Executive Turntable
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Music public relations veteran Jake Basden has been named president at the Jason Owen-led Sandbox Entertainment Group. The news was first reported by Variety.
In his new role, Basden will champion a roster of artists that includes Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Midland, Faith Hill, Dan+Shay and actress-singer Kate Hudson. He will also work with Sandbox’s various media and entertainment entities, including the Broadway musical Shucked, which premieres this spring.
“Jake is the sort of star executive who recognizes this is not a business of boxes and lanes,” said Owen, Sandbox founder and CEO, via a statement. “He is beloved by all and brings elevation to everything he touches. From conceptualizing events to executing campaigns, there’s no one [else] whose vision can see a project from conception through to not just success, but the highest awards recognition for whatever arena they’re in. Sandbox’s incredible team was formed as an entertainment firm whether it meant movies, television, touring or career direction. Jake excels in all of those spaces.”
“There is so much more to a successful launch, whether it’s an artist’s project, a Broadway show or long-term development,” Basden added via a statement. “Perception can define reality, but you have to back it up with solid strategy and execution. The opportunity Jason has provided allows me to both stretch and take topflight people, TV and motion picture platforms to new places. That thrills me because I believe that marketing done as a well-thought-out strategy yields exponential returns. The Sandbox team is comprised of the highest caliber executives whom I have long admired, and I am grateful for the opportunity to join them.”
Basden previously spent 12 years spearheading publicity efforts at Big Machine Label Group, championing artists including Thomas Rhett, Tim McGraw, Lady A, Glen Campbell and former Big Machine artist Taylor Swift. Basden was named senior vp of global communication for BMLG in 2017. He announced his departure from the label group earlier this month.
Basden, a University of Oklahoma graduate, joined Big Machine from the New York offices of public relations firm Edelman, where he served as a director in their sports and entertainment division. Basden’s career accolades to date include being named Country Music Association (CMA) publicist of the year. He was also named PRWeek‘s Young PR Professional of the Year, and was honored as one of the magazine’s “40 Under 40” in 2019.
Jenifer Mallory has been promoted to president of Columbia Records, the company announced today (Jan. 31). Mallory, who has been executive vp/general manager of the label since 2018, will continue to report to chairman/CEO Ron Perry.
Mallory has been at Columbia Records and Sony Music since 2006, when she joined and rose through a series of marketing roles over the years. She became senior vp of international at Sony in 2015, leading global campaigns for Sony artists at RCA, Columbia and Epic, before rising to executive vp of international three years later, then joining Perry as part of Columbia’s leadership team.
In her new role, she will continue to have oversight of marketing, publicity, digital, brand partnerships, licensing and video departments at Columbia, the company said.
“I’ve had the privilege of spending much of my career at Columbia Records and am proud of what we have achieved over the past few years,” Mallory said in a statement. “I’m thankful to our incredible staff and most importantly our inspiring artists. I’m forever grateful to Ron Perry and [Sony Music chairman] Rob Stringer for entrusting me with this role and their mentorship. I will continue championing our artists and honor Columbia’s legacy.”
This past year, Perry and Mallory oversaw a huge year for Columbia artists like Harry Styles, Beyoncé and Adele, all of whom are up for album of the year at this coming weekend’s Grammy Awards, as well as with a series of younger artists and burgeoning stars like Rosalia, The Kid LAROI and Lil Nas X.
“Jen’s steadfast championing of artists, extraordinary leadership abilities, and unwavering dedication to Columbia Records makes her truly Presidential,” Perry said in a statement.
Colombian record executive Adriana Restrepo has been appointed IFPI’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Restrepo will now head the global record music organization’s regional operations in Latin American and the Caribbean, based out of the organization’s offices in Miami and reporting directly to IFPI chief executive Frances Moore.
Restrepo takes over the post vacated by Javier Asensio, who served as regional director of the IFPI since 2011. Asensio, who’s been on Billboard’s Latin Power Player list on multiple occasions, stepped down from his role at the end of 2022 to return to his native Spain.
“Having worked directly with Adriana for a number of years as she served on our boards, I know first-hand the level of passion, commitment and knowledge of the Latin American music sector that she brings to the role,” said Moore in a statement. “I would also like to thank Javier who has been outstanding in overseeing our work in the region for over a decade and achieved so much during a period of rapid change and evolution in the market.”
