Executive Turntable

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

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

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.
Stem, the music tech company company known for collaborating with Kanye West on his Donda 2 album release, has brought on Ameer Sudan as global head of music label relations. The move comes ahead of plans to release new audio remix products Stem 2 and Stem 3, which includes a built in projector, as well as the Stem Music subscription service. The devices allow users to interact with a track’s stems to engage with audio in a new, real-time format. Sudan also acts as CEO of Silvaback Productions and Management. “Ameer Sudan is joining the growing group of senior music luminaries in unifying Stem,” said Alex Klein, inventor of the Stem Player and founder of Stem and Kano Computing before that. “His level of expertise and contributions in the realms of music label relations and strategic partnerships are invaluable to Stem.”

Sudan added that it will be a “very busy” year for the company, noting discussions are underway with leading labels, fashion houses and media companies. “Stem will change the culture of entertainment,” he said. “I am glad to be a part of such a major juggernaut in the making.”

Meanwhile…

Maverick Nashville has turned to seasoned pro Beville Dunkerley for the newly created role of vp of marketing at the label. She’ll oversee creative and marketing efforts for artists across Maverick Nashville’s stacked roster, which includes Jason Aldean, Lauren Alaina, Darius Rucker (along with Hootie & the Blowfish), Terri Clark and the rebooted Brooks & Dunn. Dunkerley reports directly to Maverick partner Clarence Spalding. She comes to Maverick after a seven-year stretch leading country music industry relations for SirusXM and Pandora. Prior to that, Dunkerley made her mark in music journalism as co-founder of both Rolling Stone Country and The Boot (back when it was one of AOL’s many music-focused verticals), and she serves on both the ACM and Leadership Music boards. “While I’m certainly a huge fan of our artist roster, it was a look behind the scenes at Maverick that really sold me,” Dunkerley tells Billboard. “Clarence and Chris [Parr] have assembled a team of innovative thinkers with big hearts. I’m thrilled to join this incredible team.” Dunkerley can be reached at Bdunkerley@maverick.com.

Max Kaplan, a Sony Music staple for the last decade-plus, was elevated to senior vp and head of commercial partnerships at Columbia Records. Kaplan was most recently vp of sales at the label, and before that spent several years overseeing digital sales. He joined Sony in 2013 as a member of the Columbia sales team and over the years has worked with DSPs and physical retailers to maximize the releases of Columbia megastars like Adele, Beyonce and Harry Styles, among others. Kaplan is based in NYC and reports up to Darren Stupak, Sony Music evp and GM of commercial partnerships. “Max is an established leader who has continually demonstrated an ability to take on new challenges and deliver success throughout his career,” said Stupak. “We are excited to have him supporting the ongoing growth of our business in this new role with Columbia.”

Radio, Radio: NPR has officially tapped Robin Hilton as host of All Songs Considered, succeeding Bob Boilen, who left in October. Hilton has been a co-host of the show since 2008, the same year he and Boilen launched the wildly cool/popular Tiny Desk Concerts series. He first joined All Songs in 2001 as an assistant producer. Off the air, Hilton has been senior producer for podcasts since 2021, and before that was a part of the NPR Music management team. “It’s amazing having Robin back in the host chair of this iconic show,” said Keith Jenkins, NPR’s Vice president of visuals and music strategy. “So much has changed since All Songs debuted, but Robin has the ability to help our audience connect the dots from then to now to the future. With Robin at the helm, All Songs will continue to bring the essence of NPR Music, a celebration of new music discovery, to audiences everywhere.”

14th Street Music announced the departure of one of its key members, prolific film, TV and video game composer Lorne Balfe. The music production and publishing company, which Balfe co-founded in 2010 alongside Hans Zimmer and Steven Kofsky, said Balfe left the triad at the end of 2023 to pursue new musical endeavors. “Lorne’s many outstanding contributions made 14th Street Music the leading company it is today,” the firm said. Over the years, Balfe has composed outright or contributed to scores of… scores, including several Mission: Impossible films, The Tomorrow War, Gran Turismo and more. His theme song for National Geographic’s Genius earned him an Emmy nomination, and his video game credits include Assassin’s Creed III and several Skylanders games.

