Viasat 1 global boss tours Ghana

Business News of Friday, 5 April 2013

Source: Graphic Business

President and Chief Executive Officer of the global media company, Modern Times Group (MTG), the parent company of Viasat 1, has explained that the group chose to locate its African headquarters in Ghana because it understands the Ghanaian market has a long-term commitment.

Viasat 1 started operations in the country five years ago and the Modern Times Group has since expanded to six more countries on the African continent.

“We have always said that we have a long-term commitment to Ghana. We know the country and we have been successful in business here, so it makes perfect sense to establish our African headquarters in Ghana,” Mr Jorgen Madsen Lindemann, the president and CEO of the Group, was quoted as saying in a release issued ahead of his visit to Ghana.

Mr Lindemann is on his first trip to Ghana after taking over as President and CEO of the MTG in September last year. His trip includes visits to Viasat1, as well as the production company Modern African Productions, founded by MTG in 2010, also based in Accra.

“It´s my first time in Ghana but from a business perspective we have always known that our investments in Ghana have been right from the start, the economy is growing rapidly, all major clients and advertising agencies are present, and we have always felt welcomed by the business community,” Mr Lindemann said in the statement.

Since the launch in 2008, MTG´s Viasat 1 has grown into the second largest free to air TV station in Ghana, with hit shows such as “The One Show”, Viasat news and “This Morning”.

The statement said Mr Lindemann was very open about the fact that Africa was a major focal point of MTG´s investments for future years, both when it comes to investing in current businesses, as well as being on the lookout for new investment opportunities.

“Financially we are a very strong company, and we are always committed to building long-term businesses wherever we invest. Africa has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, and we will expand our footprint further and quickly,” he stressed.