Nick-Efstathiou

Central Media Group’s Nick Efstathiou, appointed to the board of the Free State Goldfields Chamber of Business

OFM alumni continue to make strides in Central South Africa.

Central Media Group (CMG) Chief Executive Officer, Nick Efstathiou, has been appointed to the board of the Free State Goldfields Chamber of Business.

This well-known member of the Free State business fraternity has spent many years at the helm of Central South Africa’s leading commercial radio station, OFM, a subsidiary of CMG.

Efstathiou is also renowned as a meticulous media professional specialising in executive radio station management, brand management, and development, strategic marketing, sponsorship management, radio programming, media sales, and events.

Empowered with the principles and practices of strategic management and company development, Efstathiou continues to offer visionary leadership and inimitable mentorship not only to his own wards but to the industry as well.

Efstathiou has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the broadcasting industry with humble beginnings at CBFM (now Bay FM) in Port Elizabeth in 1996, to a brief stint as a trainee presenter at then 94.7 Highveld, and finally his move to the City of Roses to join the Bloemfontein based OFM as producer and marketing coordinator in 2001.

In 2004 he took on the role of Marketing Manager with his decade-long legacy still resonating throughout company structures. In 2012, after a fruitless search for a new programme/station manager, the board realised the right man for the job had been under their noses all along.

Under Efstathiou’s leadership, the station has gone from strength to strength. His uncompromising strive for excellence has resulted in numerous SA Radio Award nominations and wins, including the coveted Bright Star Award, internal accolades, and even a rare Grand Prix Loerie.

“CMG invested into the Goldfields with a radio studio for OFM at the popular Goldfields Mall. The home of OFM in Welkom is at the center of the radio station’s business dealings in the heart of the Free State. OFM aims to leverage this positioning and the relationships with good businesses in the area,” says Efstathiou.

Appointed CEO of CMG in 2019, Efstathiou believes in continual upskilling and aside from completing various courses and obtaining qualifications, he has also attained a coveted MBA and has set his sights on a doctorate as well.

“I hope to bring value to the chamber and address many economic challenges the sector has. I am humbled by the appointment and will commit to making a material change to a beautiful part of Central South Africa,” concludes Efstathiou.

 

AFRIKAANS

OFM-alumni deel in die suksesverhale van Sentraal-Suid-Afrika.

Central Media Group (CMG) se hoof uitvoerende beampte (HUB), Nick Efstathiou, is onlangs op die direksie van die Vrystaatse Goudveld-sakekamer aangestel.

Hierdie bekende lid van die Vrystaatse sakegemeenskap is jare lank reeds aan die stuur van Sentraal-Suid-Afrika se voorste kommersiële radiostasie, OFM, ’n filiaal van CMG.

Efstathiou is ook bekend as ‘n media praktisyn wat spesialiseer in uitvoerende radiostasiebestuur, handelsmerkbestuur en -ontwikkeling, strategiese bemarking, borgskapbestuur, radioprogrammering, mediaverkope en gebeurtenisse.

Efstathiou – bemagtig met die beginsels van strategiese bestuur en maatskappy-ontwikkeling – bied steeds visioenêre leierskap en mentorskap aan nie net aan sy eie personeel nie, maar ook die bedryf.

Hy het ‘n meteoriese opgang in die uitsaaibedryf geniet met ‘n nederige begin by CBFM (nou Bay FM) in Port Elizabeth in 1996, later het hy ‘n kort tydjie as leerling-aanbieder by die destydse 94.7 Highveld deurgebring, en uiteindelik na die Rosestad verhuis om in 2001 by OFM as vervaardiger en bemarkingskoördineerder aan te sluit.

In 2004 het hy die pos as bemarkingsbestuurder aanvaar en sy dekade lange nalatenskap is steeds merkbaar in die maatskappystrukture. In 2012, ná ’n vrugtelose soektog na ’n nuwe program/stasiebestuurder, het die direksie besef die regte man vir die pos was heeltyd in hul midde.

Onder Efstathiou se leierskap het die stasie van krag tot krag gegaan. Sy onwrikbare strewe na uitnemendheid het gelei tot talle SA Radio Awards-nominasies en toekennings, insluitend die gesogte Bright Star-toekenning, interne toekennings en selfs ‘n seldsame Grand Prix Loerie.

“CMG het in die Goudveld belê met ‘n radioateljee vir OFM by die gewilde Goldfields Mall. Die tuiste van OFM in Welkom is die middelpunt van die radiostasie se saketransaksies in die hartjie van die
Vrystaat. OFM poog om hierdie posisionering te benut en die verhoudings met besighede in die omgewing uit te bou,” sê Efstathiou.

Efstathiou, wat as HUB van CMG in 2019 aangestel is, glo in voortdurende vaardigheidsontwikkeling en behalwe om verskeie kursusse te voltooi en kwalifikasies te verwerf, het hy ook ‘n gesogte MBA behaal en het hy nou ook sy visier op ‘n doktorsgraad gerig.

“Ek hoop om waarde na die sakekamer te bring en baie ekonomiese uitdagings wat die sektor het, aan te spreek. Ek verbind my daartoe om ‘n wesenlike verskil in ’n pragtige deel van Sentraal-Suid-Afrika te maak,” sluit Efstathiou af.

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