of the founding team at 24.com, until he stepped into the role of Naspers Group Internet CTO. In this position he travelled extensively around the globe as part of the mergers and acquisitions team at Naspers, as well as founding a global Internet research and development unit for Naspers called SWAT (Strategic Worldwide Applications and Technologies), based in Beijing, Sao Paulo and Cape Town. John is excited to be part of a great team that is shaping Video-on-Demand in Africa.

Graeme Cumming

With more than 10 years in the online media space, Graeme’s been involved with the development and management of some of SA’s biggest and most successful entertainment and e-commerce websites.

What got them on the A-list?

Having started his career as a business analyst, he quickly realised that online media was where his passion lay. The launch of Big Brother 1 remains a highlight of his career as it was – and is still considered one of the biggest cross-media productions in SA, bringing home and corporate networks to a standstill for 2 weeks following its launch. Graeme managed the development team at MWEB Business for a number of years and worked with some of the country’s biggest online retailers.

Given the emergence of broadband technology and the shift in media consumption from traditional to new media platforms, he moved back into online entertainment media and was instrumental in the setup of DStv Labs, the division of DStv Online responsible for developing products and solutions that take advantage of emerging technologies. He is also an avid mountain biker and always on the lookout for new trails.

Jean-Louis Acafrao

What got them on the A-list?

He began his online career working with SA’s first major content portal, iafrica.com, before moving to define and execute online strategies for big brands which included Microsoft, Standard Bank, Investec, General Electric and Audi. He has worked in both the USA and the UK assisting a varied group of organisations to unlock the potential of online. Most recently, Jean-Louis was the Head of Technology at BBC.com, one of the world’s top visited sites. During his time there, he led the corporation’s multiplatform technology teams towards a commercial vision for its content portfolio with key areas of focus being news, entertainment and online media consumption (iPlayer). He also helped BBC Worldwide navigate the transition from a traditional media house to a globally focused digital media powerhouse by launching several large scale initiatives, including the BBC’s first commercial broadband video offerings in the Video-on-Demand space (Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, MySpace, Real Media). So far, he’s still swimming.

Michael Raath

Michael joined the Naspers Group in 2005 after a lengthy stint in the UK where he worked for big names including Barclays Capital, Citigroup and Credit Suisse First Boston.

What got them on the A-list?

On his arrival in Cape Town, he joined the IZone – a product incubator that formed part of MWEB and later became one of the founding members of the MIH SWAT team.

While at SWAT, Michael worked closely with the MIH Mergers and acquisitions team, conducting technical due diligence exercises on companies the Group was looking to acquire. In mid-2009 he was persuaded to leave his home in the Noordhoek valley and to accompany John Kotsaftis up to Johannesburg, to take on the role of CTO in the newly-formed DStv Online division.

Natalie Thayer

Natalie Thayer started her career with the mobile service provider, Radiospoor in 1994, when mobile telecommunications was just taking off in SA.

What got them on the A-list?

She went on to Vodacom after her stint at Radiospoor before making a decision to move from telecos to the Internet. First joining World Online to set up their web-based portal, Natalie gained invaluable experience in the consumer Internet space. When World Online was acquired by Tiscali, she was offered the position as Head of Distribution before going on to become the Head of Consumer Services. Another acquisition unfolded and Natalie joined MWEB as General Manager of MWEB Home.

In 2009, Natalie joined DStv Online as the Commercial General Manager. Excited by the prospect of adding broadcast to her portfolio, she strives to deliver on the converged offering of the three key platforms – television, mobile and the Internet.

Hlonipha Masiza

What got them on the A-list?

Her career path to her present position as M-Net’s human resources director started at Kessel Feinstein, where she worked as recruitment consultant. She has also worked at various financial services institutions, fulfilling different HR roles, before venturing into television at the SABC, where she was general manager: human resources from 2005 to 2008. She has been with M-Net since July 2008.