Executive Turntable

It’s time for another spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. 
Shore Fire Media promoted five staffers to key leadership posts at the 34-year-old public relations agency. Allison Elbl, Matt Hanks, Mark Satlof and Rebecca Shapiro are now co-presidents at Shore Fire, while Jaclyn D. Carter has been promoted to senior vice president. Founder and CEO Marilyn Laverty will continue leading the Brooklyn-based firm while taking on an expanded role at Dolphin Entertainment, which acquired Shore Fire in late 2019. The agency’s roster includes Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, the Avett Brothers, Sylvan Esso, Hurray for the Riff Raff and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss, as well as corporate clients including Rhino, Secretly and Gateway Studios. Geographically, Elbl heads Shore Fire’s West Coast office in Los Angeles, while Carter helms the Nashville outpost and Hanks, Satlof and Shapiro hold down the fort in Kings County.

“These executives each put their imprint on Shore Fire in a unique and powerful way,” said Laverty. “They have shaped Shore Fire with their passions, creativity, broad interests and expertise. I’m so grateful to work with them and thrilled to recognize their leadership with the announcement of these new roles. I anticipate great success as Mark, Rebecca, Matt, Allison and Jaclyn drive innovation and growth for both Shore Fire and Dolphin in the future.”

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Meanwhile…

Sony Music knew there was something about Harri Davies, hiring the industry veteran as head of A&R at RCA Records UK, effective immediately. As his title confirms, Davies will be handling all things A&R for the label — scouting, signings, strategy, etc — and will report into co-presidents Glyn Aikins and Stacey Tang. He’s got over a decade of experience in the bank, most recently as senior director of A&R at Concord Music Publishing. Davies’ more notable signings in the line of duty include Krept & Konan, Imanbek, Flowdan and Tyla. “Harri embodies the globally-minded, creative spirit that has always been at the heart of RCA UK,” said Aikins and Tang. “His understanding of the music landscape and passion for nurturing artists will undoubtedly have a positive effect, steering our team and artists towards further global success.”

Monument Records promoted Casey Thomas to vp of marketing & commercial partnerships, with Ansley Neeley promoted to manager, marketing & creative. Boston native Thomas joined Monument from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2018, serving first as a manager of PR; she was elevated to publicist and later director of marketing, publicity and creative. Alabama native Neeley began her career at The Greenroom PR, before joining Monument in 2021 as the label’s promotion coordinator, before adding in marketing coordinator responsibilities in aiding the setup of all label releases, planning artist events and overseeing/developing the roster’s creative elements. Monument Records’ roster includes Walker Hayes, Tigirlily Gold and Shelby Lynne. –Jessica Nicholson

Bob Boilen

Doby Photography/NPR

RADIO, RADIO: NPR legend Bob Boilen, creator of Tiny Desk Concerts and All Songs Considered, is the next program director at DC-area community station Takoma Radio (WOWD-LP). The station said Boilen will take over from Steve Hoffman, the PD since 2017, starting June 1. The native New Yorker departed NPR last October after a 35-year run, having left his mark as a digital pioneer as a long-time producer at NPR Music. “It’s a thrill to be a part of community radio with a spirit of commitment and imagination that this station and its volunteers offer,” said Boilen, who already hosts My Tiny Morning Show on the 8-year-old station … SiriusXM president and chief content officer Scott Greenstein signed a three-year extension of his employment agreement, stretching until May 24, 2027. The former movie executive (USA Films, Miramax) is celebrating 20 years at the satellite radio giant.

Secretly Distribution hired Rich Thane as the new associate director of artist and label strategy. Based in London and reporting to Josh Madell, director of artist and label strategy, Thane is tasked with growing Secretly’s client roster of indie labels and forming label services deals with management firms and estates, among other duties. Previously, Thane rose to senior director of global playlist strategy during an eight-year stretch at Warner Music, where he led teams across London, NYC and LA. Thane has also held a variety of positions at Eventim, Billetto and Amazon Music. “Rich’s passion for and knowledge of independent labels and artists is unparalleled, and he comes to Secretly Distribution with a wealth of close personal connections across the global music community,” said Madell. “Add to this his deep understanding of modern playlisting strategy, and it’s hard to imagine someone better suited to this role, as Secretly leans into our global growth.”

