Executive Turntable
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BMG has appointed Celine Joshua to the newly created role of executive vice president of global marketing, putting the industry veteran in charge of the company’s marketing strategy and operations across its 20 offices worldwide. The Los Angeles-based leader reports directly to BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld, who late last year unveiled a “local where necessary, global where possible” strategy that shifted much of its recorded music division into global roles.
“These recent changes further enhance our ability to deliver top-tier service to our artists and songwriters on a global scale, and we’re excited to have Celine at the helm of our marketing team,” Coesfeld said in announcing Joshua’s hiring. “Her sharp digital acumen and artistic instincts will be invaluable in identifying innovative commercial opportunities for our artists, songwriters and music catalog.”
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Joshua started her career as a music-tech futurist — her first industry job was in Warner Music’s IT department before shifting to e-commerce roles in the company’s catalog division, Rhino Entertainment. From there, she was a top digital executive at Disney Music, where she worked across Hollywood Records and Walt Disney Records, and then on to Sony Music, where she was senior vp of digital for nearly five years.
In 2018, Joshua joined Universal Music Group as GM of commercial content and artist strategy and quickly formed her own Web3-focused label — called 10:22PM because that’s when she thought of it one night. The joint venture, touted as the first Web3-based imprint at a major label, was tasked with signing and developing not just recording artists, but also social media influencers and digital creators with a focus on “advancing new forms of storytelling.” 10:22PM arguably made its biggest splash by creating KINGSHIP, a first-of-its-kind virtual act made up of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT characters.
During a five-year tenure at UMG, where she rose to evp of commercial innovation and artist strategy, Joshua also worked on projects with a diverse slate of major artists including Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Snoop Dogg, Elton John and others.
Joshua is a repeat–honoree in Billboard’s annual list of high-achieving women and she cracked the top 40 of the Power 100 in 2019.
“I’m honored to join BMG at such a pivotal time in the music industry and to work across BMG’s artist roster to create exciting ways for them to connect with fans around the world,” said Josua. “I’m thankful to Thomas for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to working with the BMG team.”
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Warner Music welcomed seasoned artist manager and marketer Oscar Scivier as its Hong Kong-based senior director of A&R for Asia. The label said Scivier will work closely with regional management on developing A&R strategies, plus support WMG’s over-arching vision to introduce local artists to global audiences. Scivier was most recently head of music at Digital Arts and Sciences, which followed a five-year run at First Access Entertainment, where he A&R’d Rita Ora, Madison Beer, DJ Regard and others. He also made earlier stops at Ultra Music, working with Steve Aoki, Kygo, OMI and Benny Benassi, and Three Six Zero, where he day-to-day’d Deadmau5 and Michael Woods. “Adding Oscar to our worldwide A&R team strengthens our ability to swiftly seize artist development opportunities and reaffirms WMG’s commitment to providing the best platform for the most impactful and popular talent,” said Kabiru Bello, vp of global A&R at Warner Recorded Music. “His wide-ranging experience as a producer, label manager and artist manager will make him a superb addition to our company’s leading team of A&R executives.”
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Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Universal Music Sweden tapped Mattias Caliste to lead the newly launched Def Jam Recordings Sweden. The label’s opening roster includes Asme x Sarettii, Sebastian Stakset and Zikai. His team will include Hamid Jamshidi, Hermon Alemseghed and Mathilda Sachs, plus UMG’s regional and global network. Caliste is a former member of Swedish hip-hop group Fjärde Världen (Fourth World) and was most recently in charge of Virgin Music Sweden, where he worked with artists including 23 and Asme. “Def Jam raised me!” Caliste said. “I grew up on artists like Public Enemy, EPMD, LL Cool J, Redman & Method Man, Warren G and many others who all released some of their most outstanding albums under Def Jam. The label has a legacy that is incredibly important for hip hop as both a genre and a subculture.”
Stern Management secured the services of industry veteran Marisa Jeffries in the newly created role of general manager. She’ll work closely with the company’s roster, which includes The Black Angels, Phosphorescent, Metric, Finn Wolfhard and others. Jeffries was most recently U.S. lead of label partnerships at TikTok, where she nailed down opportunities for the likes of Taylor Swift, Rosalia, Steve Lacy and Omar Apollo — quality work that earned her a spot on Billboard‘s Women in Music list in 2023. Earlier in her career, Jeffries drove marketing strategy for Sony Music’s catalog division and prior to TikTok she spent five-plus years working label relations at SoundCloud. “I have been constantly inspired by Marisa and her community of colleagues and friends who break artists in new and inventive ways,” said Stern Management founder Nick Stern. “Her superpower has always been drawing out the best in people and building long-lasting partnerships founded on trust, excitement and a love for doing cool things.”
