Executive Turntable
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It’s time for another quick spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Ever ponder, “who is music’s most influential lawyer?” Here’s your chance to vote for Billboard‘s Top Music Lawyers Power Players’ Choice Award, honoring the attorney whose industry peers believe had the most impact in the past year.
Erica Bellarosa is Atlantic Records‘ new head of business affairs and general counsel, effective Feb. 26. Based in New York City and reporting to Atlantic Music Group chairman & CEO Julie Greenwald and Atlantic Records chairman & CEO Craig Kallman, Bellarosa is a 19-year veteran of the storied label and most recently occupied the post of evp of business & legal affairs. In her elevated role, the Yeshiva University alum will head up the label’s business/legal affairs and contract administration departments. The promotion is right on the heels of former general counsel Michael Kushner moving up to parent Warner Music Group as its senior vp, deputy general counsel of business and legal affairs after 25 years with Atlantic. Greenwald and Kallman said: “At Atlantic, we nurture executive development as much as artist development, so it’s been great to watch Erica develop into a powerhouse leader over the past two decades. An invaluable asset to our team and a passionate advocate for our artists, she has a deep understanding of the music and legal landscape, along with second-to-none negotiating skills.
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Global talent agency Wasserman Music welcomed four new executives to its ranks. They are: Josh Dick, an NYC-based vice president who brings more than 20 years of experience and several clients, including Flatbush Zombies. In Nashville, Jonathan Insogna also joins as a vice president. The 17-year WME veteran has a client list that includes Morgan Wade, Yola, Cam Whitcomb and Drew Erwin. Londoner Rebecca Prochnik joins as a director and will represent artists including AJ Tracey, Black Lips, Calibre, Ghetts, Paranoid London and others. Finally, Gideon “Shay” Royale joins as a director based in New York. A former financial advisor, he’ll lead the agency’s growth in the Afro-music space, and mind a roster that includes Victony, Black Sherif, Gabzy, Blxckie, melvitto and WurlD. “Their unique backgrounds and experience will help to drive Wasserman Music’s accelerating growth across global territories, emerging genres, and innovative new ways to serve our valued clients around the world,” commented Lee Anderson, evp and managing executive.
A2IM president and CEO Dr. Richard James Burgess announced that the indie trade body’s longest-serving staff member, Sheryl Cohen, will be stepping down later this year. Cohen joined A2IM in 2010 as operations manager and worked her way up to head of strategic planning, her current role. Her boatload of responsibilities includes program curator of Indie Week, which has doubled its programming under her watch, plus she handles the organization’s mentorship program, co-writes grants and did we mention she’s the current acting CFO? In candid fashion, Cohen explained her reasoning behind taking her professional life into a different direction. “As I turn 55, I am looking at the next chapter of life with profound gratitude and excitement for what’s to come,” she said. “It’s not a mid-life crisis, but rather, in the words of Chip Conley, a mid-life chrysalis. I am creating an opportunity to transition to a new career where I can serve the other communities and passions in my life, and hopefully continue to make a positive impact.” Cohen’s last day will be Friday, Aug. 2.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum promoted five staff members. Grace Cavanaugh has been upped to director of event services and catering. Cavanaugh has more than 15 years of experience in the event industry and joined the museum in 2015. Kelsey Reiner has been named associate director of event sales; prior to joining the museum, Reiner worked as event sales manager at the Loveless Café/Loveless Events. Daniel Lonow has been promoted to Haley Gallery director; he has been with the museum for nine years. Elek Horvath, who joined the museum in 2000, has been promoted to associate director of collection access. Michael McCall, a 17-year museum veteran, has been promoted to associate director of editorial. In this role, he will assist in managing the development of written content for the museum’s exhibitions, books, public programs, website, social media and educational materials. He previously served as senior museum writer-editor and has curated more than 20 exhibitions, hosted numerous museum programs, as well as co-edited the second edition of The Encyclopedia of Country Music. –Jessica Nicholson
Create Music Group named Carl LeGrett to senior vp of A&R and music publishing at the company, effective immediately. Since joining CMG as an intern in 2018, LeGrett has quickly established himself as a trusted partner to up-and-coming songwriters and producers, with a client role that has collaborated on dozens of hits by Ice Spice, Lil Durk, Megan Thee Stallion and Bad Bunny, among many others. Founder and CEO Jonathan Strauss said LeGrett’s “deep entrepreneurial spirit led him to identify a need in the marketplace and his dogged determination helped him win the confidence of music’s most prolific producers and songwriters. His ability to think outside the box and discover untapped talent and trends has made him a true leader and we look forward to his continued success here at Create Music Group.”
BOARD SHORTS: The Mechanical Licensing Collective announced six appointments to the org’s advisory committees, including three additions to the Dispute Resolution Committee (songwriter David “DQ” Quiñones, Spirit Music Group’s Consuelo Sayago and Vydia’s Matthew Skiba), one to the Operations Advisory Committee (Concord Music Publishing’s Lidia Kim) and two new faces (songwriter “Bruce” Waynne Nugent and Sony Music Publishing’s Dale Esworthy) on the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee. Committee terms last three years … Music community startup We Are Giant added William Morris Endeavor co-head of Nashville Becky Gardenhire to its board of directors. She’ll act as a strategic advisor to WAG founding CEO Andy Apple and his team on their efforts to expand the music platform’s footprint in the always-growing Nashville market. Gardenhire joins the recently added AEG Presents exec David Rappaport on the board.
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Moonbug Entertainment hired former Spotify executive Courtney Holt as the children’s content factory’s first-ever global head of music and strategic audio initiatives. A spoke in the Candle Media wheel, Moondug creates and distributes your favorite children’s YouTube channels, namely Cocomelon and Blippi. The Los Angeles-based Holt will focus forging strategic partnerships with artists and building out the company’s music label. Holt joins Moonbug after a five-year run as Spotify’s head of talk partnerships, editorial and global markets. Prior to that he exec’d at Maker Studios, where he worked with eventual Candle co-founder Kevin Mayer. Earlier in his career, Holt held positions at MySpace, MTV and UMG.
Thomas Jamois was appointed managing director of Wise Music France, where he’ll manage all office staff and the company’s regional publishing houses, including Première Music, Éditions Alphonse Leduc, Campbell Connelly, Les Editions Transatlantiques, Bleu Blanc Rouge, Choudens, Le Chant du Monde and Musique des Anges. Jamois arrives at Wise Music Group from Velvetica Music, a publishing indie he founded in 2011. Prior to that, he was head of music publishing and synch at Naïve for seven years. “I’m delighted to have Thomas join the Wise Music family, and I look forward to working with him to lead our French and Francophone business forward with continued catalogue acquisitions and high-profile signings,” said Wise Music chief Marcus Wise.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Full-service marketing agency FlyteVu welcomed Brooks Parker as vp of business development and Purvi Patel as account director. Parker has more than a decade of artist management experience, and most recently worked in experiential marketing at Nashville-area agency Streamline. Patel was most recently president and head of partnerships of media agency Claima Stories, with prior stops at Alice’s Table and Reebok, where she worked on influencer-focused strategies … Kings Hill Music named two-time Dove Award-winning recording artist Billy Gaines as director of A&R for the label. “I have a deep-seated desire to help artists use their gifts to fulfill their calling from God,” said Gaines, who is also signed to KHM … Briana Galluccio joined One Country as director of promotion & partnerships … River House Artists promoted Kayla Adkins to creative director of publishing from creative manager.