Nashville’s Big Loud Records is making some changes in its radio promotion department. Current vp of radio promotion Ali Matkosky will soon exit the company for a new role with Relative Music Group, while director of promotion Southeast Tyler Waugh will take over the role at the label, home of Morgan Wallen, HARDY and Dallas Smith. “Ali has been an integral part of this team and her contribution over the past six years has been nothing less than significant,” Big Loud Records svp of radio promotion Stacy Blythe said. “Tyler’s unwavering passion and dedication have propelled him to the role of vp of radio promotion, where his leadership will continue to inspire and drive success.”

Sony Music stalwart Pauline Duarte was named vp of Columbia Records France. She’ll oversee all operations at Columbia France in addition to her other gig leading Epic Records France. Duarte succeeds Laurent Chapeau, who joined Sony in 2008 in a business development capacity and has helmed Columbia’s French division since 2013. Duarte has been a member of the Sony fam for roughly 14 of the last 21 years, only taking a Def Jam detour in 2013 before joining Epic in 2020. As part of the reorganization, Franck Hiag has been named director of Epic Records France, reporting to Duarte. “The vision of Columbia that Laurent Chapeau has developed over the past decade is outstanding,” Duarte said. “I admire his work with iconic artists and his ability to spot young talents. I’m delighted to succeed him and to be able to help shape the future of the label while respecting its musical heritage.”

LiveCo, an independent concert promoter, hired live events veteran Chuck Steedman as its next president and CEO. Steedman takes over from co-founder Brian Becker, who has helmed LiveCo since it was formed two years ago by consolidating five indie promoters — BASE Entertainment, Premier Productions, Icon Concerts, Rush Concerts and Peachtree Entertainment — under one roof. Steedman arrives at LiveCo from private equity fund Raptor Sports Capital, where he was a principal, and previous roles include global evp of strategy and development at ASM Global and chief operating and development officer at AEG Facilities. LiveCo brands specialize in country, faith music, family shows and comedy, and have the backing of private equity fund Waterland. “LiveCo is a fantastic company made up of some of the most innovative and talented people and brands in live entertainment,” said Steedman. “I am humbled that Waterland and LiveCo leadership have chosen me to lead this incredible organization into a new era of providing experiences for fans, artists, and entertainers across our amazing platforms.”

ALL IN THE FAM: Penske Media Corporation launched PMC Brand Group (PMBG), an in-house agency dedicated to building licensing programs, partnerships and consumer products for PMC’s portfolio of brands including this one, plus The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Rolling Stone, SXSW, The Golden Globes, VIBE and quite a few more. The PMBG team will be led by Thomas Ferguson, vp of licensing, partnerships and consumer products, with assistance from Laura Ongaro, associate vp of licensing and partner management, and Noelle Hickey, who is promoted to associate director of marketing and partner management.

Allie Gruensfelder

Allie Gruensfelder joined marketing agency The Syndicate as director of publicity. In her new role, Gruensfelder will focus on overall press strategy and creating opportunities for national and local media coverage for clients. Prior to The Syndicate, she led campaigns for Hoobastank, The Maine and other acts as vp of Trendsetter Media & Marketing. Gruensfelder will report to Jeff Kilgour, svp of business development, and work from the firm’s office in Weehawken, NJ. “Allie is an exceptional talent and her experience, creativity, and passion will be invaluable to the company,” said Kilgour. “She always brings innovative ideas to her campaigns and we’re thrilled to have her fresh perspective strengthen the team.” Reach her at allie@thesyn.com.

Sea Gayle Music executives Chris DuBois and JD Groover have joined with Geoff Ogunlesi of The Ognlesi Group to form a new management company, 1221 Artist Management. Groover will take on the title of vp of management at 1221 while keeping his senior creative director/A&R role at Sea Gayle. DuBois, who is CEO of Sea Gayle, and Ogunlesi will oversee 1221 while continuing at their respective operations. The execs see only benefits to adding management services to their arsenal. “In today’s publishing world, having turnkey management services is a natural way to grow and support an artist’s career,” said DuBois. Ogunlesi, whose LA-based management company counts Young Thug and Reyna Roberts as clients, said he found the right partners. “As our company has thought about expanding into the country space and into Nashville, we wanted to do so with integrity as I have the utmost respect for the culture and the people involved,” he said.