Jake Owen and Keith Gale launched Good Company Entertainment Records, a label and artist services appendage of their management company of the same name (sans the ‘Records’ part). GCE Records aims to provide marketing services, digital and creative tools, global distribution and management services for new and established artists, including first signing Styles. “GCE Records is an alternative model to introduce artists and new music,” explained Gale. “Providing key services similar to that of the traditional record label, but dissimilar to the label structure in various facets, our artist partners and their teams have the creative freedoms to remain true to their unique brand of music that sets them apart.”
Chris Walters is now chief financial officer of Gateway Studios & Production Services, a St. Louis-based live events company that provides lighting, audio and high-tech video services for artists and festivals including Phish, Greta Van Fleet, Governors Ball, Professional Bull Riders and more. The “Studios” part of the company’s name refers to the massive, 330,000 square-foot tour and live event rehearsal campus it is currently building in STL’s Chesterfield Valley area. When online, the facility will house five separate studio spaces where events and tours destined for small theaters, stadiums and everything in between can be produced and rehearsed from soup to nuts before hitting the road. Walters has been at Gateway since 2021, following a six-year run at Emerson Automation Solutions.
Top Drawer Merch elevated Robbie McPhail to vp of sales. As part of his new role, McPhail will take lead on sales strategies for both e-commerce and in-person festival/tour merchandising, plus oversee logistics, inventory and shipping matters. McPhail joined Los Angeles-based TDM in 2016, working on-site operations at festivals such as Cali Vibes, Portola, Invisible Friends and dozens more. “His experience behind the booth gives him a unique perspective on which sales strategies are successful and which initiatives need to be implemented in the future,” the company said.
Brett Kaminsky was made partner at Felcher & Freifeld LLP, where the Cardozo School of Law grad has posted up for nearly 11 years. Most recently a senior associate, Kaminsky handles a broad swath of legal matters for F&F’s recording artists, songwriters, producers, managers and entertainment executives, including contract negotiations, licensing and branding matters and performance agreements.
Charlotte-based live events management and production company Midwood Entertainment has Joel Grubb as talent buyer and event producer. Grubb previously served as a promoter at Rival Entertainment in Atlanta, managing outdoor and special events at venues including Sweetland Amphitheatre and Chandler Park Music Festival, and contributing to booking shows at Rival’s venues including Eddie’s Attic and The Earl. In his new role, Grubb will oversee booking for a variety of venues, festivals, concert series, and special events across the southeast and beyond. Grubb also played a key role in developing/curating the indie rock festival Highball. –Jessica Nicholson
Agua Caliente Casinos hired Nick Sitar as the chain’s new director of entertainment. Based in Rancho Mirage, Calif. and reporting to Saverio Scheri, COO, Sitar is tasked with booking artists at all three of ACC’s properties in California. Prior to joining the company, he served as regional director of entertainment programming at Caesars Entertainment, where he handled bookings at all of the company’s non-Vegas properties.
ICYMI:
Christoph Behm
Christoph Behm was named the new CEO of Sony Music Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), replacing Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is exiting the company at the end of August … Jonathan Roberts will spearhead UTA‘s new Christian music division … and former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde will lead Syracuse University‘s new master’s degree in music business as part of the school’s prestigious Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries.
Last Week’s Turntable: Warner Chappell Promotes Zach Bryan’s A&R Guy
Christoph Behm has been named the new CEO of Sony Music Germany, Switzerland and Austria (GSA), replacing Patrick Mushatsi-Kareba, who is exiting the company at the end of August.
Berlin-based Behm, who began his career at Sony Music in 2011 and has worked in a number of senior roles for the label over the past decade, including head of streaming and director of digital sales, will report to Daniel Lieberberg, president of Sony Music Continental Europe and Africa.
In a statement announcing Behm’s promotion, Lieberberg said the newly appointed CEO’s “deep understanding of our DSP partners and creativity as a leader will serve him well in his new role.”
