Executive Turntable

If it’s Friday that means another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music industry.

Warner Music Finland‘s front office is getting a new look. Managing director Niko Nordström and head of A&R Asko Kallonen, who arrived at WMF in 2007 after Warner Music acquired their Helsinski Music Company label, are both headed for the ovi. Taking over later this year in the MD role will be current general manager Ramona Forsström, who has clocked 15-plus years at the imprint. In Kallonen’s old office in the A&R department will be veteran producer Jukka Immonen, who starts on New Year’s Day and brings with him the artist roster of his Fried Music label (which WMG has additionally acquired via undisclosed terms). Kallonen, meanwhile, will continue to serve as an A&R consultant for Immonen and his team after he passes the mic. The Warner Music Finland roster includes Antti Tuisku, Arttu Wiskari, BEHM, Ellinoora, Kaija Koo and SANNI, among others. Immonen will report to Forsström, who will report to Warner Music Nordics president Mark Fry. Calling Forsström a “huge talent whose counsel I value and who delivers time and again for our artists and our business,” Fry added that “her fresh leadership perspective will help us grow our roster and our artists’ careers.”

SoundExchange appointed Peter Karafotas as senior vp of government relations and public policy. Based in Washington, D.C., he will report directly to the organization’s president and CEO Michael Huppe. Karafotas arrives from Capitol Hill, where he recently served as chief of staff to Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) until his resignation earlier this year to run a nonprofit. In his new role, Karafotas will lead on global public policy issues affecting music creators. He replaces Linda Bloss-Baum, who left over the summer for a full-time teaching gig at American University. Said Huppe: “I am thrilled to have someone with Peter’s expertise at the helm of our Government Relations & Public Policy department at a time when SoundExchange is amplifying our legislative efforts to ensure creators are paid fairly.”

Evan Bogart‘s music rights, label and publishing company Seeker Music hired Dan Stuart as general counsel. Stuart previously completed a five-year run as senior vp of business affairs at AWAL, during which AWAL’s U.S. clientele enjoyed significant growth and AWAL was acquired by Sony Music. Prior to that, Stuart worked for five years as a partner at King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, and worked for 15 years as an attorney at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Stuart’s career also includes time well spent as a music journalist, a DJ-in-residence, and in radio. “What I’ve known about Dan since the day I met him” about 20 years ago “is how smart, dedicated, passionate, authentic, and well-respected he is,” said Bogart. “He is one of the best in the business, and in my view it’s because he’s not just a lawyer, he’s an OG music guy who really cares about music and music creators.” –Jessica Nicholson

Kobalt promoted Kat Basolo to senior vp of creative synch. The Los Angeles-based exec was most recently vp of creative synch and in the past year helped score a number synch opportunities for Kobalt artists with several major brands, TV shows and films. Prior to joining Kobalt in 2014, she worked at Sony Music Entertainment for 10 years. Global head of synch Rob Christensen credited Basolo with “procuring thousands of synch opportunities” for clients during her tenure. “But more than any stat,” he added, “she has excellent relationships with so many of the world’s top music supervisors because she works hard to understand their needs and then delivers time and time again.”

Dreamcatcher vp of promotion Jim Dandy announced his departure from the company for a new opportunity at New Revolution Entertainment . Following the recent departures of national director of promotion Kellie LaJack, West Coast regional Rick Young, Midwest regional Charlie Dean and promotion manager Annie Brooks, the label is operating without a promotion staff. Dreamcatcher partner Jim Mazza said the situation is temporary, explaining that the promotion team is independently contracted and was let go with no current singles at radio. The label intends to re-form a promotion staff when its lone artist, Tenille Arts, releases her next single in early 2024. Under the circumstances, Mitch Rosell, who signed with the label in August, asked for — and received — his release from his contract. –Tom Roland

Amanda Rae Kopp is promoted to chief product officer at JKBX, a start-up offering investors fractional shares in hit songs. Kopp will be responsible for refining product strategies and driving innovation at the emerging platform. Prior to JKBX, which officially launched Sept. 12, Kopp was a global product leader at Warner Music Group.