NASHVILLE NOTES: The Country Music Association promoted Michelle Kirk to senior director of integrated marketing, and Mary Overend to senior director of marketing. Kirk previously re-joined the CMA in 2019 after time at WME. Overend joined the CMA in 2015 following time at Carters/OshKosh B’Gosh … Ashley Gorley’s publishing company Tape Room Music elevated Caroline Hodson to director of A&R. The native Mainer joined TRM as an intern in 2020, the year she graduated Magna Cum Laude from Belmont University. “Caroline has been a rockstar since day one and is immensely deserving of this promotion,” shares president Blain Rhodes. “She is an integral part of our team, and our writers are lucky to have her in their corner.”

Melissa Newhart, an executive in UTA‘s music brand partnerships division and a former vp at Roc Nation, joined the board of directors of WhyHunger. The non-profit, which advances initiatives aimed at ending world hunger, also appointed philanthropist Jimmy Zankel to the board.

Max Cutler, former head of talk creator content partnerships at Spotify, launched a new multi-media storytelling company called PAVE Studios. According to the announcement, PAVE Studio will work to build a “unique ecosystem of genre-specific brands” creating hyper-targeted content across audio, video, books, live experiences and more. “Storytellers who successfully engage audiences and create fandoms through written, audio, and video content have led the charge in cultivating their robust communities into diverse businesses,” Cutler said. “PAVE Studios will set the stage for a better way of producing, distributing and consuming the world’s greatest original content, all while empowering creators, simplifying content discovery, and fostering vibrant fan communities.”

ICYMI:

Cindy James

The Verve Label Group promoted Joseph Oerke to executive vice president of Decca Records U.S., tasked with leading it into a “new era as the leading classical record company in America” … One-time executive of the week Cindy James was promoted to general manager of Virgin Music Group‘s operations in North America … and Telemundo‘s got a new structure.

Last Week’s Turntable: BMI’s New Digits

It’s time for another spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. 
Warner Music Group has big plans for the sonically rich markets of Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — and is putting longtime Warner Music India managing director Jay Mehta in charge of those efforts. The launch of Warner Music South Asia is the label’s endorsement of the vibrant traditions and significant potential of the music markets across the region, home to more than 400 million people, plus the dynamic diasporas around the globe supporting local artists. The new affiliate will operate out of Dubai and be headed by Mehta, who adds managing director of Warner Music South Asia to his business card, but will continue as MD in India and work closely with Alfonso Perez Soto, WMG’s president of emerging markets. Warner isn’t exactly starting from scratch in the region, having announced a partnership with Pakistani music production company Giraffe earlier this year, and acquiring a majority chunk of Sri Lankan digital music firm Divo in 2023. WMG and Giraffe’s first project is season 15 of the popular music performance series Coke Studio in Pakistan. “I’m so delighted to launch Warner Music in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and other SAARC territories,” said Mehta. “These are exciting markets with brilliant artists who historically haven’t had the opportunity of plugging into the global music industry. That’s all set to change.”

Currently based in Mumbai, Mehta has racked up the wins since launching Warner Music India in March 2020, juuust before the pandemic ground the globe to a halt. Within the first six months of WMI’s existence, the company executed a licensing deal with Mumbai-based label Tips Music and quickly closed a series of partnership deals to distribute increasingly popular Indian regional-language music and founded Maati, a label devoted to Indian folk music. In 2022, WMI signed an exclusive partnership with local label Jjust Music in an effort to boost its share of the Bollywood music market. Last year, WMI teamed with Warner Music Canada to launch 91 NORTH RECORDS to boost artists of South Asian heritage. And earlier this year, WMI expanded its partnership with Global Music Junction (GMJ), the music and entertainment subsidiary of JetSynthesys.

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“This is a major moment for Warner Music,” said Simon Robson, president of international, recorded music. “We’re now open for business in a series of countries that have rich musical traditions and strong global connections through their extensive diasporas. We’re already working on exciting projects in Pakistan and other territories and there’s much more to come.”

