Christoph Behm
Executive Turntable: Warner Music Bolsters Global A&R Team While Def Jam Opens Shop in Sweden
Written by djfrosty on August 23, 2024
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Warner Music welcomed seasoned artist manager and marketer Oscar Scivier as its Hong Kong-based senior director of A&R for Asia. The label said Scivier will work closely with regional management on developing A&R strategies, plus support WMG’s over-arching vision to introduce local artists to global audiences. Scivier was most recently head of music at Digital Arts and Sciences, which followed a five-year run at First Access Entertainment, where he A&R’d Rita Ora, Madison Beer, DJ Regard and others. He also made earlier stops at Ultra Music, working with Steve Aoki, Kygo, OMI and Benny Benassi, and Three Six Zero, where he day-to-day’d Deadmau5 and Michael Woods. “Adding Oscar to our worldwide A&R team strengthens our ability to swiftly seize artist development opportunities and reaffirms WMG’s commitment to providing the best platform for the most impactful and popular talent,” said Kabiru Bello, vp of global A&R at Warner Recorded Music. “His wide-ranging experience as a producer, label manager and artist manager will make him a superb addition to our company’s leading team of A&R executives.”
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Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Universal Music Sweden tapped Mattias Caliste to lead the newly launched Def Jam Recordings Sweden. The label’s opening roster includes Asme x Sarettii, Sebastian Stakset and Zikai. His team will include Hamid Jamshidi, Hermon Alemseghed and Mathilda Sachs, plus UMG’s regional and global network. Caliste is a former member of Swedish hip-hop group Fjärde Världen (Fourth World) and was most recently in charge of Virgin Music Sweden, where he worked with artists including 23 and Asme. “Def Jam raised me!” Caliste said. “I grew up on artists like Public Enemy, EPMD, LL Cool J, Redman & Method Man, Warren G and many others who all released some of their most outstanding albums under Def Jam. The label has a legacy that is incredibly important for hip hop as both a genre and a subculture.”
Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Jake Owen and Keith Gale launched Good Company Entertainment Records, a label and artist services appendage of their management company of the same name (sans the ‘Records’ part). GCE Records aims to provide marketing services, digital and creative tools, global distribution and management services for new and established artists, including first signing Styles. “GCE Records is an alternative model to introduce artists and new music,” explained Gale. “Providing key services similar to that of the traditional record label, but dissimilar to the label structure in various facets, our artist partners and their teams have the creative freedoms to remain true to their unique brand of music that sets them apart.”
Chris Walters is now chief financial officer of Gateway Studios & Production Services, a St. Louis-based live events company that provides lighting, audio and high-tech video services for artists and festivals including Phish, Greta Van Fleet, Governors Ball, Professional Bull Riders and more. The “Studios” part of the company’s name refers to the massive, 330,000 square-foot tour and live event rehearsal campus it is currently building in STL’s Chesterfield Valley area. When online, the facility will house five separate studio spaces where events and tours destined for small theaters, stadiums and everything in between can be produced and rehearsed from soup to nuts before hitting the road. Walters has been at Gateway since 2021, following a six-year run at Emerson Automation Solutions.
Top Drawer Merch elevated Robbie McPhail to vp of sales. As part of his new role, McPhail will take lead on sales strategies for both e-commerce and in-person festival/tour merchandising, plus oversee logistics, inventory and shipping matters. McPhail joined Los Angeles-based TDM in 2016, working on-site operations at festivals such as Cali Vibes, Portola, Invisible Friends and dozens more. “His experience behind the booth gives him a unique perspective on which sales strategies are successful and which initiatives need to be implemented in the future,” the company said.
Brett Kaminsky was made partner at Felcher & Freifeld LLP, where the Cardozo School of Law grad has posted up for nearly 11 years. Most recently a senior associate, Kaminsky handles a broad swath of legal matters for F&F’s recording artists, songwriters, producers, managers and entertainment executives, including contract negotiations, licensing and branding matters and performance agreements.
Charlotte-based live events management and production company Midwood Entertainment has Joel Grubb as talent buyer and event producer. Grubb previously served as a promoter at Rival Entertainment in Atlanta, managing outdoor and special events at venues including Sweetland Amphitheatre and Chandler Park Music Festival, and contributing to booking shows at Rival’s venues including Eddie’s Attic and The Earl. In his new role, Grubb will oversee booking for a variety of venues, festivals, concert series, and special events across the southeast and beyond. Grubb also played a key role in developing/curating the indie rock festival Highball. –Jessica Nicholson
Agua Caliente Casinos hired Nick Sitar as the chain’s new director of entertainment. Based in Rancho Mirage, Calif. and reporting to Saverio Scheri, COO, Sitar is tasked with booking artists at all three of ACC’s properties in California. Prior to joining the company, he served as regional director of entertainment programming at Caesars Entertainment, where he handled bookings at all of the company’s non-Vegas properties.