Fantasy Records appointed Lindsay Brandt as vp of marketing and creative. In the newly-created position, Brandt will serve as in-house creative director and head of marketing, focusing on content development and digital strategy. Previously, Brandt served as senior director of creative & digital at Activist Artists Management, working with artists including The Lumineers and Bob Weir. Brandt said in a statement, “My vinyl collection boasts numerous albums with the iconic Fantasy Records logo. I’m humbled to join a team that holds music in such high regard and delighted to tell the story of these profound artists.” –JN

FlyteVu, the full-service marketing agency founded in 2015 by former Warner Music Nashville senior vp Jeremy Holley and ex-CAA agent Laura Hutfless, made several promotions and hires of late. Sina Seger, on staff since 2017, is the firm’s very first general manager — and will oversee day-to-day operations. Elsewhere, Nicole Ranieri has been promoted from account director to head of accounts, and industry veteran Ally Venable joins the team as head of talent. Venable joins from Mandolin Entertainment, a boutique artist and brand management firm. In the past 12 months, FlyteVu has launched two new sister agencies: FV Incubator, handling marketing for start-ups, and FV3, focused on brands and Web3. “Over the past eight years, FlyteVu has built a solid reputation for innovation, excellence, and generosity in the industry,” said Hutfless. “Sina and our Leadership Team have played instrumental roles in our growth and success. We are thrilled to enter FlyteVu’s next chapter as we continue to innovate, disrupt and propel our clients forward.”

Shore Fire Media elevated Haley Griffin and Henry Thomas to junior account executives. Both joined the leading PR firm a mere year ago as interns and were promoted to publicity assistants late in the year. Griffin is a Berklee College of Music graduate, while Thomas is a Skidmore College grad. “In just over a year, Haley and Henry have displayed their talent, commitment, and growth,” said senior vp Rebecca Shapiro. “We’re excited to recognize their contributions and confident that they will shine in their new roles.”

Kobalt promoted Kat Basolo to senior vp of creative synch. The Los Angeles-based exec was most recently vp of creative synch and in the past year helped score a number synch opportunities for Kobalt artists with several major brands, TV shows and films. Prior to joining Kobalt in 2014, she worked at Sony Music Entertainment for 10 years. Global head of synch Rob Christensen credited Basolo with “procuring thousands of synch opportunities” for clients during her tenure. “But more than any stat,” he added, “she has excellent relationships with so many of the world’s top music supervisors because she works hard to understand their needs and then delivers time and time again.”

ICYMI: Warner Music‘s chief digital officer Oana Ruxandra announced she’s leaving the label … Anthem made it official with Jason Klein and Sal Fazzari … and Kenny MacPherson was placed on leave from his job at Hipgnosis Songs Fund, following the filing of a lawsuit claiming he sexually assaulted a staffer in 2005 while he ran another company.

Melanie Johnson is named chief commercial officer at Audoo, the music tech company looking to shake up the royalty reporting system for musicians. Based in London and reporting to CEO Ryan Edwards, Johnson is tasked with overseeing the continued global expansion of the company’s proprietary platform Audoo Audio Meter. She arrives with a packed CV that includes lengthy tenures at Facebook, Sony Music Publishing and EMI Music Publishing. Most recently, Johnson served as vp of partnerships at Utopia Music. “Mel’s stellar professional and personal reputation precedes her,” Edwards correctly notes. “Adding her expertise to Audoo as we mark a milestone five years in business, we move closer to our goal of being the partner of choice for PROs and CMOs, and continue on the mission of revolutionising the public performance royalties space worldwide.”

Reactional Music, the maker of an interactive music engine for video games, hired Spotify veteran Jacob Deshayes as chief operating officer. In his new role, Deshayes will oversee Reactional’s platform and manage partnerships, technical programs and strategy. “In joining Reactional Music I am thrilled to have the opportunity to apply my experience on three of my foremost passions – music, tech and video games – as we unlock groundbreaking tools for a new innovative form of music creation, as well as ways for the world of gamers to personalize their musical experience,” he said. Additionally, Reactional selected one of its founders, former Take Two Interactive CEO Kelly Sumner, as board chairman.

