James McNab

Group Chief Commercial Officer & Chief Executive Africa & Middle East, Basebone

Biography:

I am excited to announce my candidacy for re-election to the WASPA board with the goal of providing continuity and stability to our organization. Having been closely involved in the strategic planning and execution of key initiatives, I am dedicated to ensuring that our vision is realized and that the groundwork we have laid together is built upon.

I aim to uphold the values and objectives that define us as an organization, while navigating potential challenges and seizing new opportunities. By championing coherence and momentum, I am committed to seeing through the implementation of our current plans to achieve our collective goals.

I believe that my experience, dedication, and collaborative approach make me well-equipped to lead us forward with confidence and accountability. Together, we can ensure that the path we have set remains clear and that our organization continues to thrive and evolve.

Background:

With over 25 years’ experience, I’m a result orientated, commercially astute management professional with demonstrated success, leading global businesses and delivering projects by bringing together diverse cross functional teams

Having started my career in PR, followed by Commercial Marketing roles with Formula 1 and Football (both the English Premier League and Portuguese Primeira Liga) I’ve spent the last 23 years in the telecoms/mobile digital industry working in fields covering TV, Casino’s, Sportsbook and for the past 13 years in the digital content OTT Sector where I sit on our Global Group Board and serve as Chief Executive for the groups African and Middle Eastern subsidiaries with responsibility for rolling out the OTT services across the territories.

As a long-standing liaison to numerous regulatory bodies covering 5 continents, I’ve been on the board of the South African VAS regulatory association, WASPA since 2013. I also served on the EMEA Board from 2014 – 2018 at the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), a global trade body and chaired the African Steering Committee which drove their strategic focus within the region.

Outside of the industry, I sit on the boards to various differing business entities and from 2021 -2023 served on the board and held the position of Chairman at my local Golf Club.

Motivation for standing:

  • To ensure WASPA remains relative as a member body amongst key stakeholders, the network operators, government institutions, trade bodies and its members;
  • To ensure that WASPA operates and acts as a business, working with its members to generate growth in the sector without compromising protection of the consumer;
  • To provide continuity on WASPA’s Board on behalf of members;
  • To provide input to WASPA on compliance and regulatory matters based on matters occurring in other markets;
  • To bring experience of operating within multiple markets from an operational (MNO’s), marketing, regulatory across the globe within our industry sector;
  • To bring experience of functionality and workings of other trade bodies and regulatory bodies with which he has involvement with across the globe;
  • To support WASPA through the changing regulatory and industry landscape, ensuring that stakeholders (MNO’s & Members) interests are always first and foremost;
  • To be a voice of the members within the body by continuing to provide a balanced view between the needs of the members and the role of WASPA
  • To support stakeholders by working in partnership with them