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“Christoph has played an important role building and expanding our business across this region during the streaming era,” said Lieberberg. “He has worked closely with our artists to bring their music to new fans in innovative ways and has embraced continuous industry change to create opportunity despite rapidly shifting paradigms and business models.”
Sony Music did not provide any details about Mushatsi-Kareba’s departure from the company. The outgoing CEO has headed Sony Music’s operations in the GSA region since 2018 when he joined the label from Universal Music Germany. Prior to that, Mushatsi-Kareba spent eight years at Apple, where he was responsible for overseeing the tech company’s music business in multiple European markets, including Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland.
Although Sony Music GSA has enjoyed significant commercial success over the past six years, sources with inside knowledge of their relationship tell Billboard that Mushatsi-Kareba and Lieberberg did not always see eye to eye.
Prior to his promotion to CEO, Behm held the role of senior vp of Sony Music GSA’s commercial division, where he oversaw a large team, including the company’s family entertainment business. In the past two years, Behm’s responsibilities grew to also encompass oversight of catalog, sales and streaming departments in the region.
Top-selling frontline Sony artists in the GSA market include Apache 207, Nina Chuba, Rap Larue and Reezy.
“It fills me with pride to now lead the company that I have served in various roles for so many years,” said Behm, who takes up the CEO post on Sept. 1, in a statement. “We are at another exciting time for our industry, and I look forward with great confidence to this next chapter for Sony Music GSA,” he added.
Germany is the world’s fourth-biggest recorded music market in IFPI’s annual rankings behind the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Warner Chappell Music promoted David Goldsen to senior vp of North America A&R. Los Angeles-based Goldsen will continue to sign and develop songwriters and artists across multiple genres, help with leadership efforts for the North America A&R department, and continue supporting songwriters in international markets and overseeing the publisher’s A&R efforts in Australia. Goldsen joined Warner Chappell in 2009 and in 2022 was named vp of creative and head of A&R for WCM. Over the past year and change, he has signed a string of top-tier country, rock, jazz and alternative artists, including Zach Bryan, Teddy Swims, The Red Clay Strays, Laufey and Sleep Token. Goldsen also continues to work closely with Mitski, whom he signed in 2018 and who had a hit in 2023/2024 with “My Love Mine All Mine.” He’ll continue to report to Ryan Press, president of North America.
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“David has consistently proven his natural ability to discover and sign top talent,” said Press. “He has steadily built a star-studded roster, and in the past year alone, has brought in many of the artists and songwriters leading today’s charts. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him for over 15 years, and I’m proud of everything he’s accomplished on our team as an A&R executive and inspiring leader.” –Jessica Nicholson
Meanwhile…
Isadora Kamotskin was promoted to marketing director at Warner Music Finland, where’s she’s been a staple since 2016. It’s a step up from her previous role as marketing manager of the label’s domestic marketing department, where she’s worked on partnerships with radio and streaming partners and been pivotal in pushing several Finnish acts including Antti Tuisku, BEHM, Kaija Koo and others. With this promotion, Kamotskin will join the management team of both Warner Music Finland and Warner Music Live, and will report to the territory’s managing director, Ramona Forsström. “She has a strategic vision, strong marketing skills, a deep understanding of our roster and the ability to help artists achieve success,” said Forsström. “Her passion for music, her people oriented management style and ability to inspire her team are invaluable strengths.”
Audio Up‘s record label, Audio Chateau, has secured $4.5 million in additional funding through investors including Glen Barros, managing partner at Exceleration Music, as well as Gillian Hormel and Jonathan Schulman. It has also on-boarded Grayson Flatness, formerly of InGrooves, who will act as an A&R consultant, and industry veteran Kate London, who’ll act as head of legal & business affairs for the label, overseeing business and legal dealings across all music endeavors. This is in addition to London’s responsibilities overseeing business and legal affairs for Audio Up Media. She has previously held executive roles at Global Music Rights, Interscope Records and Warner Records, in addition to her private practice experience.
RADIO, RADIO: iHeartMedia appointed Angela Reed to senior vp of its Inside Sales division, overseeing the company’s slate of broadcast, events, digital and podcast products across all markets. Reed, who previously held leaderships roles at Miradore, KnowBe4 and Time Doctor, will report to Julie Donohue, iHeartMedia’s president of multimarket partnerships … Cumulus Media promoted Carolyn Chauncey to senior vp of marketing and podcasting, a role that will see her lead day-to-day operations, content acquisition, editorial and production at the Cumulus Podcast Network. Chauncey will continue to direct corporate marketing for Cumulus Media, Westwood One and the Cumulus Podcast Network, reporting to Collin R. Jones, president of Westwood One. Elsewhere at Cumulus, Megan Devine was promoted to vp of podcast sales planning and yield optimization.
