Executive Turntable: Avatar Concert Startup Staffs Up, Plus Spinnin’ Expats Become Fluent

Michael Bryan exited his role as global head of country music at Apple Music, he announced on LinkedIn. His last day in the role was Friday (Oct. 17). Bryan joined Apple Music in 2020, serving as director of Apple Music Country Radio. In 2022, he was promoted to director of Editorial Operations and Audio Production, and then to Global Head of Country Music in 2024. In his role as Global Head of Country Music, he oversaw the country music team for Apple Music, and supported the company’s Christian and Gospel music teams. Prior to his role at Apple Music, he worked at CAA as talent agent/artist development lead, and as sr. vp of programming for iHeartMedia from 2012-2016. In a statement to Billboard, Bryan said, “Forever grateful to my Apple Music teammates and Nashville’s artist community, who showed me what’s possible when you build with truth and imagination. Taking time to sit still and listen for what’s next. However that appears, I know for sure it will continue my life’s work in supporting artists and creatives.” –Jessica Nicholson

He’s baaaaaack. Roger de Graaf, co-founder and former CEO of Spinnin’ Records, has returned to the music industry with the launch of Fluent Music Group alongside marketing executive Robert Tammens. Based in Amsterdam, Fluent aims to redefine artist development for electronic music creators by combining de Graaf’s decades of A&R expertise with Tammens’ background in digital strategy and branding. De Graaf, who helped build Spinnin’ into a global powerhouse and launched stars like Martin Garrix and Afrojack before stepping aside last year, says Fluent will “help artists build their careers and give them real direction in a fast-changing industry” and “move quickly when they need support.” Tammens, founder of Molecule and former longtime Spinnin’ executive, adds a tech-driven approach to empower artists on their own terms. Fluent will operate across recordings, publishing and consultancy, offering strategic guidance, audience growth, and long-term career planning in today’s fast-evolving music landscape. “This is not about nostalgia,” said Tammens. “It is about creating an environment where new voices can thrive and where great music has the space to connect with audiences again.”

The Country Music Association (CMA) announced key promotions and hires to strengthen its leadership and operations. Michael Farris advances to vice president, business strategy and insights, overseeing data-driven growth and cross-functional initiatives. Kate Watson becomes senior director, industry relations, leading membership strategy, partnerships and workforce development. Jeff Leet is promoted to director, brand integrity, managing CMA’s visual identity across major events. Additional changes include Lindsey Morrison elevated to senior manager, community engagement for the CMA Foundation; Richard Xiong promoted to insights senior analyst; Kennedy Strickler named communications project manager; and Mary Spaulding hired as content production manager.

Peachtree Entertainment, a leading live event and concert promotion company, added two senior Chris’s to support its national expansion. Chris Johnson joins as vice president of production, overseeing strategy and execution for live events. With 15-plus years of experience at ROCNATION and Big Loud Management, Johnson has managed global tours and campaigns for artists like Morgan Wallen, Lil Uzi Vert and Yungblud. Chris Thomas becomes senior vice president of development, bringing over 20 years in business development and partnerships with AEG Presents, Danny Wimmer Presents, and major brands including Toyota and Verizon. Thomas will lead new festivals, venues and strategic partnerships. These appointments come during record growth for Peachtree, which has produces over 250 concerts and 17 festivals in 2025. “Each [executive] brings a track record of leadership and innovation that strengthens our foundation as a full-service live entertainment company, from how we build our brands to how we deliver exceptional fan experiences,” said Nathan Baugh, CEO of Peachtree Entertainment.

Duck Club Entertainment has expanded its talent buying team with two key additions: longtime NYC promoter Jake Szufnarowski as senior talent buyer and Boise-based curator Izze Rumpp as talent buyer. Szufnarowski brings decades of experience from Wetlands Preserve, Knitting Factory, CBGB, Rocks Off Entertainment and Bowery Presents, where he booked major acts and iconic venues. Rumpp, a Treefort Music Fest veteran and founder of Artfort, has shaped Boise’s music and arts scene for over a decade while curating music for global hospitality brands. Both will support Duck Club’s year-round programming, including Treefort Music Fest, Treefort Music Hall, Hap Hap Lounge and Shrine Social Club. CEO Eric Gilbert will continue to lead programming and business development as Duck Club strengthens its role in Idaho’s growing live music landscape.