Restrepo comes from a business and recording industry background and is one of the very few women who have headed record labels, including multinationals, in Latin America. She was most recently president of Sony Music Andes, based in Bogotá, Colombia, and overseeing Sony’s operation in the Andean region, which includes Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Prior to that, Restrepo was president of powerful Colombian indie Codiscos, one of the region’s oldest and most respected labels and publishers, with a vast catalogue of tropical and popular music.
Restrepo comes to the post at a time when the Latin American music industry is on a path of massive growth. Recorded music revenues in Latin America grew 31% in 2021, exceeding $1 billion in revenues for the first time, and making it the 12th year of consecutive growth for the region.
Restrepo, who served on the IFPI’s main board between 2018 and 2020 is familiar with the organization.
“The region is experiencing a stellar moment due to the massive production of new talent for the entire world,” she said in a statement. “I will continue the good work developed by Javier with the National Groups and the collective management organisations seeking to reach new goals for the benefit of IFPI members.”
At Sony Andes, Maria Mercedes “Mechas” Montejo has been appointed to lead the company.
“We will miss Adriana here at Sony Music Latin Iberia, but we are thrilled to know that her professionalism and experience will be of service to the entire Latin music industry in her new role. We wish her all the best,” said Afo Verde, chairman & CEO Latin America, Spain and Portugal for Sony Music Entertainment.
Verde, and the other regional label heads will be working closely with Restrepo, as they do traditionally with IFPI leadership, and support for Restrepo has been unanimous.
“Adriana brings experience, knowledge and a great capacity for work, at a time when the challenges we face in Latin America continue to be enormous. There is nobody better than her to continue the great job done by Javier Asensio during the last decade,” said Jesús López, chairman & CEO, Universal Music Latin America & Iberian Peninsula, Universal Music Group.
Added Alejandro Duque, president, Warner Music Latin America: “I’ve known Adriana for many years and believe she has the right qualities and commitment to lead and execute our industry’s agenda in the region for years to come.”
BMG has announced a long-term succession plan for Hartwig Masuch, the record label and publisher’s only CEO since launching in 2008. Parent company Bertelsmann said Monday (Jan. 30) that Masuch will be replaced by Thomas Coesfeld, BMG’s CFO, effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Thomas Coesfeld
Bertelsmann Printing/Group_Kai-Uwe Oesterhelweg
When he takes over as chief executive, Coesfeld will also receive a seat on the Bertelsmann Group Management Committee (GMC), which advises the Group Executive Board. Masuch will remain in an advisory role after the transition, which will be “finalized at the end of the year,” said Bertelsmann chairman and CEO Thomas Rabe.
Under Masuch’s leadership, BMG has grown to be the fourth-biggest recorded music and publishing company in terms of revenue, trailing only the three majors. At a gathering of senior Bertelsmann execs in early October, Masuch announced BMG would be generating one billion euros in revenue starting in 2024. In the first half of 2022, the most recent final figures available, the company reported revenues grew 25% to 371 million euros ($405.7 million), compared to 2021’s first half.
In recent years, BMG has acquired music rights from Peter Frampton, Harry Nilsson, Simple Minds, Tina Turner and Mötley Crüe, among others, and through a partnership with KKR the company has acquired catalogs from John Legend and ZZ Top. On the label side, BMG has signed Duran Duran, Santana, Bryan Adams, Maxwell and Louis Tomlinson.
“Since 2008, [Masuch] has built the new BMG from scratch with a completely new business model that focuses on the needs of artists and songwriters, based on its core values of service, fairness, and transparency,” said Rabe.
Masuch joined Bertelsmann in 1991, overseeing Germany, Switzerland and Austria as part of BMG Music Publishing first incarnation. In 2008, he advised Bertelsmann when the company sold its share of Sony BMG Music Entertainment to Sony in 2008, and soon, helped start BMG Rights Management — which later became BMG.
“After 32 years at Bertelsmann and more than 14 years at BMG, now is the right time for me to hand over the reins to a new generation,” Masuch said in the company’s announcement. “I am convinced that the company will be in the best hands with Thomas Coesfeld and BMG’s outstanding, highly motivated global leadership team. As our annual results will show, the company is in excellent shape both creatively and financially. I look forward to a seamless transition by the end of the year. I am sure that under Thomas’ leadership, BMG’s core values of service, fairness and transparency will continue to evolve and flourish, leading the company to even greater success.”
Coesfeld was named deputy chief financial officer at BMG in October 2021 before taking over as CFO in April 2021. He previously served as chief strategy officer on the executive committee of the Bertelsmann Printing Group, a division of BMG’s parent company Bertelsmann. He began his career in 2014 as a management consultant at McKinsey in Munich.
