
Jonathan G. Shaw
Pic credit: Zelna Harrison Photography
Music Business and Creative Industries’ Consultation
Jonathan G. Shaw is a professional music and creative industries’ business mentor, coach, specialist and consultant who has had considerable experience with business and technical operations of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and independent music sector. Through creative performance coaching he can help amplify your work in the creative industries. Through having a clear understanding of your professional needs in the creative industries, he can provide solutions that help you make informed decisions about the future of your career or business. Being an entrepreneur in the creative field himself, as well as lecturer and educator, he can identify a knowledge gap easily and increase your understanding quickly. He is an international speaker and has conducted workshops, lectures and presented papers in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Holland.
Jonathan G. Shaw started Ibilion in 2006 and is a ‘multiplicious’ creative industries practitioner working as a recorded music producer, musician, sound engineer, author, lecturer and consultant. He is a PhD Music candidate and has a Master of Arts degree in Arts and Culture Management and a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems and Marketing, with Honours in Marketing from the University of the Witwatersrand. His Masters dissertation explored the topic of music discovery and received a distinction and the Ruksana Osman Family Award for maintaining a distinction. Shaw’s Honours dissertation focussed on branding in the music business and received a ‘first mark’ as well. Other qualifications include a certificate in Sound Engineering, Pro Tools certifications, UNISA Music Theory Grade 5 with Distinction (ABRSM/Trinity Grade 6 equivalent), as well as being a trained guitarist, vocalist and keyboardist. Jonathan G. Shaw is the author of the widely acclaimed book entitled The South African Music Business, currently in its third edition.
Our Resumé
Specialisations
- Music business practice
- Copyright and intellectual property
- Legal frameworks
- Blockchain technology
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Industry contracts
- Artist management
- Royalty calculations
- Brand design
- Music / audio branding and curation
- Marketing strategy
- Business planning
- Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG)
- Career coaching
- Creative performance and productivity
- Music composition, performance and recorded music production
Market Research & Policy Development
- Gauteng Music Strategic Framework, 2010
- Team member of the Eastern Cape Music Sector Plan, 2013
- Research on the South African music industries that informed the revised Department of Arts and Culture White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage
- Lead consultant on the development of Botswana’s National Creative Industries Strategy 2018-2020
- Team member of the MIAF Revenue Streams for African Musicians research project 2021-2022
- SADC Music Industries research project for SAMW 2022
Lecture and Course Content
Ibilion: Education provides content and lecturing services to the University of the Witwatersrand as well as the University of South Africa (UNISA). This includes the Music Business module within the BMus degree at UNISA and the module Music Business Studies in Wits’ BMus degree. Learning content was also provided to Soul Candi Institute of Music (2006 – 2010). Jonathan Shaw has also been a peer reviewer for the Journal of Musical Arts in Africa (2020).
Workshops and Guest Speaker
Jonathan G. Shaw is a regular speaker at workshops and conferences around South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Holland. Notably, in South Africa he has spoken at Moshito, Joy of Jazz Geleza Cleva & Learn, South African Music Week, the Ingome Music Conference, the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT), South African Society for Music Research (SASRIM), KZN Virtual Music Mbizo, Northern Cape Creative Industries Conference and Manguang Music Business Conference.
Mr Shaw has spoken internationally at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) conference in Holland (2012), conducted workshops in Windhoek, Namibia (2007), as well as at the Botswana International Music Conference in Gaborone (2015).
Referrals
Both Wits Enterprise and DTM SA referred to Jonathan G. Shaw as “the guru”!
- “You conduct yourself very professionally and we’d recommend you highly. Thank you for your efforts and contribution.” Mhlanganisi Masoga, Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Gauteng Provincial Government
- “You’re the guru!” Karen Du Toit, DTM SA

South African Music Week 2022
Clientele
South African Music Week
SADC music industries market access guide (October / November 2022)
Additional research and editorial for the SAMW 2020/2021 market access guide (January 2021)
Stellar Inc.
Research report (August 2022)
Motaki / MIMMS (Botswana)
Major research project, June 2018 to May 2020
DQS
E-learning content developer and voiceover (2021-2022)
Music In Africa Foundation
Revenue Streams for African Musicians (RSFAM) research foundational discussion paper (January 2021), workshop panelist (March 2021) and policy committee member (December 2021-April 2022), columnist (May 2022-October 2022)
SAMRO Foundation
Consultant, November 2017
PwC
Subject matter expert (SME), September 2017. Expert reviewer (music industry), 2016 / 2017.
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
Major research project, 2013
Eastern Cape Audio Visual Centre (ECAVC) & Eastern Cape Provincial Government
Consultant, 2012-2013
Department of Sports, Arts, Culture & Recreation (SACR), Gauteng Provincial Government
Major research project, 2008-2010
National Association of Broadcasters
Expert witness, 2011
Downtown Music Hub
Consultant, 2010
Association of Independent Record Companies (AIRCO)
Board member, 2009-2010
Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA)
Consultant, 2003

Northern Cape Creatives Conference Week, Kimberley, April 2021
Educational Services
University of the Witwatersrand
Lecturer 2005-2023, Masters’ Supervisor 2020-2022, 3rd-Year Music Criticism Supervisor 2022, Masters and PhD Proposal Seminar Attendee 2021-2023
PAS Media Academy
Guest Lecturer, May 2017, March 2018
Gordon Institute of Business (GIBS)
External Examiner, 2012
Boston City Campus
External Examiner, 2018
Music Business Academy
Co-Owner, 2008-2012
SAE Institute
Lecturer, 2021-2022
RISE Academy
Guest Lecturer, 2020-2022
Academy of Sound Engineering (ASE)
Guest Lecturer November 2022,
Lecturer, 2007-2010
Inscape Education Group: Interior Design
Guest Lecturer, September 2021
Inhouse Entertainment Training
Lecturer, 2005