Outback Presents hired Christine Melko Ross to lead the company’s Canadian operations as senior vp of global operations. As her title implies, the Montreal-based live executive will also spearhead international expansion strategies beyond North America. Melko Ross arrives at Outback following a 23-year run at the Just For Laughs Group, producer of the legendary comedy festival. At JFL, she was instrumental in running the flagship Montreal festival and in expanding it to Toronto. [This year’s festival was canceled in March amid a bankruptcy filing and layoffs.] Before joining JFL, Melko Ross was lead talent buyer for Donald K. Donald/Universal Concerts/House of Blues Concerts, managing tours for artists as diametrically different as The Backstreet Boys and Leonard Cohen. “Everyone at Outback Presents is excited to have Christine join the team,” said Outback Presents co-CEO Michael Smardak. “Her extensive achievements and experience in comedy will be invaluable to our global growth. We are very proud to have her join us.” Melko Ross is reachable at christine.melkoross@outbackpresents.com.
NASHVILLE NOTES: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum promoted Haley Houser to associate director to the CEO, Aaron Helvig to director of school and music programs, Dana Romanello to director of museum sales and Joe Bridges to director of security … Southwest Value Partners, developer of Nashville Yards, the nearly completed 19-acre mixed use entertainment district in downtown Nashville, announced Christian Parker as chief operating officer, Steve Lewis a director of security, and Rocky Ryan as vp of operations of the massive project. When completed, Nashville Yards will boast several Class A+ buildings including offices for CAA, AEG Presents and Messina Touring Group, as well as The Pinnacle, a 4,500-capacity music venue … Daywind Music Group promoted Joe Dan Cornett to director of publishing of its bluegrass label Billy Blue Music. Cornett has been with DMG for 10 years, serving as both catalog manager and creative director.
Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer and arranger John Beasley succeeded Chuck Owen as president of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers (ISJAC). Other 2024 appointments at ISJAC, a non-profit advocacy organization for jazz composers and arrangers, include Mike Conrad as vp of membership and Erica von Kleist as vp of development, with board of directors Billy Childs, Patrice Rushen and Rio Sakairi. Owen, who co-founded ISJAC in 2016, remains on the board. “I am fortunate to receive the baton from Owen, who has left a solid and well-marked footprint,” Beasley said. “I’m most excited to bond and exchange ideas with our current and new members across the globe to help each other further our personal and collective artistic growth, which ultimately furthers the art of arranging and composing.”
Big Loud Records promoted Eric England to senior vp of insights and analytics. England joined the team in September 2021 and established the label’s Insights & Analytics department, leading the label’s data-forward methodology. England has a PhD from Virginia Tech, and started his music industry career following time at The Ohio State University, The Kraft Heinz Company and Mars Petcare. –J.N.
YOU DOWN WITH NEW JVs? BrickHouse Entertainment’s Scott Brickell, Ron Smith and Chase Swayze, along with former Hootie and the Blowfish manager Rusty Harmon, partnered up with Vere Music on Hit and Run Music, a new ADA-distributed marketing, distribution and label venture based in Nashville. The label’s inaugural artist is Micah Christopher … Origins Records and Hitmaker Music formed a new venture that will focus on developing Black country and Americana artists. Leading the JV are Origins executive Kadeem Phillips and ex-MNRK Music Group svp/GM Gina Miller.
ICYMI:
Elliot Grainge
Shari Bryant stepped down as co-president of Roc Nation‘s record label, which has been merged with the company’s distribution wing to form ROC Nation Distribution … Elliot Grainge, son of the industry’s most powerful person, will soon take the helm at Atlantic Music Group. Those who have worked with Grainge predict how the transition may go in this inside look at the abrupt generational shift at Atlantic, the storied label co-founded by music legend Ahmet Ertegun in 1947.