“I am sure that under Thomas’ leadership, BMG’s core values of service, fairness and transparency will continue to evolve and flourish, leading the company to even greater success,” said Masuch.
Added Coesfeld, “Under Hartwig Masuch’s leadership, BMG has delivered an impressive growth story and developed into a modern music company in which data, technology, and services play a key role. My aim is to continue this success story together with the company’s top management and its more than 1,000 employees worldwide, and to leverage the enormous creative and entrepreneurial potential of the music industry for Bertelsmann.”
TV producer and recording industry executive Roey Hershkovitz was named vp of sound & picture at Universal Music Group (UMG), a newly-created position. In the role, Hershkovitz will lead visual content capture across UMG’s studios, develop new programming and build on the company’s immersive audio efforts. Alongside head of video services Joe McCrossan, he will also develop new strategies to build on the company’s multimedia services and capabilities available to record labels, artists and songwriters. In addition to his vp of sound & picture title, Hershkovitz will also serve as head of West Coast studios, where he will continue to oversee Capitol Studios and its ongoing renovation. He was also appointed to UMG’s audio leadership team to drive innovation and audio quality, including Dolby Atmos Music adoption across a broad array of consumer products. Now based out of Santa Monica, Hershkovitz will report to executive vp of digital studios Christopher Jenkins and senior vp of recording studios & archive management Pat Kraus. Prior to his promotion, Hershkovitz was vp of Capitol Studios & Digital Studios.
Rapper Papoose was named head of hip-hop at TuneCore, where he will lead the Believe-owned company’s artist ambassador program for hip-hop and rap, scouting emerging talents, overseeing artist education and career advice workshops and acting as a brand advisor for new programs and technology launches. He’ll report to CEO Andreea Gleeson. In addition to his new executive role, Papoose also announced the release of his new single, “Making Plays” featuring Jim Jones and Jaquae, which drops Feb. 10. He can be reached at papoose@tunecore.com.
Colton McGee was named senior vp of business and legal affairs at Concord Label Group. Based at the company’s Nashville headquarters, McGee will work with executive vp of business and legal affairs Gregg Goldman as a key member of the business and legal affairs team for Concord’s recorded music division. McGee previously spent 13 years at BBR Music Group in Nashville, handling business and legal affairs for both BBR and BMG (the latter since 2017). He can be reached at colton.mcgee@concord.com.
Warner Chappell Production Music (WCPM) will expand into Brazil with a new team based in São Paulo, headed by Renato Moraes. In his role, Moraes will lead a team focused on building out a local repertoire and work to expand the company’s footprint by servicing the region’s film, TV, radio and advertising clients with WCPM’s catalog. The team will also provide custom music services and work to broaden creative partnerships. Moraes will report to vp of licensing & music creative Sinéad Hartmann and work closely with director of strategic, commercial, film, synch and licensing Flávia Cesar. He joins the company from Music Branding Brazil, where he was head of recordings and publishing. Moraes can be reached at Renato.Moraes@warnerchappellpm.com.
Adam Gardiner was named senior vp of international synch at Concord Music Publishing; he joins the company from Universal Music Group’s creative division, Globe, where he served as head of film & TV. In his new role, Gardiner’s purview will include all music publishing synch activity outside the U.S., with the U.K., Germany and Australia synch teams reporting directly to him. He will also coordinate all of the company’s third-party synch activity. Based in London, he reports to president of international publishing John Minch.
Music scholar and musician Jason King was named dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, effective July 1. He currently serves as chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University and also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Popular Music Studies.
Joe Conyers III was named senior advisor to global growth investor Warburg Pincus in their technology group, specifically focusing his efforts on new investment opportunities in music and entertainment companies. Conyers was formerly executive vp and global head of NFT at Crypto.com and chief strategy officer of Downtown Music Holdings; he also co-founded Downtown subsidiary Songtrust. Conyers can be reached at jc@joeconyers.com and his website is joeconyers.com.
Erika Montes was named president at Rostrum Records, where she will lead the company’s growth strategy and oversee frontline label operations. Montes most recently led artist and label relations at SoundCloud, where she served as global vp. She reports to Rostrum founder Benjy Grinberg and can be reached at em@rostrumrecords.com.