The Core Entertainment, known for a roster that includes clients Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith, named Dan Dymtrow as general manager and Jamie Sudhalter as senior director of A&R. Dymtrow most recently served as executive manager at Maverick Music and head of music at tech startup Curio. Sudhalter most recently served as senior director of A&R at Mercury Records. The Core Entertainment was co-founded by Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and Simon Tikhman in 2019, and focuses on cultivating talent in music, sports, film, television, and technology. In 2023, The Core expanded beyond talent management into the record label space with a partnership with UMG’s Lucian Grainge. –JN
ASM Global appointed Karin Sinclair as the new GM of Södra Teatern, one of Sweden’s oldest active theaters. Sinclair joins ASM from Scandic Hotels, where she was revenue manager for the Swedish chain’s 85 hotels.
ICYMI:
Pulse Records hired Tim Glover as president of A&R. He was previously executive vp of A&R at Interscope Geffen A&M, where he ran point for the label’s two-handers with Dreamville and LVRN … NTWRK is acquiring Complex from Buzzfeed, which purchased the media company in 2021 for $300 million. NTWRK co-founder/CEO Aaron Levant — who co-founded ComplexCon with Complex founder Marc Ecko in 2016 — will become CEO of the new company.
Last Week’s Turntable: Metallica’s Vinyl Plants New CEO
It’s time for another quick spindle around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. When you’re done with that, get a readout of the most powerful people in the music biz with the latest Power 100 list.
Time marches on at Furnace Record Pressing as the Metallica-backed vinyl manufacturing plant welcomes Ali Miller as new CEO beginning March 1. Miller, who has rocked the COO role since 2018, will take over the top job from FRP’s founder and minority owner Eric Astor, who transitions to a strategic advisor at the plant he founded in 1996. He’ll remain a trusted member of the board. Miller’s rise makes her the first female CEO of a domestic pressing plant. The CEO switch arrives nearly a year after Metallica and their investment arm Black Squirrel Partners purchased a majority stake in the Northern Virginia facility — already the band’s trusted vinyl presser for over a decade. At the time, Miller affirmed her company’s commitment to quality over quantity in comments to Billboard, explaining, “We’d rather throw out some bad records than make as many as we can.”
“Since the day Ali joined Furnace, I knew she possessed the exceptional talent, dedication, and passion to thrive in this industry,” Astor said of Miller, who has over 16 years at Furnace. “She has been instrumental in shaping Furnace into the respected force it is today. I am confident that with Ali at the helm, Furnace will continue to deliver the highest quality vinyl records and remain a trusted partner to artists and labels for years to come.”
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Michael Kushner
Jimmy Fontaine
Just shy of his 25th anniversary at Atlantic Records, veteran legal executive Michael Kushner is shifting over to parent company Warner Music Group to be the label giant’s new senior vp, deputy general counsel of business and legal affairs. The promotion is right on the heels of Kushner being honored with the 2024 Entertainment Law Initiative (ELI) Service Award, given each year to an attorney who has shown their stripes in supporting the music community through service. The NYC-based Kushner reports to evp & general counsel Paul Robinson,” who called the respected exec “one of the sharpest legal minds in the business.” Kush, as he’s called, launched his music biz career at PolyGram Records in 1987. Stints at Philips Media, Crave Records (the Mariah Carey/Sony Music joint) and Sony Wonder followed over the next 10 years before a gig as head of business & legal affairs at Island Def Jam to close out the 20th century. In 2001, he joined Atlantic under the title he’s kept the entire time: evp, business & legal affairs and general counsel.
“It’s been a pleasure and an honor to count Kush as a trusted partner and close friend for the past 25 years,” said Atlantic Music Group chairman & CEO Julie Greenwald. “He’s guided countless deals, modernized our contracts, mentored our amazing BA department, and been there for me, Craig, and our Atlantic team morning, noon, and night. Artists and managers love him, because he not only has a brilliant business brain, but a creative brain that allows him to see their point of view. Atlantic wouldn’t be the company it is today without him, and it’s fantastic to see him graduate to this brand-new role.”
Meanwhile …
Messina Touring Group upped three to vice president. Lauren Cairerises rises from director of finance to vp of finance, Keena Cheatham from promoter rep to vp of touring, and LeeAnn Rotondo from director of ticketing to vp of ticketing. Cheatham joined MTG in 2013 as a promoter rep on Taylor Swift’s Red Tour and has gone on to have a hand in over half of the company’s roster. Caire and Rotondo both joined up in 2015 as senior accountant and ticket manager, respectively. Caire is coming off a busy 2023, managing the finances for blockbuster tours by Swift, Ed Sheeran and George Strait, and more. Under Rotondo’s leadership, MTG’s formerly fragmented ticketing strategy has become more centralized and streamlined. “It thrills me to see our MTG team grow – these individuals are just another example of the incredible MTG team,” said CEO Louis Messina. You can reach Caire lauren@messinatouring.com, Cheatham keena@messinatouring.com and Rotondo leeann@messinatouring.com.
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RCA Records promoted label veteran Kunal “KJ” Jadav to senior vp of A&R and marketing, effective immediately. The Atlanta-based exec reports directly to RCA president Mark Pitts. Jadav got his start at RCA in 2015 in the promotions department, but as the label puts it, “an incredible prowess for discovering and developing talent” eventually delivered him to A&R, where since 2017 he has scouted, signed and developed hip-hop acts including Young Nudy, BabyDrill and Kenny Mason. KJ is also credited with managing “Gassed Up” MC Nebu Kiniza and producer Coupe, who has worked with Young Nudy, 21 Savage and others.
Radio host, executive and music supervisor Jason Bentley is the new president of licensing and soundtracks at Thrive Music. In his new role, Bentley will pursue business development opportunities for sync services across the film, TV, advertising and video game spaces. He’ll also team up with Virgin Music Group, Thrive’s distributor, to acquire and boost soundtrack properties with insightful music solutions. Bentley previously served as music director at KCRW, where he did double duty as music director and host of “Morning Becomes Eclectic” for more than a decade. In the record business, he has worked in A&R at both Island and Maverick, and as a supe for film, he produced the soundtrack for a little thing called The Matrix, and served as consultant on the latest Top Gun flick. “Thrive is on the frontlines of dance music culture, and I’m thrilled to join Ricardo [Vinas, founder] and the Thrive team as they continue to build a global force in dance music,” Bentley said.