Last Week’s Turntable: Big Noise Amped About New GM
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Adam Muhlbaum is the newly minted general manager of Big Noise Music Group, the pop/punk label home of The Used, The Veronicas, girlfriends, Goldfinger and more, Billboard can announce. In Muhlbaum’s Los Angeles-based role, an upgrade from his gig as senior vp of marketing and project management, he’ll zero in on A&R, licensing and brand partnerships while also overseeing royalties and administration for the label’s roster, which also includes iann dior, Escape the Fate and MOD SUN. Prior to joining BNMG in mid-2018, Muhlbaum spent more than five years at BMG, where he led production runs for major releases from Blink-182, Janet Jackson, Iron Maiden and more. He also had a stint as head of digital sales and operations at Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak. As part of the transition, Muhlbaum will pass day-to-day operations to Heather Castillo, the label’s vp of marketing, and Josh Cohen, manager of label operations.
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Big Noise Music Group was launched in 2018 by former Vagrant Records head Jon Cohen and Goldfinger members John Feldmann and Nick Gross. “Adam has been with us since day one and has consistently proven his value and expertise while still making Big Noise a positive, productive home for our artists and writers,” said Gross, who is also CEO. “The sky’s the limit for our whole amazing team.”
Muhlbaum added: “Helping to build Big Noise for the past six years alongside Nick, Jon, Feldy, and our incredible label team has been a true highlight of my career and more fun than I ever could have imagined. Our next chapter will be focused on bringing broader creative opportunity to our entire roster — current and future.”
Universal Music Publishing Group picked veteran branding executive Alix Kram as the company’s first head of marketing. In the newly created global role, which she’s held since November, Kram oversees marketing efforts at the publisher with a focus on creative storytelling in order to, as UMPG COO Marc Cimino states, “enhance the incredible stories our songs tell and bring them to life.” Additionally, Kram works closely with Bravado, Universal’s merch specialists, to create strategic opportunities for the UMPG catalog. Prior to joining the Universal fam, Kram spent a year-and-a-half leading a retail business development and marketing team at Netflix. Before that, the NYC-based exec spent seven-plus years at Warner Music Group, where as head of global brand licensing and retail she and her team developed creative opportunities for roster artists including Grateful Dead and Wiz Khalifa. She is also the founder of theKRAMcollective, a boutique marketing and branding agency specializing in experiential storytelling, whose clients have included Hasbro, HBO, Atari and others. She reports to Cimino and chairman/CEO Jody Gerson, and also Bravado president Matt Young. “Upon first meeting [Gerson and Cimino], it was clear that they have created a truly global and unique culture – a force in the industry which leads with a passion for songwriters and champions the expertise of the people that make up the company,” said Kram.
ASM Global did some local hiring and promoting in Arizona, naming Ralph Marchetta to regional vp of live entertainment and elevating Melissa Wasson to general manager of State Farm Stadium. Marchetta, previously GM and svp of Footprint Center in Phoenix, has the mighty task of booking both the Desert Diamond Arena and State Farm across Maryland Ave. in Glendale. “He is well-respected by all, and now we have him playing for our team,” said Jason Rio, ASM Global svp of live entertainment and content development. Wasson joined the stadium staff in 2006 back when it was University of Phoenix Stadium and for the last 13 years has served as assistant GM. She has a lifelong connection with the stadium’s biggest tenant — the Arizona Cardinals — given she’s a native of St. Louis, the team’s former home. “Her decades of in-depth experience will prove invaluable as she continues creating unparalleled memorable experiences that thrill locals and visitors,” said Doug Thornton, executive vp.
Across the pond, ASM Global shifted industry veteran Ed Sanderson from a Singapore-based role, where he’s been working on the massive Kai Tak Sports Park project, to executive vp of business for Europe and the UK. Poor guy has to move to Milan, where he’ll be based as he bounces around Europe in support of ASM’s plans to expand its footprint there. “Living by my personal philosophy of ‘biting off more than you can chew and chew like crazy,’ I’m eager to get started, learn, and make a meaningful impact for our customers, clients, partners, and colleagues,” he said.
