Former journalist, now a business leader with a passion for media that connects people through authentic relationships.
Nick Grubb’s career has spanned leadership roles at major radio broadcasting companies, and an entrepreneurial phase specialising in communication and digital media.
His career started during his student days on Rhodes Music Radio where he worked as a radio news correspondent at the East Cape News Agency (Ecna), before becoming News Editor at Radio Algoa. He then went on to Programme Manager roles at Radio Algoa and 5FM.
Nick now leads the radio business within Kagiso Media (KM). KM Radio is one of South Africa’s premiere audio and broadcasting businesses and includes two of the country’s most successful regional radio stations namely, Jacaranda FM and East Coast Radio. KM Radio also includes an investment portfolio in four other major radio stations.
Nick is the Chairperson of the National Association of Broadcasters (South Africa) and serves on the Digital Audio Committee of the IAB. He was recognised as one of the top minds shaping South Africa’s media industry and was awarded a JMS50 Alumni Award from the Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) in 2022.
Nick believes that the audio industry, with radio at the core, will remain relevant and successful, which will take digital innovation, collective industry initiatives, and continued commitment to really good programming created by really good people.
Vuyani Dombo is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over a decade of diverse management experience spanning audit, financial reporting, and financial management. Vuyani has been the Head of Finance of Kagiso Media Radio since 2019.
He is responsible for leading the station finance teams, optimising shareholder value through strategic direction and involvement in the portfolio growth strategy, governance, risk management, compliance, financial reporting, planning and analysis, as well as finance team growth and development.
Vuyani also serves on the boards of Kagiso Media associate investments, OFM, Heart FM, and Gagasi FM. With his extensive broadcast media experience, Vuyani has also been a member of the Finance & Audit Committee at the Broadcast Research Council since 2021.
Vuyani holds a BCom Honors degree in Accountancy (with specialisation in Chartered Accountancy) from the University of Johannesburg. After completing his articles within the Private Company Services division of PwC’s Johannesburg office, Vuyani subsequently served as Finance Manager in the Standard Bank Group’s Personal Unsecured Lending business.
In 2015, Vuyani joined the Kagiso Media Radio brand, Jacaranda FM, as Finance Manager, where he led the radio station’s finance operations for over four years before being promoted to his current lead finance role at Kagiso Media Radio.
Wendell is an HR professional with a wealth of generalist experience in the field of HR and Training. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for accuracy, Wendell has consistently delivered exceptional results throughout his career.
Having previously worked in Banking HR, Wendell joined the Kagiso Media Group in 2016 as a Group Human Resource Business Partner. He currently holds the responsibility for the overall human resource function within the Kagiso Media Radio portfolio, as well as its shareholder, Kagiso Tiso Holdings. His focus is on ensuring that HR teams across the Group are enabled to achieve their diverse business strategies and operational needs, particularly in areas such as talent management, HR governance, and policy alignment.
This involves optimising talent management through recruitment, retention, and development of high-performing employees, considering the entire HR (People) life cycle within the organisation.
Wendell is passionate about building strong employee relationships in the workplace. He has spearheaded training initiatives that empower employees, making them valuable assets to the company. Under his leadership, Kagiso Media Radio attracts and retains some of the top talent in South Africa.
“It is our actions that should inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more.”
Deirdre is a passionate leader of people who champions every team member under her guidance to surpass the status quo and innovate.
After developing a deep love for content in all forms – from starting up a successful communications agency to heading up the Below the Line and Public Relations division at Mortimer Harvey – Deirdre cut her teeth in the consumer insights and brand experience space. But those were the early days.
One of her proudest career moments remains catching the eye of The Walt Disney Company who asked her to head up Marketing Communications for Africa. The role required an in-depth understanding and passion for content, laced with super-sized doses of creativity across iconic brands like Disney, Marvel, Lucas Films, Pixar etc.
Before joining the Kagiso Media team, Deirdre was General Manager Brand Experience (IMEA) for Nando’s; a South African brand most marketers consider the holy grail of marketing.