Warner Chappell Music Nashville has promoted Eric Reid to junior manager of A&R. Reid joined WCM Nashville in 2024 as a coordinator. Reid previously co-founded the boutique artist development company Four Count Entertainment, as well as Who’s Next, a Nashville-based writer’s round highlighting diverse songwriting talent. Austen Adams, president of WCM Nashville, said in a statement, “Eric brings a lot of passion and drive to everything that he does. He consistently goes above and beyond for our team, and our songwriters trust and respect him. We’re excited to see him grow in this next chapter.” –J.N.

Jukebox launched Jukebox Ventures and its $15 million Fund I to back early-stage startups at the crossroads of music, tech and culture. The fund is led by co-founder and general partner Alex Jukes, a global marketing leader and founder of Jukebox PR and The Tribes; Christian Lawrence, general partner and head of investor relations with nearly two decades in capital markets; Kevin Caballes, operating partner with operational experience at Foursquare and Activision Blizzard; and Anthony Trotta, partner and head of trading, founder of Vernon Capital and ex-Metaversal exec. Supporting them is an advisory board featuring HOSH (producer), Inder Phull (PIXELYNX CEO), Ed Hill (Beatport SVP), Monica Hertz (SESAC Music Group), Joshua Brandon (Seven 7 Management), Indi Matthews (Jukebox Marketing Director) and Ramesh Satguru (Assemble Talent founder). “For over a decade, Jukebox has helped shape music and culture from behind the scenes,” Jukes said. “With Jukebox Ventures, we’re stepping in earlier — investing in the next wave of founders building the tools, platforms and experiences that will define the future.”

Tickets for Good, a platform offering free and discounted tickets to live events, appointed Henk Schuit as its European board advisor. Schuit brings over 30 years of leadership experience, including his tenure as managing director at Eventim Nederland and current role as vice chairman of VVEM. He’ll guide TfG’s strategic growth across Europe, focusing on the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, strengthening partnerships and shaping market entry strategies. The announcement follows TfG Netherlands’ early 2025 launch, which has grown to over 100,000 members and contributed to a global base nearing 600,000, while the platform has distributed more than 1 million tickets in the UK through partnerships with over 1,000 event organizers.

KP Entertainment appointed Colt Murski as senior director of publishing at KPE Publishing, where he’ll oversee publishing operations, support the writer roster, promote the catalog and drive creative growth opportunities. He joins from Curb | Word Entertainment, where he spent 20 years — rising to vp of country publishing and working with artists like Lee Brice, Dylan Scott, Rodney Atkins and others. Founded by Kerri Edwards in 2006, KP Entertainment manages artists including Luke Bryan, Cole Swindell and Dylan Scott, and its publishing roster features Davis Corley, Whitney Duncan, Mike Mobley, and Jody Stevens. Edwards praised Murski’s experience and leadership, while Murski expressed excitement to collaborate with KPE’s team and writers to grow the company’s creative impact. “This arm of KP Entertainment is very important to me and finding the right person to lead it was just as important,” said Edwards. “With 20 years of experience in our town, Colt fills that spot perfectly. He leads with excitement and integrity.” Murski is reachable here: colt@kpentertainment.co.

AXS, an AEG subsidiary, formed a joint venture with Lawson Entertainment to expand ticketing operations in Japan. The new entity, AXS Tickets, merges AXS’s global technology with Lawson’s retail network across Japanese sports, music and live entertainment. Motoki Ishikawa, managing director of AXS Japan, said the partnership will deliver a “seamless, connected, and innovative ticketing experience.” Dai Sakai, executive officer of Lawson Entertainment, added that combining Lawson’s brand with AXS’s international reach will set “a new standard for live entertainment access.” The venture builds on AXS Japan’s success since 2018 and follows AXS’s recent majority stake in Singapore-based SISTIC. AXS works with 1,600+ venues globally, including The O2.

Adelicious introduced a new senior leadership structure and merged Audioboom’s UK sales and partnerships team to strengthen UK operations and support global growth following its acquisition by Audioboom earlier this year. Gemma O’Brien and Shaun Wilson have been appointed joint vice presidents of UK sales, leading commercial strategy, while Mike Newman continues as vp of UK content and partnerships. Lora Elliott has been promoted to director of sales operations. The acquisition created the UK’s largest homegrown podcast network, reaching over 40 million unique listeners and 135 million monthly downloads. The restructure follows Craig Eastwood’s appointment as vp of international. President Andrew Goldsmith called it “exciting to bring together two brilliant and experienced teams to both support our podcasters and help us deliver on our own ambitions.”

Rayna Bass and Selim Bouab, co-presidents of 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records Hip-Hop, R&B and Global Music, have been named executives-in-residence at the Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University … U.K. collection society PPL has appointed industry veteran Richard James Burgess as its new chair, effective Jan. 5, succeeding John Smith after nearly a decade.