Artist manager Andy Robinson and cross asset speculator Sean Stockdale launched Interstellar Music Services, a rights management company that “will primarily be made available to those qualifying artists and songwriters who wish to retain full control of their recordings and compositions,” according to a press release. The company will work to maximize the collection of royalties via a suite of services that includes digital distribution, sync and brand partnerships, metadata cleaning, neighboring rights, publishing administration, DSP repitching and detailed analysis and reporting. Joining Interstellar at launch are David Wille and Sarah Bargiela, who join as global head of sync and brand partnerships and head of copyright and royalties, respectively. Robinson formerly launched Interstellar Music and Interstellar Publishing, which informed the establishment of Interstellar Music Services; Stockdale has 13 years of experience in asset management, with a particular expertise in saber metrics. Wille most recently served as senior vp at Kobalt Music Publishing, while Bargiela was senior income tracking manager at BMG Rights Management.
Ru Ping Gan was named vp of digital, Asia Pacific at Warner Chappell Music, where she will oversee Warner Chappell Music Asia Pacific’s digital strategy and commercial operations while working closely with the global digital and WCM Asia leadership team to help shape international policies that support local songwriters. She will also be tasked with driving digital strategic planning initiatives. Gan, who was most recently vp of revenue and deal strategy, joined WCM Asia Pacific in 2013.
Butch Spyridon, longtime head of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC) who has served as president and CEO since 2003, will retire from the organization on June 30, 2023, following 32 years as its top executive. He’ll be succeeded by current president Deana Ivey, who will be promoted to president and CEO effective July 1, 2023. On that date, Spyridon will transition into a role as a strategic consultant to the NCVC under a two-year contract that will see him recruiting major global events to the city, including the Rugby World Cup and, if an enclosed stadium is approved, the Super Bowl.
Patra Sinner was named general counsel at Symphonic Distribution, where she will advise the company’s senior management team on both internal and external legal needs and manage and negotiate partner contracts including DSPs, industry organizations and contractors, as well as record labels, ambassadors and artists. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sinner has been in private practice for nearly 20 years and is also the co-founder of Nashville-based artist management, distribution and label services company Vista 22. She can be reached at patra@symdistro.com.
Meike Nolte was appointed business development manager for b:electronic, the dance & electronic division of Believe. Reporting to b:electronic global director Leigh Morgan, Nolte will be tasked with defining and executing the sourcing and acquisitions strategy for labels and artists within the electronic division. She most recently led Beatport’s artist services department.
Dave Felipe was named director of publicity at Zach Farnum‘s 117 Entertainment, where he will oversee all publicity initiatives for 117’s roster. He was most recently public relations manager for the Mechanical Licensing Collective (the MLC). Felipe can be reached at Dave@117group.com.
Ra-Fael Blanco was promoted to senior vp of media relations & communications for Universal/Virgin Music’s SRG-ILS Group; he was previously vp of media relations. Blanco will continue overseeing PR and media efforts for SRG-ILS clients including Chaka Khan, Brian McKnight and Erica Campbell, among others. He reports to general manager Michael Cusanelli and founder/CEO Claude Villani. Blanco can be reached at Ra-Fael@2rsentandmediapr.com.
Austin-based publicist Trey Hicks launched his own PR agency, Painting Pictures. Joining Hicks in the new venture is Allison Winkler. Hicks previously worked as an account director at Giant Noise and founded Trey Hicks PR. He can be reached at trey@paintingpictures.co.
Lauren Branson joined River House Artists as vp of publicity, where she will develop and execute PR strategies for the company’s roster. She reports to founder and CEO Lynn Oliver-Cline and vp and gm Zebb Luster. Branson joins from BMI, where she served as senior director of media relations for eight years. She can be reached at lauren@riverhouseartists.com.
Amber Morris was hired as global account director – TikTok at Songtradr. In the role, Morris will build and maintain the company’s relationship with TikTok, working with their team to expand the video-sharing platform’s partnership with Songtradr.
It’s the end of an era for a Kobalt Music original. Sas Metcalfe, the company’s first employee and longtime chief creative officer, will be stepping down effective Feb. 28, it was announced on Thursday (Jan. 26). The North Wales native possesses a creative taste that is “second to none,” commented founder and chairman Willard Ahdritz, who hired her in 2001, and has “built a great spirit in her team because she is happy to share success.”
The Metcalfe-led global creative team is almost 70% female, according to the company, and is responsible for signing a roster that currently includes such hitmakers as Max Martin, Lorde, Ozuna, The Weeknd, The Chicks, Finneas, Diplo, Gunna, Karol G and many more.
