Artistes need proper management to compete globally - Benny Blanco

Benny Ashun, Country Director of Africa 1 Media, has called for the creative industry in Ghana to take a broader view of the need for good talent management in order to position local talents as players on the global stage.

“The Ghanaian creative sector is in need of a representation revolution if artists are to come into their full potential”, he said.

“Many artists, whether musicians, fine artists, poets, cartoonists, sculptors etc. fall short of their long term goals because of a lack of decisive management that really complements talent and leads to longevity in their chosen crafts.”

Ashun who is well-recognized as a broadcaster and consummate media professional, now takes on the role of overseeing the operations of Africa 1 Media, a professional services firm known for empowering fresh talent in Africa’s creative and sporting sector through business strategy and legal counsel, in Ghana. With many years’ experience of engaging with Ghana’s creative and media space, he lends his wealth of expertise towards developing up and coming creative talent in Ghana.

Ashun’s comments come at a time when many Ghanaian artists and sporting talents bemoan the apparent glass ceiling within their respective industries due to a lack of management and real strategic guidance.

Talent management is a human resource necessity which prompted a research report on talent strategy from Bersin by Deloitte. The report states that, at least half of organisations at the highest level of effectiveness at business outcomes have an established talent strategy. By contrast, of those organisations rated least effective at business outcomes, between 70% and 80% lack a talent strategy.

Ashun affirms this by stating that, people often fail to think of the arts as credible business ventures.

“Talents in the creative space deserve the same level of strategic and professional guidance being delivered to their peers in the corporate world towards productivity and profitability”, he said.

As the Country Director for Africa 1 Media, Benny Ashun leads a dynamic team that is empowering artists and sports professionals through world-class management services.

Ashun expressed hope that more artists would seek out proper management that is linked to business strategy in order to compete on the world stage.

Africa 1 Media (A1M) represents artists such as Sarkodie, Edem, Bisa Kdei, and Akwaboah amongst others. As part of its initiatives towards empowering the creative sector in Ghana are a series of upcoming thought leadership seminars to support artists in developing themselves into successful brands.