Chocolate City restructures management team

CHOCOLATE City Group has announced the restructure of its management team with effect from the July 1, 2015. According to a statement issued by the Group in Lagos, Audu Maikori former Chief Executive Officer of Chocolate City Music will step in as President of the Group.

In this new role, he will oversee the expansion of Chocolate City across Africa, using his experience to lead the company forward and galvanize its media assets in the areas of content in both Television, Radio and Film.

He will also ensure the development and profitability of Chocolate City Group companies, which include Chocolate City Music (Record Label), Chocolate City Media (Radio, Films and Television), and Chocolate City Distribution (a partner of 5iveMusic Group).

Already, the company has said it has demonstrated its seriousness with plans to expand the brand across Africa with the establishment of the Chocolate City franchise in Kenya in 2012 and the signing of pop diva Victoria Kimani Paul Okeugo, co-founder of the group will continue to support Audu as Chief Operating Officer of the Group and will focus on developing and driving best practices for a robust Marketing, Sales and Distribution strategy. Former General Manager of Chocolate City Music, Ms. Ibukun Abidoye, will step in as General Manager of the Group.

Her core focus will be driving managerial processes and ensuring the implementation of the strategies developed within the various companies, with specific emphasis on Chocolate various companies, with specific emphasis on Chocolate City Distribution.

The group also announced the appointment of Onche Ugbabe who served as the Chief Strategy Officer of FBN Holdings Plc and served as its Head of Strategy & amp; Group Coordination before he resigned to pursue other personal interests in 2014.

Onche is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and a former McKinsey consultant. In a similar vein Jude Abaga, popularly known as M.I has also been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of Chocolate City Music taking over from Audu Maikori with effect from July 1, 2015.

According to the statement, Jude, who is regarded as one of “Africa’s most respected Hip Hop icon” has served as Vice President of the record label for four (4) years prior to his appointment.

The statement explained that Label mate and BET Best International Act Winner Panshak Zamani also known as Ice Prince will also be taking the position of Vice President of Chocolate City Music.

The Chairman of Chocolate City Group, Hakeem Belo Osagie, pointed out that, “The new directors and the existing ones collectively bring a wealth of experience to the board of the CCG/CCM and I am confident that we have the right mix of business experience, financial savvy and creativity to propel this company to the Pan African heights it aims to attain as the next phase of its expansion”.

I believe that the creative sector is the next ‘oil industry’ for Nigeria and its youth. We at the CCG are committed to creating platforms for the discovery, development and promotion of quality entertainment in and around not just Nigeria but Africa as a whole.”