Decorated music business manager Bruce Kolbrenner has joined Adeptus Advisors as the managing partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Kolbrenner, formerly of Prager Metis, brings along a team of three to Adeptus: business managers Tyler Kizu and Ghilhaine Georges Montoya, and royalty specialist Troy Schreck. Kolbrenner’s over four decades of experience includes his work advising artists of all stripes and offering testimony at high-profile entertainment cases, plus a memorable stint as the accountant for the historic Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989. He is a regular fixture in Billboard’s annual lists of top business managers. “We are thrilled to welcome Bruce Kolbrenner and his outstanding team,” said Howard Krant, CEO of Adeptus Advisors. “Bruce’s extraordinary talent for nurturing emerging artists aligns seamlessly with our vision for creating unparalleled personal service to our clients.”
Transgressive Records hired former Atlantic Records exec Jack Hedges to fill the newly created position of general manager of North America, effective immediately. In the role, Hedges will oversee the UK label’s expansion across the pond, including signing and developing new acts and widening the playing field for their existing roster artists. Hedges comes bearing gifts in the form of Canvasback Music, the boutique imprint he ran under Atlantic that’ll now live within Transgressive. “With his impeccable taste, a reputation for being universally revered by artists and colleagues alike, not to mention a glorious penchant for underground music, Jack is most definitely the right person to guide Transgressive Records and its roster through to new heights in the world’s biggest music territory,” said Transgressive directors Toby L, Tim Dellow and Lilas Bourboulon.
Operation Song, a non-profit that teams veterans, active-duty military and their families with professional songwriters to share their stories through song, has announced the appointment of Army veteran Jon Foti as CEO. In the newly-created role, Foti will oversee fundraising development and the expansion of partnerships within the music industry and veterans organizations. Foti is also currently leading the non-profit’s search for new office space in Nashville, Tennessee, to accommodate the organization’s growth. Operation Song’s Board of Directors includes leaders in Nashville’s music, healthcare, and technology sectors. In addition to board president Bob Leonard, the board is comprised of Dennis Buchanan, Kevin M. Doherty, Joe Forte, Danielle Lauber, songwriter Cindy Morgan, Debbie Respess, Jeff Rice, Jason Rose, Andy Sale, ASCAP’s Mike Sistad, and radio personality Storme Warren. –Jessica Nicholson
Oak View Group promoted Katee LaPoff to chief technology officer and Josh Pell to president of premium experiences and global strategy. In her new role, LaPoff will lead OVG’s tech team and continue reporting to Steve Collins, president of global venue development, Ade Patton, CFO, and Chris Granger, the president of OVG360. Over the last three years, she has served as svp of project management and technology — focusing on venue technology. Prior to OVG, LaPoff spent 10 years as svp of technology at Madison Square Garden Companies. In his elevated role, Pell will oversee the company’s e-commerce platform and continue to manage OVG’s hospitality and food/beverage design initiatives. He’ll continue to report to Steve Collins as well as to Francesca Bodie, COO.
All in the Family: Billboard president Mike Van welcomed a lengthy string of promotions this week. They include Edward Stepankovsky (regional vice president of brand partnerships), Andrea Guevara-Gresh (senior account manager), Kristen Wisneski (account manager), Gary Trust (managing director, charts & data operations), Alex Vitoulis (director, charts & data production), Ciara Zimring (McVey) (director of strategy and production), Emily Fuentes (senior manager content and production), Stefanie Tanaka (senior manager content and strategy), Meghan Mahar (branded producer and social manager), Lyndsey Havens (deputy editor), Kristin Robinson (senior writer), Rebecca Milzoff (executive editor, magazine), Griselda Flores (senior editor), Hannah Johnson (staff writer), Danielle Pascual (social media manager), Rania Aniftos (associate editor) and Josh Glicksman (associate editor).
Spirit Music Group promoted Tamar Wax to vice president of film & TV music, creative. Previously a senior director, Wax is based out of Los Angeles and reports to svp of creative services Amy Hartman. Since joining SMG in 2019, Wax’s handiwork has helped place several songs by Spirit artists in movie and TV trailers, most notably a remix of Daddy Yankee’s classic hit “Gasolina” in the Fast X spot. Prior to joining Spirit, Wax served as vp of creative at Vibrant Ground Music. “Tamar has proven herself to be an exceptional creative sync licensing executive, having landed multiple high-profile sync licenses for our Spirit Music Group roster across trailers, promo campaigns, TV shows and films,” said Hartman. “We couldn’t be happier to acknowledge her dedication to our songwriters and our music supervisor community with this well-deserved promotion.”
NASHVILLE NOTES: The Academy of Country Music hired Ben Carter as vp of live events and production; Matt Brum-Taylor as director of digital marketing; Lexi Cothran as senior manager of communications and strategic initiatives; Kendra Williams is the new coordinator of finance; Brooke Boyd is assistant, ACM Lifting Lives; and Heather Howard was hired as an assistant in the marketing department … The organization also announced that Raj Kapoor is returning as executive producer of this year’s ACM Awards .. Vroom vroom, Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta will now oversee operations for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, an annual NTT IndyCar Series race held in Nashville.
REFORM Alliance debuted Wallace “Wallo267” Peeples to lead the criminal justice reform organization’s marketing efforts as chief marketing officer. REFORM was formed by Meek Mill, Jay-Z and Fanatics chief Michael Rubin in wake of the #FreeMeek movement and since 2019 has helped pass 18 pieces of bipartisan legislation across 11 states as it strives to get people out of the justice system and into wellness and work. “Wallo267 is a son of Philadelphia, the city where REFORM Alliance was born,” said REFORM CEO Robert Rooks. “Through hard experience, he developed a life philosophy rooted in accountability, second chances, and never giving up. Today, he carries that message of hope to his millions of social media followers.”
Rothenberg, Mohr & Binder LLP, a bi-coastal music and entertainment law firm, promoted Lisa Lester to partner with the firm. Since 2020, Lester’s work at RM&B has included representing Top Dawg Entertainment, Marshmello and Big Time Rush, among other clients. The Los Angeles-based partner also works with a wide slate of producers and songwriters, including Rob Kinelski, Noah Goldstein, BUNT. And others. Founding partners Paul Rothenberg, Jeremy Mohr and Josh Binder said “Lisa’s dedication to clients and work on behalf of the firm is second to none – and this promotion is well deserved. Her prior years of experience across the industry and high level work here at the firm since 2020 have given her unique insight and expertise that few others share.”
The Oriel Company promoted Nina Lee to vp of communications at the Carleen Donovan/Chloë Walsh/Jen Appel-founded PR agency. Lee joined The Oriel in June 2021 and has already executed media campaigns for a roster that includes Maxwell, Daniel Caesar, UMI, Hannibal Buress, No ID, d4vd, James Fauntleroy, Sickamore, and Betty Who, as well as corprorate clients including Amazon Music, Live Nation and 88rising. She is based in The Oriel Company’s New York office.