Croshal Entertainment Group, the artist management and label service firm founded by longtime Sony Music and Maverick executive Fred Croshal, made a pair of key promotions. Jimmy Brunetti, previously vp of label services, has been elevated to executive vp of business development and project management. Kirbie Croshal, most recently director of social media and project management, is now senior vp of marketing and digital strategies. Brunetti and Croshal have logged 15 and 17 years at CEG, respectively.

Last Week’s Turntable: Glass Ceiling Breaker Departed Sony

If it’s Friday that means another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music industry.

Sony Music UK and Ireland‘s stalwart COO, Nicola Tuer, announced she is stepping down at the end of the month for family reasons. Tuer started her groundbreaking 28-year run at Sony in 1995 in the label’s sales division and rose to senior vp of commercial sales before her elevation to executive vp of the entire imprint in 2011. In 2014, Tuer earned the keys to the C-suite as the label’s first female chief operating officer — making her “one of the most senior women in the UK industry,” boasted Jason Iley, longtime CEO of SMUK&I. As COO, she has overseen the running of the U.K. and Ireland businesses, including frontline, catalog and label services, as well as sales, partnerships and other departments. “Nicola lives and breathes Sony Music,” Iley added. “She has, time and again, gone above and beyond to ensure not only that Sony succeeds, but more importantly, that our artists succeed.”

Tuer has been a near–constant presence on Billboard‘s various lists of influential executives, deservedly so, including this year’s roundup of International Power Players. The dynamic duo of Iley/Tuer were lauded for landing the top-selling single and album of 2022, with Harry Styles’ Harry’s House and his hit “As It Was.” And as head of Sony UK’s commercial group, Tuer got a shout-out for helping Wham!’s “Last Christmas” top the charts for the first time in 38 years.

Beatport promoted Charles Morgan to chief marketing officer. Morgan joined the company in early 2022 as senior vp of strategy. As CMO, Morgan will oversee marketing strategy and execution across Beatport’s suite of companies, which includes the Beatport digital download store, the open-format DJ oriented Beatsource, sample pack provider Loopcloud, software platform Plugin Boutique, label management and demo submission platforms ampsuite and LabelRadar, along with Beatport Media Group. He’ll be based out of the company’s London office and report directly to Beatport Group CEO Robb McDaniels. “Since his arrival at Beatport, Charles has been instrumental in the transformation of our brand and creative teams, playing a pivotal role in repositioning the company’s leading products,” says McDaniels. “His work has been integral to the growth we’ve seen across our various products for DJs, producers and labels.” –Katie Bain

Universal Music Taiwan

Universal Music Greater China brought in William Hsieh as general manager of its Universal Music Taiwan unit, as well as senior vp of UMGC. Based in Taipei and starting immediately, Hsieh reports directly to UMGC chairman and CEO Timothy Xu. Hsieh joins UMG from fitness tech firm Fiture, where he served as vp of content. Prior to that, he was group vp for Space Cycle, a boutique wellness studio chain. He has also held senior positions at Electronic Arts Asia, and earlier in his career took on managerial gigs at EMI Music and Sony Music Greater China. The Taiwan-born, SoCal-raised Hsieh got his education in New York — at Columbia and NYU. Xu pegs Hsieh as being “perfectly positioned to spearhead our business expansion, innovation, and growth for the Taiwan market,” adding the island nation’s “pop music culture holds an indispensable value in the wider Chinese music scene.”

HFA/Rumblefish promoted Lauren Apolito to executive vice president of strategy & business development. She was previously senior vp at the synch licensing company, which is part of SESAC. Apolito joined HFA (The Harry Fox Agency) way back in 2001 and stayed on board when the venerable rights management agency was scooped up by SESAC in 2015. The company said that in the last year alone, Apolito’s efforts have “fueled revenue growth, client diversification, licensing opportunities and a new service offering” at Rumblefish. Apolito, a 2019 digital power player, has also focused on simplifying direct licensing deals between publishers and distributors. “She operates at the intersection of music, data and technology and has leveraged seismic industry changes into new revenue opportunities and streamlined administration for both rightsholders and music distributors,” glowed HFA/Rumblefish president Michael Simon. “We’re thrilled to expand her role with this well-deserved promotion.” Reach her at lapolito@rumblefish.com.