Gibson gearheads in Britain will soon have the “ultimate guitar experience” at the ready with the Feb. 24 opening of a new Gibson Garage store in London, off Oxford Street. It’s the instrument (and amp!) maker’s first-ever flagship shop outside of the U.S. and will feature 4,500 square feet (or 418 square meters) of Gibby goodies. Hold that power chord, who will run the joint? Gibson said they hired Etaoin Fagan (general manager), Andy Wratten (assistant manager-operations), and Sam Gammon (assistant manager-sales) to the leadership team, reporting to Cesar Gueikian, the president and CEO of Gibson Brands. All three have extensive retail and/or music-adjacent experience, ranging from Harrods (Fagan), Watches of Switzerland (Wratten) and Yamaha (Gammon). “The Gibson Garage London is fast becoming a reality and with Etaoin, Sam and Andy at the helm it safe to say that it couldn’t be in better hands,” said Lee Bartram, Gibson Brands’ head of commercial, marketing and cultural influence.

Nick Barr is PULSE Records‘ new senior vp, overseeing digital marketing. Barr will be based in Silverlake, Calif. and report to Ashley Calhoun, president and head of creative at PULSE Music Group. He most recently served as vp of A&R and creative strategy at Island Records, where he worked campaigns for Sabrina Carpenter, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Lauren Spencer Smith and Keshi, and signed Charlieonafriday. He is also credited with helping the career of Columbia rapper Lil Tjay. Calhoun, along with co-CEOs Josh Abraham and Scott Cutler said: “Nick has an instinct for exceptional music and artists. He is highly respected in the community for his proven ability to develop artists, many of whom he helped launch. His passion for A&R coupled with his marketing and digital abilities are going to strengthen our exceptional team and supports our mission of innovative service around our clients’ artistry.”

BOARD SHORTS: Emma Banks, longtime co-head of CAA London, has been appointed chair of Nordoff and Robbins, the UK’s leading music therapy charity. Banks takes over from David Munns, who steps down after 13 years as leader — and 30 years of support overall. Also stepping down from the board of trustees is Howard Jones and Neil Warnock. Supporting Banks will be AEG Presents exec Lucy Noble, as vice chair … The Association of Independents in Radio elected former Pushkin Industries vp Mia Lobel, independent audio producer Will Coley and Vox Audio exec Rob Byers to its board … Thomas St. John Group board member Matt Ellis was hired as CEO of the business management firm’s U.K. office. He is a former deputy CEO of Deloitte, where he spent over 30 years.

Oak View Group gets extra credit for hiring Visa veteran Andrew Cohen as senior vp of OVG brand consulting and solutions. In this new role, which reports up to president of global partnerships Daniel Griffis and is effective immediately, Cohen manages OVG’s teams handling creative, analytics, solutions and activations. Prior to joining OVG, Cohen put in nearly 20 years at Visa, where he rose to leadership roles across sales, sponsorships and brands (he led negotiations of Visa’s deals with the NFL and FIFA, among others). “Andrew is special because he has been a part of just about every type of major global deal during his [Visa] tenure on the brand side,” said Griffis, “and his wealth of knowledge reinforces our organization’s strengths – our unique ability to drive measurable sales, engagement and brand love for our clients.”

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) hired Emmaline McCourt as membership manager as the indie booster eyes a growth spurt. “In working with Melissa, she will play an integral role in enriching our member experience and will contribute significantly to the growth of A2IM,” said A2IM chief James Burgess in making the announcement. NYC-based McCourt will report to Melissa White, the director of membership, and focus her efforts on label relations and membership engagement strategies. She arrives from hi-res music streaming service Qobuz, where she was a music merchandiser. Prior to that, she worked in Beggars Group’s sales department. McCourt can be reached emmaline@a2im.org.

The Chamber Group promoted Edwin Tetteh to associate director of public relations, and announced the return of former senior director Kerry Smalls as head of brand strategy, at the boutique PR and marketing agency. Tetteh joined TCG in 2021 following stints at Williamson PR and The Lede Company. Smalls returns to the Chamber after building a PR division at iONE Digital/Urban One. He also led PR strategy at BCW Global, where he worked with Hennessy, Hellman’s and more brands. Both report to CEO Chris Chambers. “I’m happy to have witnessed both Kerry and Edwin’s growth over the years, becoming the young executives that we see today,” Chambers said. “They have both earned their rank through dedication, hard work and building effective PR and branding campaigns for our clients.”