There’s a new player in artist management with the launch of What’s Good Projects. The Nashville company is a partnership between industry veterans Ryan Kroon and Jacob Knight, who between them have 20 years of experience managing the day-to-day careers of artists including ERNEST, Sam Hunt, Maddie and Tae, Tyler Farr and Mason Ramsey, among others. Kroon got his start at HOMESTEAD/RedLight Management and later joined Sony Music Nashville and then Project 615. Knight began his career at CAA before joining 377/RedLight and most recently KPEntertainment. WGP’s inaugural client roster includes Troy Cartwright, Clayton Mullen, Palmer Anthony, Austin Burke and Ollie Joseph. “Jacob and I moved to Nashville around the same time to pursue careers in this industry and have had an immense mutual respect for one another,” Kroon explains. “We’ve chatted over the years about partnering up, so with the continued growth of What’s Good over the last year, the time seemed right.”
Raphael Saadiq’s music production company, My Kind of Music/My Kind of Movies, tapped Yancey Richardson to oversee music supervision for the firm’s film and TV projects, including the upcoming film Freaky Tales. Richardson is an 18-year veteran at Atlantic Records, where he rose to director of marketing promotion, and he started his own productions company, Toler Heights Music.
Round Room Live, producer and promoter of family shows like Blippi, Sesame Street Live! and the national tour of Shrek the Musical, has hired Dale Shaughnessy as vp of marketing. In her new position, Shaughnessy will be responsible for driving revenue and marketing opportunities, including on the corporate side, and overseeing global touring projects and user-building initiatives. Shaughnessy joins the company following more than 15 years of professional experience in the field at a range of industry leaders like Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Live Nation and Feld Entertainment.
ICYMI:
Cumulus Media marked May 31 as the last day for vp of country Charlie Cook, a member of the Country Radio Hall of Fame … Hooray for ex-SoundCloud exec Jessica Rivera (pictured), who joined Issa Rae’s HOORAE as president of its Radio division … and Sony Music Publishing hired Anghami veteran Dounia Chaaban to lead its new office in Dubai.
Last Week’s Turntable: Merlin Swarms Its Data Team With New Hires
Cumulus Media vp of country Charlie Cook is set to leave the company, with his last day being May 31, Billboard has confirmed. Cook also serves as operations manager for Cumulus’ Nashville cluster and program director for Nashville country stations WKDF and WSM-FM Nashville. Cook’s most recent contract renewal was in 2022.
Country Aircheck first reported the news of Cook’s upcoming departure, noting that Cook told vp/market manager Allison Warren, chief content officer Brian Philips and senior vp of programming operations John Dimick in April 2023 of his desire to pursue new challenges. Cook stated, “They asked me to give them a year. Well, here we are almost a year later and it’s time for me to move away from an experience that I have loved for something new and different. Thanking everyone inside Cumulus and in Nashville would fill these pages so I look forward to personally thanking everyone over the next few months.”
Philips said in a statement, “Charlie Cook’s accomplishments and awards are the stuff of Nashville legend. He is of course, in character, irreplaceable. I foresee a future where we will always rely on his wise counsel. He represents the gold standard among Cumulus employees. We are deeply grateful for his immeasurable contributions.”
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Warren added, “Charlie has been a vital part of the Cumulus and specifically WKDF/WSM-FM family for the past nine years. He has helped shape and drive the format of both 103.3 Country and 99.5 Nash Icon, bringing joy and entertainment to countless listeners. He is not only a talented professional, but also a loyal friend and a passionate music lover. We cannot thank him enough for his years of service, dedication, and creativity. We wish him the very best in whatever adventures are ahead. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”
Cook launched his radio career at Michigan stations in the 1970s, followed by roles at stations in Denver, L.A. and New York. He received Billboard‘s country DJ of the year honor in 1977. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, heserved in roles at McVay Media and Westwood One.
Cook was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2011 before joining Cumulus in 2014. Last year, he was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s service award, alongside Bill Mayne; Cook is the Academy of Country Music’s longest-serving board member.
Cumulus Media has launched a search for Cook’s successor, having posted a job opening for a music & brand content manager.
Veteran music industry executive Jessica Rivera has joined multimedia company HOORAE — owned by actress, producer and entrepreneur Issa Rae — as president of its Raedio division. In her new post at Raedio, which is approaching its fifth anniversary, Rivera will supervise the “audio everywhere” division’s various operations including its record label, publishing, music supervision, […]
It’s time for another quick whirl around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Are you asking yourself “Hey, Wha’ Happened?!” amid this week’s overhaul at Capitol Music Group? Here’s a rundown. When you’re done processing that, get a readout of the most powerful people in the music biz with the latest Power 100 list.
Merlin, the global digital licensing agency for the independent music industry, has spent the last few months enhancing its finance, data analytics, software and member operations teams with numerous new hires and promotions.
Experienced financial controller Carol Zuma-Hall, formerly finance lead at Platoon and head of finance at The Orchard, joined Merlin to oversee its technical accounting and compliance related finance activities. Merlin’s new director of insights is Martin Vovk, following a dozen years at Sony Music. He’ll conduct in-depth data analysis and manage insights communications. Following a lengthy stint consulting for Merlin, Gary Watson made it official by taking the director of data operations role, where he’ll manage data flows and data visualization projects. Reporting to Watson will be Maria Lavric, who was appointed manager of data operations. She’ll handle non-financial trends data and other reporting. Matthew Price was right for the data engineer role and will develop what Merlin calls its “Data Lake,” which processes nearly 1 billion rows of data daily (FUN!!!). Joining the team as a paralegal is Emillia Walsh, who’ll scrutinize copyright infringement claims and just overall enhance the organization’s legal apparatus. Molly Kempen is the new royalty reporting coordinator, responsible for processing statements and keeping deadlines.
“The expansion of our multi disciplinary data analytics team this year is a testament to Merlin’s ongoing commitment to delivering value,” said Charlie Lexton, Merlin’s COO. “Each new Merliner brings a unique set of skills that are instrumental in our evolution. We are excited to see their contributions enhance our operations, improve our data capabilities, and further strengthen our relationships with Merlin’s global membership and digital partners.”
Data crunchers aside, Merlin also welcomed Simon Stride last year as a development manager, overseeing software projects from soup to nuts. Over at member operations, Alice Moss joined as senior manager, focusing on day-to-day support of Merlin’s members and working on ways to address operational issues between members and digital partners. Finally, Mariah Mu and ex-intern Ben Sperling have joined as coordinators on the member and partner success team. It should be noted that Mu is based in Bangkok and serves as the Merliner contact for members and partners in the entire Southeast Asia region.
“The integration of Alice, Mariah, and Ben into our Member & Partner Success team marks a significant enhancement in our capability to serve our members effectively,” said Jim Mahoney, svp of member & partner success. “Alice’s experience, coupled with Mariah’s knowledge of the digital and Southeast Asian marketplace and Ben’s keen approach to process improvement and communications, creates a dynamic synergy. This team embodies our commitment to excellence, ensuring that each member and partner experiences the full benefit of Merlin’s expansive network and resources.”
