Q & A URBAN BREW STUDIOS
When you stepped into the role of CEO, what were the first changes you felt Urban Brew needed to stay competitive?
My first priority was to stabilise the business while sharpening our strategic focus. The media landscape was evolving rapidly, and it became critical for us to be clear about who we are and where we play best. This meant tightening financial discipline, reassessing parts of the value chain that were no longer sustainable, and doubling down on our core strengths: original African storytelling, creative excellence, and trusted delivery for broadcasters and platforms.
At the same time, we invested deliberately in people and processes, ensuring our teams were empowered, agile, and aligned to a long-term vision. For me, staying competitive was about building a resilient foundation that allows creativity to thrive while keeping the business future-fit.
We also aligned the organisation around a clear digital transformation agenda, talent development, and an Africato-global content strategy. That approach has enabled us to produce globally competitive, multi-award-winning shows such as Young, Famous & African on Netflix, among others.
A key strategic focus was investing in internal talent while deepening collaboration with industry creatives who share our values and commitment to excellence. This was critical in building strong brand resilience and maintaining consistency in quality as we scaled. Recognising that technology disruption was inevitable, we also began building a technology-connected workforce that would be digitally fluent, adaptable, and capable of innovating across platforms. Ultimately, staying competitive meant creating an ecosystem where creativity, technology, and strategy work seamlessly together to position Urban Brew at the forefront of Africa’ s evolving media landscape.
How has your grounding in finance influenced the way you run a creative business?
It gives me a strong lens of discipline, sustainability, and longterm value creation. Creativity thrives best when supported by sound commercial fundamentals, so I am deliberate about ensuring that every creative ambition is matched with a clear financial strategy and an understanding of risk, return, and scalability.
As a chartered accountant, a finance background allows me to balance intuition with data – using insights to guide investment decisions, optimise resource allocation, and protect the business during periods of uncertainty. It also shapes how we structure projects, manage cash flow, and engage with partners and platforms, ensuring that creative excellence translates into sustainable outcomes. Ultimately, finance enables me to create an environment where creatives are free to push boundaries, knowing that there is a strong, responsible framework underpinning the work.
For me, staying competitive was about building a resilient foundation that allows creativity to thrive while keeping the business future-fit.
Urban Brew has expanded its footprint in recent years. What drove that decision, and what has it unlocked for the company?
Our expansion was driven by both opportunity and intent. As African stories began resonating more strongly with global audiences, we recognised the importance of positioning Urban Brew closer to the markets, partners, and platforms that could amplify that reach. Growing our footprint allowed us to diversify revenue streams, deepen relationships with broadcasters and streaming platforms, and reduce reliance on any single market or customer.
Importantly, it opened new opportunities, with some emerging organically and others strategically identified. A key outcome was the repositioning and commercialisation of our integrated post-production capabilities, complemented by our strong music composition and publishing business. This enabled us to offer true end-to-end solutions, from development through to final delivery, tailored to the needs of our clients.
At the same time, we were intentional about flexibility. While we consolidated services to drive efficiency and quality, we retained the ability to offer individually focused services to a diverse client base. That balance between integration and specialisation has been central to keeping the Urban Brew Studios brand relevant and trusted for nearly 30 years. Ultimately, the expansion strengthened our value proposition, reinforced our resilience, and positioned the business for sustained growth in an increasingly competitive and global media landscape.
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