A Fulbright scholar with an LLM from UCLA, Unathi Malunga’s work has been in the creative industries (she has worked as an Entertainment Lawyer then Creative Industries Consultant) and has spanned across a variety of platforms and territories leading to a full understanding of various media platforms and their most effective uses. Having moved from Deneys Reitz (now Norton Rose Fulbright) unlike many Entertainment Lawyers her work has not only covered the whole gambit of the creative and content industries: film, television broadcasting, music, visual arts, publishing (including web), theatre, dance, live events, sport etc. but has further incorporated many diverse aspects such as education, sponsorship and funding, rights strategies, trade exchanges, licensing programmes, product placement, drafting, negotiation and project management. She has, moreover, been involved in running Legacy Programmes – structured training and learning project-specific programmes for the disadvantaged.
Whether she is speaking at a World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Seminar, or rendering commercial or production legals for the African Union, AFCON or 2010 FIFA World Cup Ceremonies, working on the Lion King Theatrical or international co-productions motion pictures such as Blood Diamond, Unathi’s experience in diplomatically negotiating international agreements, promoting South Africa and its business and cultural competitive advantages, along with the established global networks she has maintained, has provided her with an ability to understand and respect the practices, customs and values of other individuals and cultures and to see diversity as beneficial to any relationship and organization.
Unathi is currently the Executive Officer and Lobbyist of SASFED.