Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, a prominent figure in the South African content sphere, is making a return to MultiChoice’s Showmax as the new executive head of content strategy, a role she stepped into in February. This move comes after her tenure at The Walt Disney Company Africa, where she served as the senior manager of programming and scheduling.
Having spent years at M-Net and MultiChoice, Tracy-Ann’s return marks a significant shift in her career after her departure to Disney in July 2021. At M-Net, she held various critical roles, including head of programming for local entertainment channels and head of acquisition and scheduling for M-Net series. Her extensive experience has equipped her with a vast network and in-depth knowledge of content distribution, scheduling, and local and international production.
Tracy-Ann is now set to take over the Showmax head of content position, following Nicola van Niekerk, who served in an acting capacity since mid-last year. Nicola was interim head after Allan Sperling’s departure at the end of April 2024 to lead programming for Warner Bros. Discovery in the Nordics region.
The programming and scheduling team at The Walt Disney Company Africa remains managed by the current staff. In response to media inquiries regarding Tracy-Ann’s appointment, MultiChoice stated, “Tracy-Ann van Rooyen has been appointed executive head of content for Showmax, focusing on strategic content development.”
The company emphasized that her role builds upon the groundwork laid by Nicola van Niekerk, now acting executive head of programming for general entertainment.
With over 20 years of experience in the television industry, Tracy-Ann has established a solid track record in creating, producing, acquiring, and curating content for diverse audiences across Africa. In her new position, she aims to enhance the team’s efforts to deliver exceptional content experiences for viewers.
Her appointment, effective February 1, 2025, underlines MultiChoice’s commitment to fortifying its content leadership with skilled professionals to ensure the provision of top-quality, well-curated content.