Meanwhile…
Warner Music Denmark promoted industry veteran Karen Vincent to general manager of the Copenhagen-based imprint. She reports to Mark Fry, president of Warner Music Nordics. In her capacity as marketing director, a role she’s held since 2017, Vincent has worked campaigns for regional artists including Christopher, Gobs and Nicklas Sahl, among others, and also has assisted in global releases from the likes of Bruno Mars and Dual Lipa. Prior to WMG, Vincent was senior product manager at Copenhagen Records while concurrently working as the global publicist for Danish rockers Volbeat. At the dawn of her music career, Vincent held gigs at Sony Music and EMI Music as well. “It’s great news that Karen has agreed to run Warner Music Denmark,” said Fry. “She’s been an indispensable part of the team, crafting incredible campaigns for local, regional and international artists, and I can’t wait to work with her as we continue to support the best Danish creative talent.”
Reactional Music, the maker of an interactive music engine for video games, hired Epic Games veteran Ben Lumsden as head of business development, Unreal. In his new role, Lumsden will oversee Reactional’s work developing partnerships across music, games and creator worlds, focusing on use cases built on the Unreal games engines developed by Epic Games. Speaking of… at Epic, he rose to senior business development lead in support of the company’s media and entertainment operation in Europe. Prior to Epic, he worked in virtual production on films and games such as District 9, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Godzilla, among others. He is also an accomplished composer for films. “Music and creativity needs great tech and creative minds to enable the new generation of music delivery, consumption and creation,” said Lumsden. “The consumer is more sophisticated, more creative and they spend more time in digital worlds. Music and audio has such an important role to play in the new era of gaming and creator worlds as consumption habits change to become part of these digital worlds.”
Noble Steed Music, the artist management company and label that boasts an “intuitive and patient approach to artist career development,” hired industry veteran Evan Levy as senior manager and content director. He arrives from Amazon Music, where he managed audio content for the last two years. Levy is tasked with building out the company’s content team, which will develop music-centric media, podcasts, social content and more. He’ll report to NBS founder Jason Spiewak. Prior to Amazon, Levy held key leadership positions at SiriusXM Pandora, CBS Radio, ABC News Radio and MTV Networks. “We are thrilled to welcome Evan to the Noble Steed Music family,” said Spiewak. “Evan’s expertise and creative vision will undoubtedly elevate our content and reinforce our commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment experiences to the masses.”
Curb Records‘ national director of promotion Mike Rogers is set to retire, effective March 1. Rogers, a 35-year radio promotion veteran, has been with Curb Records since 2002 and was previously part of the promotion team at CBS/Sony. Rogers shared: “[Curb Records chairman] Mike Curb’s belief in me these last 21 years was unparalleled. I was and always will be proudest of all we have accomplished in my time at Curb. You entrusted me to give your music its best shot and I hope I made you proud. To have actually learned from a legend will always be a crowning achievement in my career. Now, it’s time to ‘do some life’ with my wife, Laura, and our two daughters, all of whom sacrificed a ton as I lived out that road life as a radio promotion rep.” –Jessica Nicholson
UTA promoted 104 individuals across 25 departments, including music and comedy. In the interest of brevity, let’s stick to music, where the agency upped Grace Cunningham, St. John Faulkner, Sammy Gardiner, Anastasia Klochkivska, Taylor Krebs, Joe Marino, Matt Popper, Ashley Ramos, Katie Sexton, Evan Steinberg, Tyler Stimmel and Kingsley Williams to coordinator. UTA also promoted Tom Grainger, Alexis Lesko, Tom Matthews, Lolo McCluskey, Sheq Milli and Jamie Waldman to agent. The company stressed that a majority of those elevated to agent emerged from UTA’s Agent Training Program, adding that women constituted more than 50% of the promotions announced.
RADIO, RADIO: Warner Music Nashville bumped Andy Flick up to national director of radio, effective immediately. Flick, a longtime Sony pro who joined WMN in 2021 as regional manager, radio (North), will continue reporting to vp of radio Anna Cage. In the last three years, Flick has worked campaigns for Dan + Shay, Gabby Barrett and Zach Bryan, among many others … Happy retirement to NPR OG Linda Wertheimer … Canadian media conglomerate Bell Media is selling 45 of its 103 radio stations across the country because it lacks viability.
Lina Tebbs was named director of UK Production Music for Warner Chappell Music, reporting to UK managing director Shani Gonzales. She takes over for Kate Alderton, svp of operations and finance, who has been running the department for the last two years. In her new role, Tebbs will be tasked with scouting ways to service WCMs giant catalog to the film, TV, radio and advertising industries in the UK. She and her team will also work with other like-minded teams around the globe on cross-market opportunities. Tebbs arrives from Felt Music, where she was global head of business development and marketing. Prior to joining Felt in 2019, Tebbs held leadership roles at Audio Network and EMEA. “With Lina at the helm of our operations in the UK, the team will have a fresh outlook and exciting new ideas for how to build on our brand and further grow our roster and relationships,” said Gonzales.
Stem, the 9-year-old music distribution and payments platform, awarded four of its key leaders with promotions this week. Atop the table is Seth Faber, who was upped from svp of artist & label strategy to general manager of the company. In his elevated role, Faber will oversee artist marketing/development, commerce, international, customer success, content operations, brand marketing and product. Todd Perry is now vp of artist and label relations, hip-hop & R&B. Previously head of artist & label relations, hip-hop & R&B, Perry is credited with signing Veeze and for his work Jeezy’s latest album. Natalie Sellers, who joined Stem in 2018, is assuming the role of senior director of artist & label commerce & partnerships, where she’ll work to expand the company’s network of partners and create marketing and development opportunities. Finally, Lexi Roney was promoted to director of brand marketing following her time as marketing manager at Stem. As director, Roney will be responsible for leading and expanding all branding and partnership initiatives for Stem Distribution. The company said Faber and Perry will continue to report to president Kristin Graziani, while Sellers and Roney frame up to Faber.
CSW Publicity amped up its music division with the hiring of Heidi Anne-Noel as senior vp of music publicity. She’ll work alongside evp and founder Cara Woodnicki on all things music. Anne-Noel joins CSW from BMF, where as a vp she oversaw campaigns for clients including ONErpm, Awich, Abigail Barlow and others. Prior to BMF, she was at SiriusXM/Pandora and earlier at Capitol Records, where she worked closed with Katy Perry, Capital Cities, Sky Ferreira and others. Woodnicki comments, “Heidi is an incredible asset to any team and one of the best publicists I know, I’m beyond thrilled to be working alongside her again, this time at CSW.”
Derek Patten has returned to agency EastCoast Entertainment as director of artist services. Patten’s first spin at ECE was in 2018, when he helped lay the framework for the department he now leads. His background experience covers several professional areas including film (The Foot Fist Way) and live entertainment (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line). “We are delighted to have Derek with us again,” shares ECE’s President, John Wolfslayer. “His wealth of experience and unwavering dedication to the success of artists make him an invaluable asset to our team.”