Big Machine Music has promoted Michelle Attardi to the role of senior director, publishing. Since joining Big Machine Music (a division of HYBE America) seven years ago, Attardi has been central in the signing of songwriters Daniel Ross, Matt Roy, Troy Cartwright and Geoff Warburton to the BMM roster, and has secured cuts with Jon Pardi, Lady A, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen and Mitchell Tenpenny, among others. –Jessica Nicholson

Oak View Group appointed Kristina Heney as executive vp of marketing, media & conferences. As evp of mmc, Heney will handle all marketing and communications for OVG and oversee its media and conferences division — which includes the Pollstar and VenuesNow media brands. She joins the OVG family following a five-year stint at Cirque du Soleil and before that, a 15-year tenure at MSG. Before that, she worked in merchandising at the NBA. “With her deep understanding of the live events and experiential industry, we are confident Kristina can continue our substantial growth momentum while transforming the OVG brand story and our Media and Conferences Division to support OVG and our growth vision,” said president of biz dev Francesca Bodie, to whom she’ll report along with OVG360 president Chris Granger.

SGPS/ShowRig elevated live industry veteran Ned Collett to president of the Las Vegas-based production company. Collett joined SGPS/ShowRig in 2022 following the passing of founder Eric Pearce. As president, he’ll oversee and direct all activities for the company’s global operations, which now includes its first European office, located in Utrecht, Netherlands. Collett was previously Midwest president of LiveStyle, and has also held roles at Oak View Group, Live Nation Entertainment and Base Entertainment, among others. “I am proud to continue Eric Pearce’s guiding principles of always demonstrating boundless creativity and providing exceptional client service,” Collett said. “I am honored to be the person charged with incorporating that philosophy while simultaneously bringing the company forward with new technologies, partners, European expansion, and domestic growth.”

Feed.fm, the business-to-business music streaming platform, hired Ryan Morris as its new director of engineering. At Feed.fm, Morris will lead expansion efforts as the company works to meet demand for a scalable, effective platform for providing music for businesses. Morris was most recently director of software engineering at Slack, which experienced massive growth during his six-year tenure as more businesses turned to remote work. Prior to Slack, Morris was an engineering manager at Pandora. “Ryan’s part of a new breed of technologist in the B2B music space who has a unique mix of high growth tech platform leadership experience alongside a deep understanding of the music industry,” said Jeff Yasuda, CEO of Feed Media Group. “His addition will strengthen Feed.fm’s position to become the leader in a new category of turnkey music solutions for the world’s top brands.”

Entertainment lawyer Zachary Bohlender officially launched Charta, a new company with a mission to modernize and automate the logjam-prone process of getting clearance agreements done quickly so that, ultimately, artists can release music faster. Bohlender’s platform, cofounded with Arash Rashidi, an engineer with a background in AI, aims to distill producer and side-artist agreements to a few key provisions that can be quickly negotiated and then slotted into standardized contracts. “There’s no single bigger pain point in the industry than clearance agreements,” Bohlender said. Charta investors and advisors include Che Pope, Matt Colon, Aloe Blacc, Boys Noize and Milana Lewis of Stem, who calls it “an incredibly powerful tool towards building a better future where artists can be paid more expediently and accurately.”

ASM Global‘s new vice president of live entertainment is Alex Bowen, a familiar player in Louisiana’s entertainment industry. In his new job, Bowen will oversee content and bookings for ASM venues in New Orleans, including the Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center, along with the new Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Missouri’s Ozark region. He’ll also handle bookings for venues across the Southeast U.S. region. Bowen arrives from Live Nation, where he was a senior talent buyer in multiple markets.