Nettwerk Music Group promoted Sameer Sadhu to senior vp of A&R. The NYC-based exec joined Nettwerk in May 2015 in a management role, and he rose to vp of A&R two years ago. Sadhu’s roster includes Vacations, Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness, Superfan, Miami Horror, Miya Folick, renforshort, Wafia and Wild Rivers, among others. He’s also a partner at the Singapore-based label services and publicity firm Secret Signals, where he works with artists on business development and public relations in Asia.

L-Acoustics, the French loudspeaker specialists and makers of other pro sound systems, hired Amber Mundinger for the newly created role of global director of artistic engagement. She’ll zero in on strengthening the brand’s awareness and bond with elite artists, musicians, DJs, producers, creative directors and other stakeholders. Mundinger will remain in NYC but work closely with L-Acoustics colleagues in Paris, London and Los Angeles. She most recently served as the COO and creative producer at Artists Den Entertainment, where she helped produce such shows as Live from the Artists Den on PBS and Monumental: An Artists Den Experience with Amazon Studios. Prior to ADE, Mundinger held various leadership roles at Billboard parent Penske Media Corporation. “Her deep knowledge of the music business and ability to build meaningful relationships with artists will help elevate awareness with major artists and creatives, and together with our partners, explore new concepts to bring elevated audio experiences to life,” said Laurent Vaissié, CEO at L-Acoustics.

Veteran artist manager Michele Harrison launched her own independent management company MPH Collective, with a rollout roster including R&B singers UMI and Healy, and pop duo Beau. Harrison was most recently partner at Range Music, where she oversaw the careers of Healy, UMI, Justin Tranter and producer KaiGoinKrazy (also now with MPHC). She got her start in music at Virgin Records and Hollywood Records, before spending 15 years at Monotone, Inc., where she cut her indie rock teeth with The Shins and Vampire Weekend, as well as not-indie-rock-at-all Jamie Foxx. In 2018, she became co-head of management of Friends At Work, where she managed Alanis Morissette, before joining Range.

Music industry veteran Tierney Stout officially launched SAUS HAUS, a music strategy and branding agency based in Los Angeles. Stout gets the ball rolling with an impressive client list that includes Dr. Martens, Levi’s and Marshall. Prior to going into business for herself, Stout was director of global music marketing at Vans for over five years, and prior to that she developed artist relations at musical instrument maker Gibson Brands. Earlier in her career, she was director of interactive marketing at The Orchard and worked as a publicist for indie rock favorites such as The Walkment and Passion Pit.

Crowdfunding and distribution platform Angel Studios hired Ryan Svendsen as head of music. In this newly created role, Svendsen will join Angel’s global distribution team helmed by chief distribution officer Jared Geesey, and lead music strategy, creative, licensing, production, and partnerships for the firm’s scores, songs and soundtracks. Svendsen was previously head of music at Millennium Media, where music supervised Expend4bles, The Bricklayer and Till Death, among other films. Before Millennium, Svendsen was director of film and TV music at Lionsgate. He also moonlights as a session musician and his trumpet playing is credited on tracks including “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell. Find more on Angel Studios at their website, the very succinct angel.com.

Republic Live, known for producing Canada’s Boots and Hearts Music Festival, is launching a new management division, RLive. Casadie Pederson steps into the role of director of artist management and development to lead the company’s expansion beyond festival events and into management and artist development. RLive will be based in Nashville, while Republic Live has offices in both Nashville and Toronto. The first signing to the RLive management division is Tyler Joe Miller. –Jessica Nicholson

Seminole Hard Rock, which operates hotels and casinos in Florida, promoted Keith Sheldon to president of entertainment and brand management for Seminole Gaming and Hard Rock International. In this new and expanded role, Sheldon will be responsible for oversight of brand management, consumer marketing, brand partnerships, and sponsorship revenue generation. He’ll also continue doing the programming and talent buying for the music venues at the Hard Rock locations, which are in Hollywood and Tampa. Seminole Gaming also owns and operates four other casino locations throughout the Sunshine State.