Pophouse Entertainment, the creative production company co-founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, announced a slew of promotions and new hires. Linda Höljö has been named COO, Natalia Fontecha is head of capital raising and investor relations, Sophie McKibbin is head of business and legal affairs, while Ryan Amstad is head of new production development, and Jon Spalding commercial director. Over at Mamma Mia! The Party, the souped-up uber-immersive dinner theatre production in London, Sophie Arendt has been appointed managing director.
BOARD SHORTS: Worldwide Independent Network, a support group for independent music trade groups, welcomed five new members to its board: Dario Draštata (Dallas Records, Croatia), Fran Sandoval (IMICHILE, Chile) and Marty Ro (Sound Republica, South Korea) as directors, together with Alejandro Varela (S-Music, Argentina) and Sridhar Swaminathan (SIMCA, India) as observers. Zena White and Maria Amato were reappointed as Chair and Treasurer, respectively … Dewei Zheng resigned as a non-executive director of Chinese music platform Cloud Music (formerly NetEase Cloud Music), effective Feb. 15.
David J. Krystal, whose orchestration work can be heard in The Flash, IT, Shazam! and Hidden Figures, among others, recently launched his own company to support his work: David Krystal Music Service. In an announcement, Krystal’s company looks to “synthesize the rich tradition of classic Hollywood scoring and orchestration with the fast-paced and powerful blockbuster film scores of today” and pledges “meticulous attention to detail.”
ICYMI:
Capitol Music Group chief Michelle Jubelirer announced her abrupt exit this week … and a day later Tom March, then-president of Geffen, was named her successor. Lillia Parsa (pictured) was also brought in from UMPG as co-president of CMG … Warner Music chief Robert Kyncl telegraphed a 10% staff reduction … which resulted in the exit of Warner Chappell Australia’s longtime managing director … Ricardo Chamberlain was been named COO of Marc Anthoney’s Puntilla Music … The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) selected its leadership for the coming year … and Eliza Tew is director of brand partnerships/talent manager for Clay Busch’s new agency, SiX18 Media.
Last Week’s Turntable: Crypto.com Arena Is Secure
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) has selected its leadership for the coming year.
Lee Thomas Miller has been selected to serve as president, while Jenn Schott will serve as vp of the organization. Outgoing president Steve Bogard, who previously served as NSAI president from 2006-2012 and was elected to the role again in 2017, is the longest-running president in NSAI’s history. Bogard chose not to seek another leadership term, though he will continue serving on NSAI’s board of directors.
The results of the general election also include new board member Trannie Anderson joining for a first term, while 10 current board members were re-elected to two-year terms: Steve Bogard, Chris DeStefano, J.T. Harding, Byron Hill, Josh Kear, Jamie Moore, Jon Nite, Liz Rose, Jenn Schott and Emily Shackelton. Meanwhile, Roger Brown was re-appointed to a one-year term as legislative chair, while Rhett Akins and Caitlyn Smith were re-appointed to the organization’s “artist writer” board positions for one-year terms and Brett James was re-appointed to a one-year term in the industry liaison role.
The new additions join existing board members Miller, Kelly Archer, Sarah Buxton, David Hodges, Jessie Jo Dillon, Tim Nichols, Josh Osborne, Rivers Rutherford, Anthony L. Smith, Troy Verges and Parker Welling, whose terms expire in 2025.
“Steve Bogard led NSAI through complicated trials where we sought higher streaming rates, the Music Modernization Act, and many challenges as we sought to improve compensation for American Songwriters,” said NSAI executive director Bart Herbison in a statement. “Every songwriter in the United States owes him a handshake and thank you for his work and the thousands of hours he sacrificed. We are also glad to welcome Lee Thomas Miller who has served as President previously and is a proven, effective advocate. And Jenn Schott who will serve as NSAI Vice-President after years of experience on our board and Executive Committee.”
NSAI Board elections happen in two phases: voting by the NSAI professional songwriter membership and appointments by the NSAI board of directors. The board terms begin each year at the April meeting.
Ricardo Chamberlain has been named COO of Puntilla Music, where he will oversee the music company’s distribution, record label and publishing divisions, Billboard has learned. “I feel immensely proud and excited to embark on this journey with Puntilla and its visionary team,” Chamberlain said in a press statement. “Working side by side with Claudio Pairot […]
It’s time for another quick whirl around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Get to know the most powerful people in the music biz in the latest Power 100 list.
Crypto.com Arena, home of Lakers, Kings, Clippers and Sparks, hired Ron Little as the Los Angeles landmark’s vice president of security. Little will lead all event and non-event security and risk management services for the arena, and assist with planning safety protocols. He arrives in LA from Seattle, where he served as director of security for Lumen Field, Lumen Field Event Center and the WAMU Theater. Prior to the Emerald City, he held various roles in Oakland, most notably as GM for SMG at Oracle Arena and the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Over the course of his 30-plus years in the biz, he also worked with Bill Graham Presents, Live Nation and the Bonnaroo Music Festival. “With a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the industry, Ron brings a unique perspective that aligns seamlessly with our vision,” says Lee Zeidman, president of Crypto.com Arena. “His strong industry relationships will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the arena, and we eagerly anticipate his leadership in overseeing a diverse range of events here in Los Angeles.”
Sony Music Entertainment looks to pounce on double-digit growth in Asia with the appointment of Kenny Ong as the label group’s new managing director for Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and special projects Southeast Asia, effective immediately. Ong’s job will be to expand Sony’s share of the pie in the region — revenue in all of Asia rose 15.4% in 2022, according to IFPI — and champion Southeast Asian artists. Ong was previously CEO of Astro Radio, the top radio power in Malaysia, and between 2015 and 2021 was managing director of Malaysia, Singapore and Indochina for Universal Music Group. “Our region is poised for continued growth, and to seize the opportunity it will require more creativity and diligence,” said Shridhar Subramaniam, SME’s president of corporate strategy and market development, Asia and Middle East.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment and Sphere Entertainment hired Laura Franco as evp and general counsel for both companies, effective Feb. 20. Franco, who wields 30-plus years in legal experience, including most recently as chief legal and compliance officer at Bumble, will report directly to executive chairman and CEO James L. Dolan. As general counsel, Franco will direct all business legal affairs, including complex transactions, at both companies. Prior to Bumble, parent of the same-named dating app, she served as evp and general counsel of CBS. “We are pleased to welcome Laura to the MSG Family of Companies,” said Dolan. “Laura’s background handling high-profile corporate and business legal matters at premier media companies will be a valuable addition to our Legal teams, and we look forward to leveraging her expertise as both companies pursue their business strategies.”