Meanwhile…

SESAC‘s music services division is getting built out with a new hire and two promotions. This week, the growing team welcomed Andy Bodkin as president of international, where he’ll center his focus on growing the services division — with a portfolio that includes HFA, AudioSalad and Audiam — on a global scale. Bodkin was previously group CEO at music publisher Out of the Ark, but for the bulk of his career (to the tune of 18 years) he served as an executive at Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI). Additionally, SESAC promoted Rose Cook to chief operating officer of music services, where she’ll work with the company’s entire portfolio, which also includes Mint and Rumblefish, to drive efficiencies in licensing, royalty collection and admin services. Previously, Cook served as the co-head of licensing at SESAC Performing Rights before her promotion to svp of operations of SESAC Music Group in 2022. She reports to SMG COO Malcolm Hawker. Finally, Monica Hertz is promoted to senior director of operations, where she’ll report to Cook and focus her efforts on the rollout of the company’s shared services platform. She joined SESAC in 2017.

Warner Chappell Music promoted Jenni Pfaff to executive vp of strategy, integration and operations. In her elevated role, Pfaff will continue to lead people strategy at the publisher, plus annual goal-setting initiatives and WCM’s new data-driven, songwriter-focused Business Intelligence division. A WCMer since 2019, Pfaff joined as people strategy leader before a promotion to senior vp. In 2021, she added head of global strategic integration and operations to her title. Prior to WCM, Pfaff operated her own HR firm (pfaff HR) and logged 17 years at PwC, Activision Blizzard, Northrop Grumman and other companies. The 2022 Billboard Women in Music honoree continues to report to CEO Guy Moot and COO Carianne Marshall. “Jenni has been on this journey with us from the beginning, helping transform how we operate as a global team so we can continue to do great work for our songwriters and their incredible songs,” said Moot and Marshall. “She is deeply committed to Warner Chappell and has spearheaded initiatives that allow us to be more collaborative. Technology, business, and data go hand-in-hand, and the work that we’re doing with Robert [Kyncl] and team will help shape the future of music publishing.”

BMI veteran Erin Crawford was promoted to assistant vp of affiliate customer service experience, putting her at the fore of the performance rights organization’s new customer service initiative that includes a call center and hotline (844-BMI-4255). The call center team should be full staffed by June and will include bilingual agents and expanded hours, the PRO said. Crawford joined BMI in 2020 as executive director of distribution & administration services, where she led teams responsible for writer and publisher affiliations and online services support. Prior to BMI, she clocked 18 years at The Nielsen Company, rising to svp and general manager of Nielsen Music — an important position managing relationships with Billboard, labels, publishers, promoters and other music companies.

French music conference and festival MaMA said co-founder Daniel Colling has decided to retire and will transfer ownership of the 15-year-old event to co-founder Fernando Ladeiro-Marques. Joining him for the 2024 edition, being held in Paris Oct. 16-18, will be Emmanuel Legrand as the coordinator of MaMA conference, Emily Gonneau as curator, and Flavien Appavou and Elise Yacoub as coordinators. “We will continue to honour the legacy of MaMA as a key industry gathering,” said Ladeiro-Marques. “We also want it to be the leading forum to explore the future of our industry and the place where we will invent tomorrow’s music business. In addition, MaMA festival will continue to feature up-and-coming artists at a time when they need, more than ever before, windows of exposure.”

BOARD SHORTS: Round Hill Music added former American Idol judge Randy Jackson and management executive John Greenberg as advisors. In the roles, Jackson and Greenberg will support Round Hill’s executive team in deal sourcing and artist relations … AI Fund managing director Andrew Ng replaced former MTV CEO Judy McGrath on Amazon‘s board of directors … The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville elected Brian Sexton and Keri Floyd Kelly to its board of directors. They’ll both serve three-year terms.

RoEx, the tech startup behind AI-powered mixing platform Automix, hired Jason Reed as head of growth and operations. Reed’ll focus on growing RoEx’s audio production tools, plus building B2B partnerships around the company’s audio engine API, Tonn. Reed arrives from Roundhouse Trust, where he was senior product owner. His past positions include head of technology at Domino, global head of marketing at FUGA and head of digital at Ministry of Sound Recordings. Reed is based in London and reports to RoEx chief David Ronan.

ICYMI:

Silvia Montello

CAA appointed nine managing directors and changed up its agency board membership … Shakeup at UK indie music trade body AIM as CEO Silvia Montello abruptly resigned. COO Gee Davy has stepped in as interim chief and also the new role of chief policy officer … and the Recording Academy promoted Adam Roth to evp of global partnerships & business development.