ICYMI:

Kakao Entertainment nominated two prominent executives to serve as co-CEOs … Nuria Andreu joined the GTS and is now manager of Spanish singer-songwriter Aitana … Veteran NFL and ESPN exec Gil Beverly (pictured) is now chief business officer of the Academy of Country Music … Jennifer Koester is joining Sphere Entertainment as president of business operations, effective Feb. 5 … BMG promoted Jon Loba to president of frontline recordings in North America and Thomas Scherer as head of global recorded catalog … SONA announced new leadership roles for Erin McAnally, Kellie Brown, Linda Bloss-Baum and Camus Celli … and Warner Chappell Music upped Lázaro Hernández to senior vice president of A&R, U.S. Latin & Latin America.

Last Week’s Turntable: Norwegian’s New Music Cruise Captain

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.
The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) launched a search for its next executive director of the NAMM Foundation, following a recent decision by longtime leader Mary Luehrsen to step down by Sept. 30. In addition to her director role at the foundation, Luehrsen is senior advisor for public policy at the music trade organization, which stages its 2024 event next week in Anaheim. The foundation’s key activities include school and career resource programs such as Careers In Music and GenNext, as well as Best Communities for Education, which gives props to schools for committing to music education. In her legendary and impactful 22-year run at NAMM, Luehrsen’s “visionary ideas and leadership have resulted in thousands of music educators, college students, community nonprofit music service leaders and international partners meeting, learning and networking at [the] NAMM Show,” the trade org said. She also expanded NAMM’s connection with other domestic and international music orgs and worked to shape public policy toward making music integral to education.

“Her passion, intellect, and relentlessly positive efforts have laid a strong foundation for our future success and we are so grateful she has lent us her talent, mentorship and creativity, all of which have joyfully impacted millions of next-generation music makers,” said NAMM CEO John Mlynczak.

Russell Reynolds is leading the search for Luehrsen’s replacement. All prospective candidates are invited to reach out directly to the Russell Reynolds Associates team at NAMMFoundationED@russellreynolds.com.

Meanwhile …

Sixthman has a brand-new captain. Norwegian Cruise Line tapped Jeff Cuellar to succeed Anthony Diaz atop — or should we say aboard — its floating music festival subsidiary, which is coming off its “most successful year to date.” Cuellar’s been with Sixthman since October 2021, first as vp of partnerships and later vp of events, marketing and community — all during the backdrop of the boat-rocking COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to Sixthman, he was vp of strategic partnerships at festival promoter AC Entertainment, where he worked on Bonnaroo, Forecastle, Railbird and many more. As CEO, Cuellar will keep pushing for growth and work to solidify Sixthman’s place as the entertainment cruise king. Sixthman hosted over 45,000 guests over the course of 18 cruises in 2023, including the massive EDSea electronic music festival aboard the big ol’ Norwegian Joy. This year’s dock-et includes events hosted and/or curated by Kevin Smith, Yellowcard, Sister Hazel and Joe Bonamassa, among others. “In the short time Jeff has been at Sixthman, he’s made a significant impact,” said outgoing CEO Diaz, who is staying on as an advisor until June. “He played an integral role in the success of 2023, leading the strategy and outreach to strengthen and develop new artist relationships and debut first-for-the-brand festival concepts across all genres.”

Warner Chappell Music Germany promoted Natascha Augustin to managing director, reporting to WCM co-chair and CEO Guy Moot. The move means outgoing Germany MD Lars Karlsson will now be able to solely focus on his other gig, leading WCM Scandinavia. Augustin joined WCM in mid-2010 and was most recently vp of creative and head of A&R. She also helped launch Atlantic Records Germany, where she was head of strategy, but will now focus on WCMG. “I see myself as an advocate for songwriters and artists, fighting for their rights in a rapidly changing world full of new challenges,” she said. The company noted that Augustin will spend time in all three German hubs for WCM — Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. “Germany is such an important global market, and home to some of the world’s best writers, producers and artists,” added Moot. “We’re the number one domestic publisher there thanks to the support that Natascha has given a generation of songwriters under Lars’s expert guidance.”