Curb Records promoted several staffers, with Craig Powers rising to svp of media and continuing to spearhead mainstream/crossover radio success with label artists including for King + Country and Natalie Grant; Powers had served as vp of media since 2020. Lori Hartigan has been promoted to national director of media; Hartigan has been with Curb for 10 years and has served the past eight years as director of west coast promotion. Additionally, Todd Thomas will move into the director of west coast promotion role (having previously served as director, southwest promotion), while Bailey White has been hired as director of southwest promotion. White comes to Curb after three years with Black River Entertainment’s promotion team. –Jessica Nicholson
Warner Music UK appointed Natasha Billing to svp of commercial and data insights, and promoted Nick Allum to her vp of data and insight. The label said these moves coincide with a shift in WMUK’s approach to data analytics and revenue generation, and will ultimately assist in nurturing artists’ careers by amplifying audience engagement and fueling innovation. Billing’s previous work includes stints at ASOS and Made.com, as well as a three-year stretch in a strategy role at Warner Music International. Allum, who reports to Billing, is tasked with building an in-house data and insight team and will manage audience, revenue and marketing data collection for the company’s labels. “With our new setup, and under Natasha and Nick’s leadership, we are well positioned to offer the best support possible to our artists, labels and partners, while further promoting and accelerating WMUK’s incredible frontline and catalogue releases,” said Isabel Garvey, WMUK’s chief operating officer, to whom Billing reports.
Cherie Hu, a respected music tech researcher and founder of data-driven learning platform Water & Music, landed a full-time teaching job at Syracuse University‘s prestigious Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries. Beginning in the fall semester, Hu will teach students about emerging technologies and new music industry models as part of Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Communications, where she currently adjuncts. Hu plans to continue her involvement with Water & Music in a more strategic role. As a journalist, Hu covered the intersection of music and tech for Billboard, Forbes, Pitchfork and NPR Music, among other outlets, and received the Reeperbahn Festival’s Award for International Music Business Journalist of the Year in 2017. “Cherie Hu is in an elite echelon of analysts creating the absolute best work and thinking about the future of the music industry,” said Bill Werde, director of the Bandier program and former editorial director of Billboard. “I’ve respected and learned from her work for years, and am thrilled to welcome her to the Bandier, Newhouse and Syracuse family, to continue her industry-leading work, and to teach our students about what’s next in music industry business models, marketing and platforms.”
Music-licensing company Epidemic Sound appointed former Amazon and Grubhub exec Sam Hall as chief product officer, starting Feb. 5. In his new role, Hall will lead Epidemic’s product department to boost its B2B/B2C offerings. He joins from CLEAR, where he was CPO at the US-based tech company. At Grubhub, Hall also oversaw the development of B2B/B2C offerings, and during his near-decade at Amazon was instrumental in building the company’s mobile business from the ground up. “We’ve made huge strides in the sophistication of our product offering to content creators of all kinds in the past three years, introducing tools that make it almost frictionless to soundtrack content,” said Oscar Höglund, co-founder and CEO. “We’re delighted to welcome Sam to accelerate this progress together; he brings a focus on customer experience across both B2B and B2C, and will be instrumental in developing a next-generation soundtracking experience for our creative community.”
Artist Partner Group announced a wide slate of promotions at the label. Eli Piccarreta has been elevated to svp of A&R, Corey Calder is moving up to svp of marketing and creative services, Jessica Kelm is now vp of marketing and digital operations, and Ashlee Merritt now has senior marketing director on her business card. APG, label home to a roster that includes Odetari, 6arelyhuman, Lay Bankz, The Sweepers and NLE Choppa, was founded in 2004 and is parent to Artist Publishing Group.
The Bryan Adams joined music-sharing tech startup Songbox as a co-founder. Using Songbox, creators can track when a file has been delivered, whether it’s been listened to and how long songs have been played. Additionally, the platform allows for creators to upload and share music video content. The Canadian rock icon said in a statement, “Songbox allows me to share new music that I’m working on in a way that I couldn’t before. I don’t need to send out MP3 files or physical products, so it keeps my ideas and early versions safe and secure until I’m ready to officially release the songs.” –J.N.
Jazz musician Branford Marsalis was named artistic director for the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in his hometown of New Orleans. The center, which uses music to help foster community and deliver services to underserved kids and musicians, was established in 2012 and is named after Marsalis’ father. “My dad was a teacher, in music and in life,” Branford Marsalis said. “After Hurricane Katrina, he envisioned a haven for the underserved musicians and children in his hometown of New Orleans. He spent the last decade of his life committed to turning that dream into a reality at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. It is my honor to step into the role of Artistic Director at the Center and to continue to drive its mission. I hope to make my dad proud.”
BOARD SHORTS: Leo Premutico, co-founder of renowned ad agency Johannes Leonardo, was named chairperson of the 2024 AMP Awards for Music & Sound. As Show Chair, Premutico will be tasked with helping assemble the AMP Awards Curatorial Committee … The National Association of Broadcasters appointed iHeartMedia regional president Jeanna Berge to its radio board of directors, replacing Joel McCrae.
Nice Life Recording Company promoted Bradley Haering to the fresh position of evp of A&R, and hired Mikelle Schwartz as evp or marketing for the indie label. Both are based in Los Angeles and report to founder/CEO Ricky Reed and Larry Wade, who is COO. Haering has been at the company since its formation in 2014 and is credited with signing the label’s Grammy-nominated band The Marías. Schwartz arrives from 88rising, where she was svp of marketing, with previous stops at Warner Records and Kemosabe Records. “I am thrilled for this next chapter at Nice Life Recording Company with these expanded positions,” said Reed. “Mikelle brings over 15 years of marketing experience, making her an invaluable asset to our Nice Life team at the leadership level. Brad, who has been with us since the beginning will oversee A&R in this newly added position as we continue to expand the Nice Life roster.”
Sony Music Publishing UK hired ZaZa Kazadi as senior A&R manager and promoted Adrienne Bookbinder to senior A&R manager of UK and Europe, and Nasra Artan to senior European A&R manager. All three are based in the company’s London office, with Kazadi and Bookbinder reporting to David Ventura, president and co-managing director, and Artan reporting to Ventura and Johnny Tennander, svp of international. Kazadi previously worked in management at Never Dies Management and spent two years as A&R manager at BMG Music Publishing.
Jon Granat joined JDM Music + Sound, makers of custom sound design for movie advertising, as a partner. Granat arrives from Nettwerk Music Group, where as svp of global sync licensing, he led a team working on creative, licensing and biz development for a roster including Passenger, St Lucia and Vacations. Prior to NMG, Granat worked with companies ranging from BMG, Chrysalis and Warner Chappell Music, among others. “I’m beyond thrilled to welcome Jon to the company,” said Joel Dean, a founding partner of JDM Music + Sound. “His wealth of experience across the music industry will be invaluable to bringing opportunities to the JDM catalog and our roster of composers.”