Round, the creative digital agency with a client list that includes the Big Three labels and a slew of festivals and events companies, promoted Simon Friend to chief operating officer and Ray Uscata to managing director of North and South America. “The importance and power of digital marketing is growing exponentially and is now an integral part of the way in which consumer facing brands engage with their audiences; but it is a competitive marketplace that demands specialist expertise and tools to achieve cut through,” said Round CEO Aaron Sayer.

Last Week’s Turntable: Blue Raincoat Founder in Transition

If it’s Friday that means another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music industry.

Blue Raincoat Music co-founder Robin Millar will step down as the company’s chairman and take on a new role as creative consultant. Founded in 2014 by Millar and former Chrysalis CEO Jeremy Lascelles, Blue Raincoat Music began life as an artist management company before branching out into publishing in 2016 and, then, recorded music when it acquired Chrysalis. Reservoir purchased BRN and the entire Chrysalis catalog in 2019, but kept Millar and Lascelles on board to run day-to-day operations. In his new role, Millar will advise on creative decisions across the company’s roster and continue to oversee mixing and mastering operations across the company. He’ll also remain a director on the board and a significant shareholder across Blue Raincoat. “The simple fact is that Blue Raincoat would not be the company it is today without Robin’s involvement,” said Lascelles. “He has been an unbelievable partner, bringing relentless positivity, focus, and ambition to our plans. He has a brilliant business brain, is a fiercesome negotiator, and has been an inspiration to me and everyone within the company.”

Experienced music lawyer Lynn Gonzalez joined Granderson Des Rochers as a partner in the firm’s music practice group. Gonzalez is fresh off a decade-long tenure at Def Jam, where she rose to executive vp/head of business affairs and business development at the label. Prior to Def Jam, she worked in legal roles at Razor & Tie Entertainment and then Atlantic Records, where she also was a founding member and then president of the Black Women In Entertain­ment Law Foundation, providing mentorship and scholarships to women of color in entertainment law. At GDR, whose music-related clients have included J.Cole, H.E.R., J Balvin and Bernie Taupin, among many others, Gonzalez will work on matters including music publishing, licensing and intellectual property. “Joining GDR means joining a team that puts artists first – a mantra that resonates with me from my time working with labels,” Gonzalez said. “With this guiding principle in mind, together, we’ll protect their creativity and ensure they thrive in a music industry that celebrates their unique voices.”

Warner Chappell Music hired Rachel Jacobson to the role of svp, creative sync. In the newly created role Jacobson will oversee an also-new team that’s solely focused on sourcing and developing songwriters for creative opportunities in sync. “We’re reimagining our approach to the creative side of sync at Warner Chappell to better align with the rapidly evolving media and streaming landscape,” says Jacobson. –Kristin Robinson

Sound Talent Group added agent Jason Parent and his roster of bands to its ever-expanding New York office. Parent arrives after a decade at APA/IAG, where he developed acts including Meet Me @ the Altar, Cloud Nothings, Oso Oso, Grayscale and Kuckle Puck, among others — all of whom came with him. He joins Jake Zimmerman, Eric Powell and John Lashnits in the agency’s NYC outpost. STG made its debut in 2018 after Dave Shapiro, Tim Borror and Matt Andersen made for the exits — on good terms — at United Talent Agency. “When we had the chance to bring [Parent] to STG, we jumped on that opportunity,” said Anderson. “Jason is an incredible agent with an amazing roster of bands, and we’re excited to have him join the team.” STG’s current roster includes Black Veil Brides, Built to Spill, Calle 13, Dave Navarro, Eve 6, Gwar, Hanson, Ice Nine Kills, Killswitch Engage, Opeth, Saliva, Story of the Year, Vanessa Carlton, Zakk Wylde and hundreds more.

Downtown Music president Pieter van Rijn joined the board of directors of Downtown Music Holdings. Van Rijn, a regular fixture on Billboard‘s annual list of Indie Power Players, joined Downtown Music a year ago from FUGA, where he’d served as CEO since 2014. He joins Downtown’s existing board of directors, including independent directors Alison Moore and Kelli Turner, who joined in January 2022. “When we first set out to transform Downtown Music, our B2B division, into a fully integrated suite of business service offerings, we were fortunate to have such a strong executive in our organization who could help us execute on that vision,” said Andrew Bergman, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings. “The addition of Pieter to our board further demonstrates Downtown’s commitment and mission to empower creators and the businesses that serve them.”

