BASA welcomes new chair and deputy chair

Business and Art South Africa (BASA) develops partnership and strengthen linkage between business and the arts in a variety of ways. CN&CO enjoys a close association with BASA, with Carel Nolte being a member of the board. Recently the BASA board extended a warm welcome to Mr Andre le Roux as the new chairman and Ms Mandie van der Spuy as deputy chairperson. They both have a background in the art sector and have demonstrated a great skills in their previous roles.

Chairman:Mr Andre le Roux

The following press release was recently distributed:

Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) announces the election of Mr Andre le Roux as Chairman, and Ms Mandie van der Spuy as Deputy Chairperson.

Mr Kwanele Gumbi has stepped down after four years as Chairman, and another four years on the Board of BASA NPC.

The BASA Board would like to thank him for his service to the organisation. During his time as Chairman, Gumbi supported the evolution of BASA into a diverse and successful public private partnership furthering the aims of arts within the business sector. Under his guidance BASA has grown in strength, disbursing close on 100 supporting grants each year, representing diverse business members, releasing research for use by organisations in SA and beyond (www.basa.co.za), and establishing a team of passionate arts researchers and practitioners.

Deputy Chairperson: Ms Mandie van der Spuy

Mr le Roux is the Managing Director of the SAMRO Foundation. He currently serves on the Boards of UNISA Music Foundation and Music in Africa and previously served as Chairman of Moshito and the Arterial Network, Deputy Chairman of SAMEX, including the boards of the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity, Kuns Onbeperk and the University of Stellenbosch Music Center. Le Roux is a well-known face on the arts scene and his unanimous election as chairperson is an indication of the high regard he is held in by his peers. Says le Roux: “I am both honoured and humbled by the opportunity to work with the dynamic BASA executive in continuing to further the aims of the organisation. In this 20th year of our existence it has never been more essential that the business sector and the arts environment work together to grow our diverse country.”
Ms Mandie van der Spuy was the Standard Bank Group Head of Arts and Jazz sponsorships.Since leaving the bank’s services she has been working as an independent arts consultant and serves on diverse boards including Artinsure, the French Institute of SA, the National Arts Festival Grahamstown, the Gerard Sekoto Foundation, Hermanus FynArts and recently has been appointed to the National Arts Council.

She has been recognised by the French government and is recipient of a Chevalier Award of the National Order of Merit in 2007 followed by an Officier des Arts et des Lettres award in 2016.