“When I look back, I’m in awe of how much great music the Kobalt creative team has ushered into the world,” said Metcalfe. “But what makes me most proud is working alongside so many talented music lovers and helping them develop into great creative and A&R minds – I’d argue they are some of the best in the music industry today.”
Metcalfe’s music business journey began in the early 1980s with a marketing assistant job at CBS Records in London. She later got the A&R bug thanks in part to working as a scout at Rocking Horse Records before a three-year stint as an A&R manager at Arista Records. Nine years at Warner Chappell followed, where she signed Radiohead and Dido as head of A&R, before taking a similar post at EMI Records in 1998. She joined Kobalt, again, as Ahdritz’s first hire, three years later. “It’s amazing how far we’ve come in over 20 years together,” he said.
Added Kobalt CEO Laurent Hubert, “Simply put, Sas is one of a kind. Her impact in the music industry and at Kobalt is undeniable, as she nurtured and managed not just amazing songwriters but also built one of the best global creative teams in the industry. The work that Sas has done at Kobalt will be felt for many years to come. We thank Sas for her extraordinary contribution to making Kobalt what it is today.”
Scooter Braun has taken the title of CEO, HYBE America, the U.S. division of South Korean music company HYBE.
A HYBE representative confirmed to Billboard that Braun is now the sole CEO of HYBE America. Until recently, Braun shared the co-CEO title with veteran HYBE executive Lenzo Yoon. (Braun and Yoon appeared at No. 18 on Billboard’s 2022 Power List along with HYBE chairman Bang Si-yuk.) The HYBE representative declined to comment on Yoon’s current title or any changes to either executive’s role.
Braun joined the company through HYBE’s $1.05 billion acquisition of his Ithaca Holdings in 2021. Ithaca encompasses SB Projects, the management firm behind Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, as well as the country music-focused Big Machine Music Group. HYBE already had a U.S. presence — the acquisition was made by its state-side subsidiary, HYBE America — but Ithaca gave it the infrastructure and the executive, Braun, to build its presence in the U.S. Today, HYBE America has offices in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville. Braun’s team includes Allison Kaye, president of music, HYBE America and SB Projects; Jennifer McDaniels, president of management, HYBE America and SB Projects; and Jules Ferree, president of brands & ventures, HYBE America and SB Projects.
Yoon has spearheaded HYBE’s efforts to showcase K-pop artists based in the U.S. In a 2021 interview, he told Billboard that the U.S. provided an opportunity to implement the company’s “winning formula” that helped turn BTS into global superstars. HYBE has a joint venture with Universal Music Group’s Geffen Records to search for talent, assemble a girl group and release music. “We will find the most effective way to be successful in this project based on the know-how of the two companies,” said Yoon at the time.
Yoon also said Ithica and HYBE would help one another, but suggested Braun would carve out a distinct role in the organization. “We intend to cooperate in the most efficient way without overlapping in terms of structure,” he said.
Penske Media Corporation (PMC) has hired Hannah Woodard as senior director of communications, the company announced Wednesday (Jan. 25). Based in Los Angeles, Woodard will report to PMC’s vp of public affairs and strategy Brooke Jaffe.
In her new role, Woodard will direct communications for PMC’s roster of entertainment and music brands, including Billboard, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter and Vibe. She will advise on and implement brand strategies, collaborate with leadership teams on partnerships and events and execute ideas for development and growth.
Prior to joining PMC, Woodard owned and operated her own public relations firm, WDRDPR, which she launched in May 2021. Before that, she worked at R&CPMK (formerly PMK*BNC) for five years, during which she straddled the brand and talent departments and worked with clients including Audi of America, American Express Platinum, Anheuser-Busch, AT&T DirecTV, Pepsi, Vice Media Group and Quibi. Prior to relocating to Los Angeles, she worked at IMPACT (formerly Pfeiffer Consulting), Scott Rudin Productions and Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis (formerly Sunshine Sachs) in New York City.
“We are thrilled to have Hannah join our team,” said Jaffe in a statement. “Hannah brings a unique combination of experience, creativity and enthusiasm to the role. I look forward to watching her amplify these world class brands.”
“With a roster of such incredible, celebrated brands, the possibilities are endless,” Woodard added. “I’m thrilled to jump in and work alongside such talented writers, editors, and respected institutions that have shaped — and continue to shape — the wide world of entertainment and music.”
BMG has promoted JoJamie Hahr to executive vp of recorded music, Nashville.