Today, Deirdre leads a team of successful media specialists at one of the most beloved radio stations in the country and has already reaped numerous external awards, as well as innovated the business from within. When looking at her role within the South African media landscape, we need to reference her steadfast leadership throughout the pandemic-induced lockdown.
The first time she met with her new team and entered the exciting world of radio was with her slippers on, in her dining room… and over a computer screen. In fact, it would be 250 days before she finally met her entire team face-to-face.
If you take one thing away from this profile, it’s that Deirdre is all about purpose and seeking out new ways for the business purpose to come to life. That’s why her leadership resonates so much with the Jacaranda FM’s ethos.
Mzuvele Mthethwa is a Finance and Business Management graduate with over 10 years of experience in management, focusing on corporate governance, financial management, and reporting in Broadcasting.
As of January 2024, Mzuvele was appointed Acting Managing Director for East Coast Radio (ECR). Prior to that, he led ECR’s finance team mainly focusing on strategic formulation and implementation, corporate governance, risk management, compliance, financial reporting, planning and analysis, as well driving the finance team’s growth and development.
Assertive and confident, Mzuvele maintains the highest standards of integrity and discretion in all endeavours. He is decisive and disciplined, capable of making tough decisions with confidence and precision. Furthermore, he possesses excellent leadership and project management capabilities, inspiring others to reach their full potential and driving projects to successful completion.
Thabang Walter Nthaudi is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) with diverse accounting and finance experience in financial planning, governance, audit, financial reporting, and financial management.
Thabang holds a Bachelor of Commerce Cum Laude degree and honours in Accounting from North West University. Thabang started his CA journey as an associate lecturer at North West University where he honed his technical skills and went on to complete his articles with Deloitte & Touche, Johannesburg office. While at Deloitte & Touche, he gained audit experience from a varied portfolio of medium-to-large and listed entities in manufacturing, security, consumer and industrial retail, fleet management, and automotive technology.
Thabang subsequently worked for Deloitte & Touche (UK – Cambridge), ABSA Bank (CIB and RBB), and Imperial Logistics Limited, partnering with diverse teams in South Africa and across Africa. Thabang is currently the Head of Finance for Jacaranda FM, and is responsible for delivering on Jacaranda FM’s growth strategy, enabling management decision-making, and contributing to optimal profitability, reduced risk, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Thabang enjoys bringing people together to create a shared vision of a better tomorrow, enthusiastically sharing his knowledge, and using his pioneering spirit to inspire them to overcome challenges, embrace change, learn, and grow.
Kagiso Media Radio and its brands have built their leading market positions through consistently entertaining and informing their communities with high standards of ethics and accountability. As a signatory to the BCCSA Code of Conduct, content produced and distributed on air or across its digital platforms must conform to the Code.
As a significant player in radio, digital, and events, KMR strives to provide safe and constructive environments for dialogue and engagement for its audiences and advertising clients alike.
In Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North-West Province, and KwaZulu-Natal, KMR has incredible reach potential for advertisers.
Digital platforms, live streaming, niche streaming stations, eventing, and activation opportunities extend this reach by deliberately duplicating interactions with audiences across different platforms.
Like Kagiso Trust, KMR is passionate about community upliftment. Over the years, the two flagship radio stations have changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of South Africans, across a broad spectrum of ages, income levels, and geographies.
Jacaranda FM's ‘Good Morning Angels’ feature is one of the longest running features of its kind, and the radio industry’s most significant mechanism to match listener donations to worthy causes. For many years, ‘Good Morning Angels’ has collected and distributed over R8-million a year to people in need.
East Coast Radio's ‘The Big Favour’ initiatives are also significant; growing in size and scope to ensure it empowers and uplifts members of the KZN community.
KMR believes that most of its accomplishments are a result of teams of diverse individuals working together to achieve purposeful goals.
Whilst the company invests significantly in training and development to empower its people for current and future growth, KMR also actively builds a work environment that promotes respect, recognition, and equal opportunities for all staff and contractors from diverse backgrounds, racial groupings, genders, and sexual orientation.
KMR leaders across all levels are accountable to a ‘Leadership Charter’ that sets out to achieve significant business performance via its people, using the principles of Empowerment; Encouragement; and Relevance to Markets.