Did someone say FUGA? The Downtown-owned distributor continues its expansion into Germany, Switzerland and Austria with the appointment of Desiree Vach as general manager of the Deutsch-speaking triad. In her new role, Vach will lead FUGA’s business development, service offering and brand presence in the region, as well as oversee the Berlin office. She reports directly to Liz Northeast, the svp of Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Vach joins FUGA following a nine-year tenure at Ingrooves Music Group, where she oversaw operations in the GSA region.

Change is afoot at German indie distributor Zebralution, with company co-founder Kurt Thielen announcing he’ll step down at the end of the year. Two industry veterans will fill Thielen’s considerable shoes: Konrad von Löhneysen, founder of the Embassy of Music label, will join as co-CEO in October 2023, while current Zebralution COO Tina Jürgens will also be promoted to co-CEO, effective in January. The shakeup portends the company’s international growth ambitions, and follows the expansion into North America earlier this year — led by co-founder Sascha Lazimbat as U.S. director and president. Founded in 2004, Zebralution currently has a portfolio of more than 3,500 labels and audio book publishers from all over the world. “I look back on 38 exciting years as CEO,” says Thielen. “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved with Zebralution as pioneers in the industry. I can’t think of a more opportune moment for this change in responsibility.

Kygo‘s Palm Tree Crew hired Karan Ram as president of its festivals and events unit. Ram arrives from touring festival specialists Breakaway, where as president he more than doubled the company’s events held in 2023. Prior to Breakaway, he founded Moment Entertainment, a producer of concerts and events on college campuses that was later acquired by Pollen. “We’re excited to welcome Karan to Palm Tree Crew and to have him bring his expertise and passion to our team,” said Myles Shear, co-founder of Palm Tree Crew. “As the President of Palm Tree Crew Festivals and Events, he will play a pivotal role in scaling our brand to even greater global heights.”

ICYMI: Warner Music hired 30-year Disney veteran Bryan Castellans as the label group’s next executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective Oct. 16 … Monica Damashek has been named head of label partnerships of North America for Spotify. She succeeds Vic Trubowitch, who has moved to the music product strategy … Warner Chappell Music locked down Guy Moot and Carianne Marshall, CEO and COO, respectively, until late March of 2028 … and Jann Wenner was swiftly excised from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation board of directors after making inflammatory remarks about Black and women artists.

Melissa Maskan joined boutique indie publisher OTM as head of North America and svp of creative. Based in L.A. and reporting directly to OTM founder Alex Sheridan, Maskan will manage the org’s U.S. efforts, namely sync and A&R. She joins after six years as evp of A&R at Third Side Music, where she helped to develop all-cappers SOFI TUKKER and ODESZA, among others. Supporting Maskan at OTM will be Rob Hunt (head of A&R) and Emily Keating (svp of sync). “[Maskan] heading up our US business will add immeasurable value to our offering there and now provides OTM with a platform for further growth,” said Sheridan.

Production music company FreshTracks Music added three new executives to its recently launched UK division. Tayo Kazzim joins as head of sales after stints at PRS for Music, Imagem and Extreme Music; Josie Kiely is the new senior client account manager, following roles at Warner Chappell and PPL; and Charley Dunlop serves as client account manager, having previously worked at Sky, KPM/EMI and BAM.

ESMAA, the Gulf-based music rights organization, appointed Saqer Al Qassimi as head of business development and government relations. The Emirati national is tasked with growing membership and supporting the org’s licensing efforts throughout the UAE and Gulf region. ESMAA claims to be the only music organization of its kind in the Gulf — in that it works with international entities whose disciplines focus on either performing, mechanical and/or neighbouring rights in order to find solutions to simplify music licensing in the region.

Last Week’s Turntable: GoodTalk Takes Shape