Last Week’s Turntable: Warner Chappell In Sync With Zync Veteran

It’s time for another spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. 
Warner Chappell Music‘s sync team gained a seasoned pro in Shelby DiPerri, who has joined the publisher as its new vp of creative sync. DiPerri, who boasts over 15 years of creative licensing experience, will focus her efforts on pitching WCM’s boundless catalog to the film, TV, gaming and sport-ball sectors. For the last dozen years, she has worked at Round Hill’s Zync Music, serving as head of film & TV for half that time. Prior to Zync, DiPerri held positions at Victory Records and Atlantic Records. Her specialty over the years, especially at Zync, has been targeting projects and trends to create “perennial sync copyrights” for its writers and others, according to the announcement. Based in Los Angeles, DiPerri will report to svp of creative sync Rachel Jacobson. “[Shelby] brings passion and drive to every project she’s across – both our team and our amazing roster of songwriters are lucky to have her here at Warner Chappell,” said Jacobson. “Her in-depth knowledge of creative pitching and licensing has established her as one of the very best creatives in the field.”

Resident Advisor (aka RA), the online dance and electronic music magazine, hired veteran journalists Gabriel Szatan and Rachel Grace Almeida to be editor and deputy editor, respectively. The London-based Szatan joins RA following a three-year tenure as head of dance and electronic at Tidal, with a previous stop at Boiler Room and a slew of bylines as a regular contributor for Pitchfork, Guardian, Billboard and elsewhere. Almeida will also be based in RA’s London office following six years as a top editor of Crack Magazine out of Berlin. She has written for Bandcamp, Time Out, DAZED and other outlets. RA also announced that Carlos Hawthorn has been promoted to managing editor, while Nyshka Chandran is now the mag’s first futures editor. “We’re in an undoubtedly fortunate position to be expanding our cultural coverage at a time when everything feels in a state of contraction,” Szatan said in announcing the moves. “With this quality team now in place, and RA’s door remaining open to a network of premium contributors around the globe, we intend to make the best of it.”

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Marni Greenberg joined SoundCloud as svp and head of communications. She was most recently vp of communications at Sofar Sounds and prior to that was head of music communications at YouTube, where she worked for six years. “It is very important for SoundCloud to tell our story and Marni has the deep public relations experience needed in the fields of music, technology and brands to bring our communications,” said SoundCloud chief Eliah Seton.

It was a busy week for BRING, UMG’s all-purpose creative agency based in Australia, which promoted two key members and hired another. Bella Ziino was promoted to senior account director and James Wilkinson has been appointed senior creative manager, while Lucy Ruff joins the company as business development director. BRING specializes in music campaigns, brand strategy, live events, merch ideation, media partnerships and more. With the recent moves, the brand — which prides itself on “turning fan love into brand love” — said it now has a gender split of 50-50 across all levels.

Barry Weiss’s nearly decade-old RECORDS promoted David Enriquez to executive vp and Andrew Saltman to vp of marketing and digital strategies. The elevated roles for the NYC-based execs apply to the company’s RECORDS and RECORDS Nashville labels. Enriquez is a RECORDS lifer, having joined at its 2015 inception, and was previously senior vp. He reports to Weiss and will continue marketing and developing label artists across all genres. Enriquez’s big wins in recent years include crossover star Dax, country breakout George Birge and Florida rapper iCandy. Saltman joined RECORDS in 2017, most recently serving as senior director of marketing & digital for the full roster. He reports up to Enriquez and recently helped spearhead Birge’s debut single “Mind on You” to a No. 1 finish at country radio and is taking the lead on marketing efforts for the singer’s next single, “Cowboy Songs.”

Big Machine Label Group added Dexter Bensman as senior director of digital marketing and Rebecca Kerr as manager of communications, helping to further elevate the label’s roster of artists including Thomas Rhett, Carly Pearce, Lady A, Tim McGraw and Chris Janson. Bensman, who previously served as director of digital marketing at Brown Sellers Brown Management, will oversee the label group’s digital marketing strategies and elevate the online presence of the label’s roster. Kerr joins Big Machine from The Oriel Company, where she contributed to publicity efforts for artists including Jason Isbell and Riley Green. –Jessica Nicholson

Brown Sellers Brown, as in Paul Brown, Jason Sellers and Benny Brown, announced two new hires in social media roles and an equal number of reductions in its radio department as the company enters restructure mode. Jessica Crans joins BSB as director of social media marketing and Hannah Kennedy as social media marketing, with more staff additions expected soon in the company’s digital service relations and artist support departments. Over in the radio department of Stone Country Records, one of BSB’s affiliated labels along with Quartz Hill Records, Kerry Wolfe and Matt Galvin have left the company with no plans to fill their positions. “We so appreciate all that Matt and Kerry have brought to our radio promotions department at Stone Country Records over the past couple of years,” said partner Paul Brown. “Their knowledge and talents in the world of radio promotion are unmatched.”