Former ASM Global executive Roger LeBlanc joined Romeo Entertainment Group as vp of sales development. With decades of experience, LeBlanc most notably founded and led booking and talent buying agency Madison Entertainment before its sale to ASM in early 2023. “Roger’s vast knowledge and his commitment to mentorship will not only enhance the capabilities of our sales team but also propel our growth and set new standards for excellence in our company and the broader industry,” said R.J. Romeo, president and CEO. LeBlanc can be reached at rleblanc@romeoent.com.
courtesy of FivePointFive
Jelena Grozdanich is the new vp of music at FivePointFive, a music-centric welltech app launching soon that will offer live and on-demand classes of functional breathwork. Grozdanich (GROWS-duh-nitch) is coming off a 10-year run at Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records, where she rose to director in the latter’s film and TV licensing division. While at Sony/Columbia, she represented a who’s-who of influential artists including Beyoncé, Adele, Miles Davis, A Tribe Called Quest and Elvis Presley, among others. During this decade, she also founded her own talent management firm (Guardian MGMT) and wellness community (TheSecret.LA). Grozdanich is based in Los Angeles. “We are excited to welcome Jelena as our vice president of music at FivePointFive to head up our music division,” said Adam Ludwin, CEO. “Jelena’s love of music, combined with her passion for wellness has led to her being seen as a key figurehead for wellness within the music industry over the last 10 years, so we are thrilled to have her as part of the team.”
CAA promoted Blair Adour, Jibran Ahmed and Sam Reisman to agent roles in the company’s global touring department. All three come from CAA Elevate, the agency’s agent trainee program, and they’ve all put in the work: Ahmed joined CAA in 2018 in the music crossover division before being upped to professional last year; Reisman started in 2019 as an assistant in the music touring division and most recently worked as a coordinator; and Adour joined as a professional in 2021 following a stint at Paradigm. Adour and Reisman are based in New York while Ahmed is in Los Angeles.
Capitol Christian Music Group (CCMG) promoted three executive staffers. Emily Dashiell has been promoted to senior vp of commercial partnerships, Jeff Gunkel has been upped to svp of market development, and Carlos Monnaco has been elevated to svp of finance. Dashiell will oversee the company’s revenue strategies across its portfolio and continue to focus on partner activations with DSPs while guiding the label business across global distribution, e-commerce/D2C, catalog marketing, and more. Gunkel will oversee areas of market development and digital rights, as well as Re:Think Records. Monnaco’s responsibilities expand to include oversight of financial planning and analysis, royalty accounting, and IT. Among the artists on CCMG’s roster are Chris Tomlin, Amy Grant, TobyMac, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Crowder. –Jessica Nicholson
Canada native Jenn Dobbins joined BMG as senior vp of rights and royalties in the music company’s U.S.-based copyright and royalties hub in Nashville. Dobbins previously handled asset operations for JKBX, a music investment platform, and earlier she spent six years at Big Machine Label Group, where she rose to director of royalty accounting and income analytics. Throughout her 18-year career in the field, she also made stops at payroll platform Exactuals and Sony Music. At BMG she reports to Eric Scott, evp of rights administration and royalty services, who pointed out her “extensive expertise, deep knowledge, and proven experience in managing complex rights and royalties.”
RADIO, RADIO: Susie Hedrick was named CEO of WideOrbit, a San Francisco-based tech platform that helps broadcasters buy and sell advertising. She replaces founder Eric Mathewson in the role … Nashville Harbor promoted Ryan Dokke to senior vp of streaming and digital partners/radio promotion from vp of promotion and marketing. The label also bumped Andrew Thoen to director of streaming and digital partners/radio promotion from director of Northeast promotion and marketing.
Jessica Roffe joined SoundExchange as associate director of the industry relations team. Roffe has years of artist relations, brand marketing, TV/film production and royalty distribution experience, and joins the collective rights organization following roles at MTV, BMI, NBCUniversal and her own AsUWISH Productions. She is based in Miami and will report to Doug Cohn, vp of artist & label relations. “Excited to be part of the band!!” she said.
Musicians On Call, which brings live and recorded music to hospitals and other health care facilities, announced five new members: Aniket Adhikari as technology manager, Michael Blazer as operations manager, Gabi Coccio as strategic partnerships coordinator, Taylor Leibold as fundraising coordinator and Jennie O’Rourke as digital marketing coordinator. “The talent and experiences Aniket, Michael, Gabi, Taylor and Jennie bring to their roles will take MOC to a whole new level,” said MOC president & CEO Pete Griffin. “I’m confident that the innovative ideas they’ll bring to the table will have a great impact on our mission.”