Hahr will oversee day-to-day operations of BMG Recorded Music in Nashville, including BBR Label Group and its roster and imprints Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records and Wheelhouse Records. She will continue reporting to Jon Loba, president of BMG Nashville.
Hahr was promoted to senior vp of BBR Music Group in 2020, where she oversaw all artist strategy, brand partnerships, strategic marketing and digital/creative efforts for BBR Music Group imprints Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records and Wheelhouse Records. She has been with BBR Music Group for eight years. Prior to joining BBR, Hahr served as national director of field promotion for The Valory Music Co., after being promoted from director of Southeast promotion and marketing. Her two decades of music industry experience have also included stints at Universal Music Group, Nashville radio station WSIX and Orlando radio station WWKA.
“I’ve had the good fortune to work with JoJamie for a significant part of her professional life. Whenever she has been given a new opportunity for growth, she has not only met, but exceeded my high expectations,” said Loba in a statement. “She is one of the very best music executives in the industry and this promotion recognizes her many contributions, while at the same time giving her the opportunity to help further grow BMG Nashville, where I have no doubt, she will once again exceed our expectations.”
“It’s a privilege and a blessing to work with our extraordinary artists and our BMG family every day,” added Hahr. “Jon Loba has always encouraged my passion and my growth and I’m thankful for his belief in me. BMG truly puts artists and their music first, and I’m extremely proud of what we all continue to build together in Nashville and beyond.“
Over the past year, BBR Music Group has seen two red-hot artist breakthroughs. In March, Lainey Wilson won new female artist of the year and song of the year at the 2022 ACM Awards, followed by wins for female vocalist of the year and new artist of the year at the 2022 CMA Awards in November. Meanwhile, Jelly Roll just earned his first No. 1 single on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart with “Son of a Sinner” after previously earning his first No. 1 single on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart with “Dead Man Walking.” The singer has also a total of spent 22 weeks atop Billboard‘s Emerging Artists chart. Elsewhere, three-time ACM entertainer of the year winner Jason Aldean earned his 25th No. 1 Country Airplay hit in May.
Tracy McKnight is joining BMI as vp of creative, film, TV & visual media. In the role, McKnight will lead the day-to-day functions of the department while identifying and signing new affiliates to BMI and cultivating relationships with the company’s roster of film, TV and visual media composers. Additionally, she will help develop programs and events that support career development while providing opportunities to highlight the work of BMI’s composers. She is based out of BMI’s Los Angeles office and will report to BMI executive vp of creative & licensing Mike Steinberg; she assumes the role on Jan. 23. McKnight most recently oversaw the film score acquisition department at Wise Publishing.
Riccardo Loda was promoted to head of A&R at Warner Chappell Music (WCM) Italy; he was previously A&R manager. Based in Milan, he’ll report to WCM president of Southern Europe Santiago Menéndez-Pidal.
Anton Powers joined Sony Music Entertainment’s Ministry of Sound Records as head of A&R. Powers joins the label following three years at Warner Records. He reports to Columbia Records UK president Dipesh Parmar.
Sam Jackson was named controller at BBC Radio 3, succeeding Alan Davey, who will step down from the position in March after eight years. In the role, Jackson will drive creative and managerial responsibility for running Radio 3 while delivering on the annual classical music festival BBC Proms. He was most recently executive vp of global classics & jazz at Universal Music Group. Jackson begins his new role in April, reporting to BBC director of music Lorna Clarke.
Tracklib hired Michael Cassidy as chief product and technology officer and tapped Andreas Liffgarden (Soundtrack Your Brand) to serve as an advisor on the company’s board. Cassidy formerly served as chief innovation officer at FUGA and was a consultant on strategy and technology for Downtown Music Holdings.
Adrian Karvinen was appointed vp of music business & partnerships at Web3 entertainment company Hume, which creates virtual artists. Karvinen will be tasked with building partnerships with brands and artists for the company’s so-called “metastars.” He was most recently director of North America and head of crypto-integration and catalog acquisitions for AI music company Snafu Records.
Nicholas Brema was promoted to business manager at Leftbrain. He can be reached at nbrema@useleftbrain.com.
Lily Collins was named account manager at Milestone Publicity in Nashville; she was formerly associate publicist. She can be reached at LCollins@MilestonePublicity.com.
Tenasie Courtright joined Jody Williams Songs as creative coordinator. Based in Nashville, she previously worked as a brand ambassador for Simple Logistics Solutions. She can be reached at tenasie@jodywilliamssongs.co.