Marauder co-founder Kodi McKinney has stepped away as partner of the New York-based creative marketing firm to pursue other opportunities in music, marketing and elsewhere. McKinney said he’s confident the company is in good hands with Rev. Moose, with whom he started the company in 2015. “Growing [Marauder] from a dream with Rev. Moose into a top-tier US music marketing force over the last near-decade has been one of the great joys of my life,” said McKinney, who shares more on his website and can be reached kodi@meintheclub.com.

Copyright Alliance promoted Eileen Bramlet from svp of communications to chief operating officer; Kevin Madigan from vp of legal policy and copyright counsel to svp of policy and government affairs; Rachel Kim from copyright policy counsel to vp of legal policy and copyright counsel; and Courtney Lang from manager of digital marketing to director of marketing and business development. The trade organization, which lobbies for businesses that depend on copyright, also announced the recent hiring of Elly Mambounou as operations manager.

Kara Foley

PULSE Music Group promoted Kara Foley to senior vp and head of creative sync licensing, overseeing all publishing and label sync operations for the company. Foley is celebrating her tenth year at PULSE, where she started out as manager of creative licensing before climbing the ranks to vp of film & TV, her most recent title. Her sync wins over the years include placements in films like Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie and TV series including Gotham Nights, The Grand Crew and All American. Prior to PULSE, Foley had stops at UMG and Warner Chappell Music. Foley is based at PMG’s Los Angeles headquarters and reports to co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham. You can reach her kara@pulsemusicgroup.com.

Salt, which built its own Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for processing and distributing rights holder royalties, hired Alberto Garcia for the role of senior vp of Europe and Africa. In a culinary twist, Garcia joined Salt from Mint. New sales and customer management will be his focus at Salt, where “his track record of achievement and deep understanding of the industry will undoubtedly enrich our organization and drive us towards even greater success,” said CEO Doug Imrie.

BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville hired Camille Kenny as senior director of A&R, reporting to VP of A&R Katie Kerkhover. Kenny will be responsible for developing and scouting artists. Kenny previously worked as senior director of A&R at Big Loud Records, A&R’ing for releases from Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Jake Owen and more. Kenny’s previous music industry experience includes time at WME and THiS Music. –J.N.

NASHVILLE NOTES: Red Street Records added two industry pros to the mix. Michael Steele, former director of playlist programming development at WMG, is the label’s new vp of streaming and playlist strategy. Bridget Herrmann, who honed her promo skills at A&M/Octone Records, Crush Music Management and Warner Music Nashville, joined as regional director of country promotion … Tape Room Music hired Noelle Peters as catalog manager and Luke Collins as creative coordinator. “Luke and Noelle have a bright future in the music business,” shared Tape Room president Blain Rhodes. “They both have a great work ethic and a strong passion for helping songwriters. We are lucky to have them join the team at Tape Room” … Magnolia Music Group added 30-year promotion veteran Ray Vaughn as national director of radio and streaming. He previously worked at Quartz Hill Records and prior to that was on staff at Warner Music Nashville.

New England Conservatory’s Jazz Studies Department appointed Grammy Award-winning trombonist and composer Kalia Vandever to its faculty beginning in the fall of 2024.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hired Bridgette Wilder to serve as its chief people and culture officer, a newly created position that combines the human resources teams of the Academy and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. She was previously the Academy Museum’s vp of people and culture and reports to Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy Museum director and president Jacqueline Stewart. Wilder previously served in C-suite roles at the California Institute of the Arts and Albany State University.

ICYMI:

Spotify named Christian Luiga to be its new chief financial officer to replace Paul Vogel, who stepped down from the CFO role at the end of March … YG Entertainment now has a lone CEO: Yang Min-seok, the younger brother of company founder Yang Hyun-sun … Billboard Women in Music honoree Michele Ballantyne (pictured with Mitch Glazier) was promoted to president of RIAA. She’ll continue to serve as COO.

Last Week’s Turntable: Coolest Job in Vegas Filled