David Massey
Executive Turntable: Berklee and MSG Hire CFOs, Plus an Orchard Veteran Breaks Out on His Own
Written by djfrosty on April 11, 2025
Are we having fun yet? It’s time to rally for another spin ’round the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s weekly compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business. There’s been a whole mess of news this week, so let’s get to it.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment appointed David Collins as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective April 14. Collins will oversee all financial functions at MSG Entertainment, including financial planning and analysis, controllership, treasury, investor relations, tax and procurement, reporting directly to executive chairman and CEO James L. Dolan. MSG Entertainment’s portfolio includes Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre in NYC, and the Chicago Theatre in take-a-guess. With over 30 years of experience, Collins brings expertise across live entertainment, sports, energy, transportation and restaurant industries. He previously served as CFO and EVP at Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, managing finance, accounting, analytics, and ticket operations for the Prudential Center, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Devils. Collins also held c-suite roles at Base Entertainment and began his career as a CPA at Ernst & Young. Dolan expressed confidence in Collins’s broad financial experience, particularly in live entertainment and sports, as MSG Entertainment advances key initiatives and long-term goals.
Danny Buch, a promo veteran with decades under his belt who helped break artists from Stone Temple Pilots to Brandi Carlile plus a fair share of “hair” (bands), announced he has departed Sony Music after a 20-year run at two of the label’s indie distribution arms and is launching his own shop, Danny Buch Promotion. Until recently, Buch was senior vp of promotion at Sony’s The Orchard, where he worked artists like BTS, Kelsea Ballerini, Walk off the Earth, Jack White and Bad Bunny at radio. Pre-Orchard, he helped pioneer independent artist promotion by launching RED Distribution’s promo arm in 2005 and stayed there until Sony merged RED into Orchard, starting in 2017. (The RED name was retired later.) During his RED days, Buch helped break Phoenix, Ingrid Michaelson, Alabama Shakes and more indie darlings. But before he saw RED, Buch clocked 25 years at Warner, where he played an integral role in Atlantic Records’ promotion department between 1980 and 2004. Co-heading promo for much of his tenure, Buch lead efforts on behalf of Atlantic giants like AC/DC, INXS, Rush, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, CSNY, Hootie & the Blowfish, STP and more. In the mid-to-late 1980s he broke a chunk of hair/glam metal hits of the day, given Atlantic was home to RATT, Skid Row, White Lion, Winger, Twisted Sister and more. On his next chapter, Buch said: “In launching my new venture, I recognize the opportunity to tap into my years of relationships, in helping both artists & labels. I’m excited about the incredible prospects that lie ahead.” Contact: dbuchmail@gmail.com
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Sarah Gabrielli has been promoted to head of A&R at Sony Music Publishing UK, where she will lead the UK A&R team, strengthen creative strategies, and create new opportunities for songwriters. Based in London, she continues to report to president and co-managing director David Ventura. Over her eight years at SMP, Gabrielli has signed and worked with artists including Artemas, Beabadoobee, Cian Ducrot, Jordan Rakei, Arlo Parks and Two Inch Punch, and her most recent wins include Charli XCX’s 2024 album BRAT. Ventura praised Gabrielli’s passion, leadership, and deep commitment to artist development, calling her promotion a natural next step. Co-managing director Tim Major echoed the sentiment, saying “she is someone who leads with heart, empathy, passion and dedication.”
Michelle Bower joined The Neal Agency as president of strategic partnerships. Bower most recently served as associate sr. vp at LaForce, leading campaigns for companies/brands including Madewell, YSL Beauty, Motorola and Tinder. Bower previously held roles at Jonesworks, Dittoe Public Relations and Fleishman-Hillard. The Neal Agency’s roster includes Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Ernest and more. –Jessica Nicholson
Paul Dworkis is poised to become Berklee‘s new executive vp and chief financial officer, starting next Tuesday (April 15). In this role, he’ll oversee finance, accounting, budgeting, real estate, facilities, risk management and more business matters. Dworkis brings extensive experience in higher education, having served as CFO at Emerson College, the University of Maryland, and in senior roles at Columbia University. At Emerson, he supported academic initiatives, managed public safety and launched the unCommon Stage in Boston Common. Dworkis also spent part of his early career at Newsweek. Berklee president Jim Lucchese praised Dworkis for his “unparalleled” credentials and commitment to student-focused operations. “We share the philosophy that everything we do comes back to our students and how to best meet their needs,” he said. Dworkis expressed enthusiasm for joining Berklee, calling it a “truly special—an institution whose mission, creativity, and global impact are unmatched.”
Electric Feel Entertainment appointed Chandler Nicole Sherrill as senior director of creative, reporting to company founder and CEO Austin Rosen. Based in Nashville, Sherrill brings a strong background in music publishing, beginning her career at Little Extra Music in 2015 and later joining MV2 Entertainment, where she helped contribute to over 20 No. 1s for major artists like Morgan Wallen and Jason Aldean. In her new role, she’ll lead creative strategy and collaboration among artists, producers and songwriters. Rosen, who just joined the board of Outback Presents, praised Sherrill’s passion and vision, calling her a valuable addition to the team. “We look forward to seeing the impact she will have as we continue to push boundaries and shape the future of entertainment,” he said.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Big Loud promoted Brianne Deslippe to head of marketing from senior vp of global marketing and strategy. She fills the vacancy left by the recent departure of senior vp of marketing Candice Watkins … Megan Wise was named vp of new business at Anotherland Agency, a music label and marketing startup. With over 15 years of industry experience, including roles at the Country Music Association and Creative Artists Agency, she’ll lead brand collaborations, sales strategies and partnership initiatives to drive growth.
