Market Theatre Blog The Market Theatre Foundation Announces New Chief Executive Officer

In: Show Press ReleasesThe Market Theatre Foundation Announces New Chief Executive OfficerThe Market Theatre Foundation is pleased is to announce Ismail Mahomed as its new chief executive officer. Mahomed took up his new post on 1 August 2016. The Market Theatre is celebrating 40 years of storytelling this year and welcomes this visionary leader who will lead the company through its next exciting milestones. The Market Theatre Foundation (MTF) oversees the iconic Market Theatre itself, the Market Photo-Workshop, the Market Theatre Laboratory and the Windybrow Theatre. Mahomed joins the MTF at a particularly challenging time in raising funds for its ambitious artistic programmes, as well as in addressing its newest responsibility - reviving the Windybrow Centre, located in a historic building in the downtown Johannesburg neighbourhood of Hillbrow.In accepting his new appointment, Mahomed said: "I look forward to working with the Artistic Director, James Ngcobo, and the staff of the Market Theatre Foundation to reinforce strategies that will continue to honour the rich legacy of the Market Theatre. We commit ourselves to growing opportunities and partnerships that our new democracy, the current cultural landscape and changing economies offer us and look forward to re-envisioning newer possibilities through which the Market Theatre Foundation can best serve our artists, audiences and funders."Kwanele Gumbi, chairman of the Market Theatre Foundation council, said: "We are delighted about Ismail Mahomed being our CEO during our 40th year of historical significance and impact. His skills as an administrator and an advocate for the arts sectors are a natural fit with the Market Theatre's artistic excellence and its role as a world class arts institution. Our combined strength and effort will see us collaborate and continuously impact our society and our audiences on all things artistic.‎ The Market Theatre is going to lead and be an advocate on artistic matters in South Africa, our Africa and internationally. We want to shape thoughts, ideas and their implementation to improve our industry and the world we live in."Prior to joining the Market Theatre Foundation, Mahomed served for eight years as Artistic Director of the internationally renowned National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Prior to that, he was a Senior Cultural Specialist for the American Embassy and before that he was the head of the Witbank Civic Theatre. Among his many accolades he was named as the Arts & Culture Trust's "Arts Administrator of the Year" in 2006.At the beginning of 2016 he received the Chevalier et des Artes et des Lettres award from the French Government.For further information, interviews and images, contact:Lusanda Zokufa, Senior PublicistMarket Theatre011 832 1641 ext 123 or 072 367 7867lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za