Staying in Deutschland, BMG promoted Johannes von Schwarzkopf to senior vp of corporate development — marking a title fist-bump in a department he has led since its formation last year. Von Schwarzkopf joined BMG in 2021 as senior director of board projects and was promoted for the first time in 2023. In his vp-of-cd role, he’ll continue developing new business opportunities for the world’s fourth largest music company, and spearhead initiatives to accelerate growth in areas like partnerships and GenAI. He reports directly to BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld and is based in the company’s Berlin headquarters. “Johannes has a proven track record of analytical rigor and thought leadership, and has played a pivotal role in developing and implementing our new strategy over the past year,” said Coesfeld. “His entrepreneurial mindset and commitment to the team make him a great leader.”

Black Music Action Coalition co-founder Binta Niambi Brown has joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP as entertainment partner in the legal and consulting firm’s NYC office. Brown has worked in a number of industries: as a corporate lawyer for top firms like Cravath Swaine & Moore and Kirkland & Ellis, as a member of Chance the Rapper’s management team at Nice Work, and more recently as head of operations and strategy at Keep Cool Records/RCA. She is also an adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU Tisch. At Manatt, Brown will work within the creator economy and advise global mogul-level clients on how to build, innovate, expand and protect their businesses and brands, the firm said. “Binta has a tremendous reputation as a corporate dealmaker, talent manager and artist advocate, making her incredibly invaluable to talent-side clients who are increasingly building their businesses and taking ownership of their personal brands in today’s exploding creator economy,” said Manatt entertainment leader Jordan Bromley.

David Barbis is the new head of promotion at Big Loud Rock, the label home of HARDY, Blame My Youth, Jaguar Twin and other alt-rock acts. Barbis will spearhead all promotional matters at the Los Angeles-based label and report up to BLR president Greg Thompson. He joined from C3 Management, where as vp of promotion he worked on campaigns for wide slate of artists, including White Reaper, The Head and the Heart, Modest Mouse and Chevelle, among others. Prior to C3, Barbis held roles at Polygram, Dreamworks and Capitol Records. “Dave is a true music man and one of the most outstanding promotion executives I have ever known,” Thompson said. “His passion for his artists is unparalleled, and we are beyond thrilled to have him join the Big Loud Rock team.” Barbis can be reached at daveb@bigloud.com.

Primary Wave Music added Agnes Kacicki to its executive team as head of corporate development. Working closely with Primary Wave’s founder and CEO Larry Mestel, Kacicki will focus on big-fish catalog and business acquisitions, as well as forming portfolio-expanding partnerships on the international scale. Based in Los Angeles, Kacicki will also work closely with Bill Cisneros, president of IP investment management, and Ramon Villa, the company’s COO, to assist with investor relations. Kacicki comes from RBC Capital Markets, where she served as director in the investment banking division and specialized in advisory and capital raising activities across various entertainment sectors, including Primary Wave’s bailiwick: music publishing. “Agnes has been a close adviser to Primary Wave for many years in her senior role at RBC, she will make a very significant impact on our ability to increase our acquisition capabilities, and service our partners,” noted Mestel.

Sony Music UK hired Brooke Salisbury to fill the newly created position of senior vp of international marketing and digital partnerships. In the role, Salisbury will oversee the various teams working on cross-border marketing and partnership with digital services like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. She arrives at Sony from Warner Music’s ADA UK, where she was general manager of the distribution and label services division. Prior to ADA, Salisbury held senior roles at Domino, where she rose to head of marketing in the UK market and worked with rock favorites Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand, among others. She reports up to Sony Music UK & Ireland chairman and CEO Jason Iley, who remarked of being “delighted to welcome Brooke to her new role where she will help bolster our service for both artists and digital partners.”

Global management company IMG Artists promoted Sam Snook to head of vocal, London. Snook has clocked 17 years in the classical musical industry, including positions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera and Opera America. He first joined IMG Artists in 2009, working closely with evp and global head of vocal Matthew A. Horner. “Sam’s move to London is a very positive development for IMG Artists,” Horner said. “With the complicated nature of our business, and the best artists needing true worldwide representation, I see this move by one of my most trusted colleagues as a fruitful venture for all of us in vocal.”

BOARD SHORTS: Music community startup We Are Giant added AEG Presents COO of global touring David Rappaport to its board of directors. He’ll lend his expertise on event execution, artist relations and more at the freshly launched plaform for hosting licensed listening parties, live streams, chats and more on its site and app … Hipgnosis Song Fund’s board of directors have a plan to attract bidders — and satisfy concerned shareholders. Learn all about it here.