Amigo Records appointed Carina Petrillo as product manager / marketing director and promoted Jillian Rutstein to head of digital. Petrillo, with experience at Elektra Records, MTV and Hulu, brings strategic marketing expertise and a strong background in digital engagement, including launching MTV’s TikTok presence. At Amigo, she’ll focus on building artist-fan connections through comprehensive campaigns. Rutstein, who previously split her time between Amigo and Prescription Songs, brings over a decade of experience in digital strategy, contributing to the success of tracks like LU KALA’s “Pretty Girl Era.” Amigo is home to artists such as Scoot Teasley, SNOW WIFE, Kim Petras and Ethel Cain. Petrillo and Rutstein both expressed enthusiasm about working together to shape a new era at the imprint. “Together we are ushering in a new era of Amigo Records while focusing on building comprehensive marketing campaigns for our roster that meet fans where they are – both online and in person,” said Petrillo.
Audible Treats, a New York-based independent music publicity firm, appointed major label veteran Cheyenne Beam as their new director of public relations. Beam was previously the director of PR at Interscope Records and has over ten years of experience in the music, entertainment, fashion and lifestyle industries. He has worked with artists such as Erykah Badu, Toni Braxton, Chaka Khan, Sean Paul, Swae Lee, Juice WRLD and more. Audible Treats’ current clients include artists like Sexyy Red, Chief Keef, Key Glock and events such as Baja Beach Fest and Sueños. Co-founder Michelle McDevitt praised Beam’s deep network, highlighting his ability to address client needs and manage teams effectively, adding, his “broad experience across both agency and major label systems makes him the ideal fit to usher Audible Treats into its next chapter.”
Oak View Group elevated Nick Vaerewyck to senior vp of programming and hired Danny Cohen as director of programming at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL’s Kraken. Vaerewyck will lead strategic content development across the Pacific Northwest and oversee programming, private event sales, service and ticketing. He joins the executive leadership team and brings experience from roles at Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment and Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, NY. Vaerewyck has managed over 200 events annually and aims to further elevate Seattle as a premier entertainment market. Cohen, with 15 years in the industry, will support all event programming. Previously, he led programming at Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder. Vaerewyck expressed excitement for the arena’s continued growth, highlighting Seattle’s rise as a top-tier venue and welcoming Cohen to help expand their world-class programming and industry impact.
Big Machine Music named Preston Berger as senior manager of publishing. Berger will join the publishing creative team in representing the BMM catalog and management of the company’s roster of songwriters. Berger previously spent three years at Black River Entertainment’s publishing arm. Prior to Black River, he spent time as an agent assistant at CAA. At the 2025 NSAI Member Awards, he was honored with the friend of NSAI award. –J.N.
BOARD SHORTS: The Nashville Songwriters Association International recently completed its board of directors elections and held the first meeting of the new term. New members Deric Ruttan, Lydia Vaughn and Dan Wilson joined the board, with Jimmy Yeary returning. Eight current members were re-elected, including Kelly Archer and Jessie Jo Dillon. Roger Brown was re-appointed legislative chair, with Rhett Akins and Caitlyn Smith as artist writer board members and Brett James as industry liaison. Officers for the year include Lee Thomas Miller as president and Jenn Schott as vice president.
Select Management Group, a top management firm for next-gen digital creators, announced several strategic promotions and new hires to enhance its services for digital creators. Lauren Fisher has been promoted to director of strategic partnerships, where she will work with top brands like Disney, Uber, Netflix, and Google. Emily Rifanburg joined as a talent manager, bringing over a decade of experience from ICM Partners and Strand Entertainment. Payton Booker and Natasha Trepel have also been promoted to talent managers, focusing on supporting clients across various verticals. Additionally, Katie Josiah has been promoted to talent coordinator, and Madison Dailey and Daisy Wright have been hired as talent coordinators.
Beatchain, an AI-powered A&R and artist services platform, appointed Holly Hutchison, Umesh Luthria and Nick Hamman as regional brand ambassadors for North America, Asia and Africa, respectively. They’ll support Beatchain’s global expansion by strengthening partnerships and driving business development in their regions. Beatchain’s tech helps artists retain their music rights while offering insights into audience growth and performance. Hutchison brings over 35 years of A&R experience; Luthria, based in Mumbai, has over three decades of business expertise and helped launch Muzartdisco Arena; and Hamman, a digital strategist and radio presenter in Johannesburg, has significantly impacted South Africa’s music scene. Said Beatchain CEO Ben Mendoza: “This expansion will help build stronger connections between artists and the global music ecosystem, making it easier for the industry to discover, develop and monetize talent on a global scale.”
The Zach Sang Show appointed Allie Gold as its new social media director, strengthening its digital and multi-platform presence. In her new role, Allie will lead content creation, community management, and multi-platform strategy to further engage fans with the show. Gold brings valuable experience in content creation and audience engagement, having previously served as social media strategy director at iHeartRadio LA and digital marketing strategist at Live Nation. She also played a key role in social media strategy for The Elvis Duran Show and Z100 New York.