BMI veteran MaryAnn Keen was promoted to director of creative in the PROs Nashville office. Keen joined BMI in 2016 and was most recently the creative associate director, instrumental in scouting and signing new songwriters and coordinating event, such as the Key West Songwriters Festival. She has gained experience working with emerging writers and established hitmakers including Heath Warren, Mackenzie Carpenter and Brett Tyler, among others. Keen will continue to report to BMI’s Leslie Roberts, AVP of Creative Nashville.
Believe elevated Kristof Jansen to vp of Groove Attack, the digital firm’s rap and hip-hop brand in Germany. Approaching ten years at the company, Jansen most recently served as director of repertoire development for A&R at both Believe and Groove Attack. He’ll work out of the Cologne office and continue to report to Thorsten Freese, GM of Believe Germany.
Musicians on Call, a non-profit that brings music to the bedsides of patients, promoted six key staffers: Nicole Rivera to vp of programs, Sara Kolodziejczak to vp of development, Tarah Duarte to senior manager of strategic partnerships, Alli Prestby to creative manager, and Audrey Jadwisiak and Orenda Senior to program manager. “These team members have excelled in their roles and significantly improved the foundation of Musicians On Call. Our programs and national brand, along with the overall health of our organization, have all benefited from their leadership, creativity and ingenuity,” said MOC CEO Pete Griffin.
ICYMI:
Merck and Louis.
Universal Music Group honcho Lucian Grainge put Monte Lipman and John Janick in charge of a restructured label model that rejiggers its web of frontline labels to align them under two main companies … Utopia Music co-founder Mattias Hjelmstedt exited the company … Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis (pictured) is stepping down as CEO of Hipgnosis Song Management … Kris Lamb is elevated to evp and GM of Big Machine Records … which is part of Big Machine Label Group, which promoted Mike Rittberg to COO and Clay Hunnicutt rising to evp of label operations.
Last Week’s Turntable: All Songs Host Considered, Accepted
Merck Mercuriadis will step down as chief executive officer of catalog investment advisor Hipgnosis Song Management, the company announced on Friday (Feb. 2). The executive, who spent years managing the careers of artists like Elton John, Beyoncé and Guns N’ Roses before launching Hipgnosis, will transition to a newly created chairman role and will continue to “lead engagement” with industry stakeholders on behalf of the business, it said.
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Taking on the CEO role will be Ben Katovsky, HSM’s president and chief operating officer since joining the company in October 2022. He boasts almost two decades of experience in the music industry, most recently in a seven-year tenure as chief operating officer at BMG.
“One of our most important goals has been to bring an institutional rigor to Hipgnosis Song Management,” Mercuriadis said. “Over the last 16 months, Ben has done an amazing job building the team and HSM’s capabilities to deliver the best possible service to our clients and I’m certain this appointment makes us stronger.”
Added Katovsky, “I am proud to be asked to lead HSM through its next chapter, building on all Merck has achieved. In my time in the music industry I haven’t come across anyone who can match his rapport and relationships with songwriters and artists.”
Hipgnosis Song Management is the investment advisor for Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the publicly-listed royalty fund with a catalog that includes stakes in songs by Neil Young, Justin Bieber, Journey, Lindsey Buckingham, Blondie, Justin Timberlake and many other artists and writers. HSF capped a turbulent 2023 by lowering the value of its catalog following what new board chair Robert Naylor described to investors as a strained relationship with the Mercuriadis-led HSM over the catalog’s value.
A third Hipgnosis, Hipgnosis Songs Capital, is a joint venture between HSF and investment giant Blackstone. It is wrapped in a proposal to acquire 29 catalogs for $440 million to help the public fund reduce its debt and improve its share price.
In January, the public fund’s board of directors leveled several complaints against its namesake advisor, calling into question its ability to field competitive bids for its trove of assets. A main sticking point is the investment advisor’s call option — a right to purchase the company’s catalogs if its contract is terminated with less than 12 months’ notice, among other scenarios — which the board contends harms the fund’s ability to receive competitive bids.
The fund’s board wants to make the bidding process more attractive and on Jan. 18 announced a proposal to pay bidders a 20-million-pound ($25.4 million) fee to cover due diligence and acquisition costs when they pursue a purchase of HSFs assets. Shareholders will vote Feb. 7 on that proposal.
HSM said in its announcement that it has sought approval from the fund for the management transition.
In further comment, Katovsky praised HSM’s two clients — HSF and HSC — for their “vision, ambition and on-going commitment to grow music as an asset class through HSM,” and said he hoped to collaborate well with the fund’s board going forward.
“I particularly hope we will be able to work constructively with the Board of Hipgnosis Songs Fund Ltd, as I believe that HSM is best able to deliver value for their shareholders whether they decide the Company has a future as a long-term operation or wish to pursue the sale of assets following their strategic review,” he said.
Added Mercuriadis, “Having invested almost $3 billion on behalf of our clients in extraordinarily successful songs we are at an important juncture in our development where the services we provide to our clients are of paramount importance. Our commitment remains stronger than ever. We look forward to continuing our work with songwriters and the creative community to create the greatest possible opportunities from the iconic and culturally important Songs which we manage on behalf of HSM’s clients.”
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) has elevated Kris Lamb to executive vp/GM of Big Machine Records, effective immediately.
Lamb, who will report directly to BMLG chairman/CEO Scott Borchetta, most recently served as senior vp of promotion and digital, where he led radio and digital strategy for the Big Machine Records imprint, which includes artists Tim McGraw, Carly Pearce and Midland. In his new role, Lamb will focus on breaking, building and retaining Big Machine Records’ roster of artists and focus on fan acquisition and engagement.
“Kris has been with the label group for 13 years; he started with us as a regional promotions director and I’ve loved watching him work his way up through our system, excelling at each new level. I am so proud that he is now leading the charge for our flagship imprint, Big Machine Records,” Borchetta said in a statement. “There is an added pressure being the imprint that founded the company and I’m thrilled he has accepted the challenge to take it even higher. Game On, Lamb Chop… GAME ON!”
“I am beyond honored to represent this remarkable roster of culture-shaping storytellers and blessed to lead this team of forward-thinking executives at Big Machine Records,” Lamb added. “BMR has always been the tip of the spear and I look forward to elevating our impressive roster of artists even higher as a team and making an impact on the future of this imprint, its talent and the country music genre.”
With Lamb’s promotion comes more shifts at the Big Machine Records imprint, with the elevation of Brooke Diaz to national director of promotion and marketing.
Lamb says, “Brooke is one of the most multi-dimensional promotion executives in the field and her passion, ideation and execution is next to none. I am so thrilled to watch her, along with Erik as VP, guide our radio promo team and strategy to the highest level.”
Additionally, Bill Lubitz has been promoted to senior director of West Coast promotion and national strategy. The promotion team also includes vp of promotion Erik Powell, director of Midwest promotion Jane Staszak, director of Southeast promotion Jay Cruze and promotions coordinator Sara Barlow.
Lamb’s promotion follows Tuesday’s (Jan. 30) news that Big Machine Label Group has promoted Mike Rittberg to COO and Clay Hunnicutt to executive vp of label operations.