Deluge Music founder David Robkin has launched two new record labels. Robkin worked with Johnny Gates and Austin Luther to ideate East Music Row Records — “with a goal of blending the hip, innovative sides of Nashville’s new indie rock and alt-country music with the musicianship, professionalism, and ingenuity of Music Row classists.” Robkin then took inspiration from Sun Records and Motown for Deluge Records Nashville, which is modeled in the tradition of a classic collaborative music incubator. “DRN wasn’t created to extract all the worth possible out of its artists, instead, the team chose to foster relationships between artist and label, creating a home in which equitable recording deals aren’t rarities,” the company said. DRN was born through a relationship between Robkin, songwriter Sam Grow, and Grow’s manager Brad Austin.

Breanne Hoke joined Joie Manda’s Encore Recordings as executive vp, head of business and legal affairs. Prior to Encore, she spent five years with Interscope’s business and legal affairs team, rising to vp in October 2021. She got her start in music as a legal fellow at the NMPA before joining Warner Records as an attorney-then-associate director in its B&LA department. Manda, a longtime executive at Interscope Geffen A&M, launched Encore Recordings in 2021 with a goal of “pushing culture forward.”

CAA promoted Jenna Powell to communications executive. She joined the agency in early 2018 as assistant to then-COO Michael Mand before rising through the communications ranks to her current position, which is based in Nashville and supports CAA’s music touring, digital media, theatre and gaming divisions.

Garrett Ream has joined Position Music as vp of artist strategy and promotion, a move announced by president and CEO Tyler Bacon. Ream previously served as vp of rhythm promotion at Republic Records, where he worked on radio and promo campaigns for a murderers’ row of stars including Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Arianna Grande, Post Malone, Pop Smoke and Greta Van Fleet. Ream will report directly to J Scavo, general manager of recorded music at Position. “Garrett is a key hire for us as we continue to build our frontline artist roster and label marketing team,” said Bacon. “In addition to bringing major label promotion experience, he also has an indie drive and entrepreneurial approach to identifying and developing artists that is in lockstep with our company ethos.”

Ten2 Media appointed “avid technologist, hacker and maker” Mike Flynn as chief technology offcer of the upstart company, which works with clients on strategies and then distributes, markets and monetizes that video content on YouTube. Flynn was previously CTO of Studio71, where he spearheaded the development of numerous technology platforms during an 11-year tenure. “”Mike’s track record of success and his passion for leveraging technology to drive business growth align perfectly with our vision for the future of Ten2 Media,” glowed Ten2 Media co-founders Donna Budica and George Karalexis.

Music industry veteran Bob Reeves opened the private venture Excelsior Music, which will focus on management, artist development, radio/tour marketing and promotion. Reeves’ first client is Nashville-based country singer-songwriter Orlando Mendez. Mendez, a second-generation Cuban-American from South Florida, appeared on NBC’s The Voice in 2022, and is currently working on his debut project. Reeves previously held posts as vp and national director with Warner Music Nashville, Sony Music, Monument Records, Epic Records and most recently, Riser House Entertainment. –Jessica Nicholson

Tom Stingemore, who spearheaded Hipgnosis’ sync efforts until his departure over the summer, launched ALLOY Sync Distro as part of an ambitious effort to modernize the music biz’s sync licensing and approvals process. ALLOY is described as a “state-of-the-art, industry-wide platform that significantly streamlines the sync licensing process, while allowing labels & publishers to retain full control of their sync rights,” according the announcement. Stingemore, who has also previously held senior sync roles at UMG and BMG, said the licensing process has been “arduous, disjointed and fractured” for too long and is collaborating directly with industry stakeholders to develop a “gamechanging commercial solution for the entire music business.”

ICYMI:

Phill Bauer was named president of DistroKid … Alvaro Rizo joined Carlos Vives’ Gaira Musica Local label as managing director … the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) hired former Mitt Romney staffer Chris Barkley (pictured) as its senior vice president of government affairs … YouTube laid off 100 in its content and creator teams … and Condé Nast gutted Pitchfork as part of a restructuring that folds the esteemed music criticism site under men’s style and fashion bible GQ.

Last Week’s Turntable: Resnik Makes It Raines