SIA-Africa Person of the Month for September 2019 is the accomplished leader, businessman and humanitarian John Manyo-Plange.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Manyo-Plange received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Sports Management from Rutgers. He then graduated from Columbia
University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), with a masters degree in Public
Administration, specializing in International Economic Development and Management.
Over the last 20 years, Manyo-Plange has managed many global operations and led the operations around the three sold-out NBA Africa Games.
Most recently, he was appointed Head of Strategy and Operations for Basketball Africa League (BAL) and the associate vice president of The NBA Africa. He has played an instrumental role in launching this new professional league, which features 12 teams from across Africa. Since joining the NBA Africa team in 2010, he has successfully helped the NBA brand and representation grow in Africa. Furthermore, he contributed to the launch of The NBA Academy Africa in Senegal.
In addition to his work with the NBA, Manyo-Plange also founded Marac, An African Creation,
a catering and special events company, designed to serve a niche market for ethnic food and
cultural events as well as working closely with consumer brands and government organizations in Africa.
For his major role in the sports’ growth in Africa over the past decade and his vision as a humanitarian, SIA-Africa honors Manyo-Plange as its Person of the Month for October 2019.