ICYMI:
Julie Greenwald
Julie Greenwald, one of the most celebrated and influential executives in the music business, will step down from her role as co-chair and COO of Atlantic Records and chairman and CEO of Atlantic Music Group. 10K Projects founder Elliot Grainge will take over the music group-wide role on Oct. 1, while Greenwald will officially exit the company early next year. The announcement arrived days after Warner Music announced it would be undergoing a major restructuring, with CEO of recorded music Max Lousada stepping down soon and Greenwald transitioning to chairman.
Last Week’s Turntable: Mammoth Launches Touring Division
Julie Greenwald will step down from her role as co-chair/COO of Atlantic Records and chairman/CEO of Atlantic Music Group, she announced during a company town hall on Tuesday (Aug. 6). She will be succeeded in her role as chairman/CEO of Atlantic Music Group by 10K Projects CEO/founder Elliot Grainge, effective Oct. 1.
The Zoom call was roughly 10-15 minutes long, according to sources at the label. Greenwald’s announcement of her departure was said by staffers who spoke with Billboard to be both “classy,” “inspiring” and “empowering,” with the longtime executive focusing on the success she has seen at Atlantic over the last two decades and clarifying that she will officially exit at the end of January 2025.
Tuesday’s announcement comes just five days after it was reported that Warner Music Group would be undergoing a major executive restructuring that would see CEO of recorded music Max Lousada stepping down at the end of September, Grainge ascending to the role of CEO of Atlantic Music Group effective Oct. 1 and Greenwald transitioning to the role of chairman of Atlantic Music Group, a move described in a press release as a “leadership transition.” The changes are thought to be far-reaching and indicative of a generational shift at Warner Music Group, which has been helmed by CEO Robert Kyncl since Jan. 1, 2023.
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One of the most celebrated executives in the music business, Greenwald has spent the last 20 years of her career at Atlantic and become practically synonymous with the storied label. During her time at the helm of Atlantic Music Group, she shepherded the careers of artists such as Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Cardi B, Twenty One Pilots, Brandi Carlile, Charli XCX, Lil Uzi Vert and dozens more. She was named Billboard’s Women in Music executive of the year in 2017.
Greenwald led Atlantic alongside Craig Kallman, co-chair/CEO of Atlantic Records and the A&R brain behind the operation. Kallman will continue to hold the title of CEO of Atlantic Records.
At the time of the restructuring announcement, Greenwald said in a statement: “My whole career is about developing baby bands into career artists and empowering our amazing people to change culture in unexpected ways. It’s been 20 years since I walked through the door at Atlantic and began the work of rearchitecting this iconic label. I couldn’t have done it without the deep passion and dedication of my incredible team, and our unbelievable artists, who make music that inspires and moves people everywhere. Finally, I want to welcome Elliot; I’m looking forward to working with him as we continue to place our artists and their music at the heart of this company.”
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
It’s time for another spin around the Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. Also be sure to check out our weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Wasserman hired Steve Murray as executive vp of mergers & acquisitions and strategy, effective July 15. He joins the company from Providence Equity Partners, where he served as a principal on the investment team. At Providence, he collaborated with companies and organizations including Warner Music, the NFL and Major League Soccer and helped lead the firm’s strategic investment into Wasserman in November 2022. He was also a key player in Wasserman’s acquisitions of CSM Sport & Entertainment and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, both last year.
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Independent live music company Mammoth unveiled its new touring division, which will be led by Rob Owens and Angela Brown. Owens, who is based in Mammoth’s new touring office in Nashville, was named president of global touring at Mammoth in April 2023; Brown, who previously held several roles at Live Nation, joined the company last September as president of global tour marketing. Along with the executive announcements, Mammoth revealed it’s set to produce JT‘s City Cinderella Tour and Jamaican dancehall artist Buju Banton‘s U.S. tour alongside AG Entertainment Touring.
Rob Stratton was promoted to vp of visual & media rights at Sony Music Publishing UK. In the role, he will be tasked with leading the publisher’s visual & media efforts in the U.K., maintaining relationships with broadcasters and media production companies, and delivering opportunities for the company’s partners. He will continue working with Cathy Merenda and the U.S. visual & media rights team to expand the business worldwide. He has been with the company since 2014 and was previously director of visual & media rights.
U.K. record executives Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish launched Artist Theory, a new independent label, in collaboration with U.K. indie label and publisher B-Unique. The label’s roster boasts U.K. rocker Sam Ryder along with emerging artists H.LLS (an electronic/R&B/hip-hop collective) and Emily Jeffri (Gothic pop singer). Both executives hail from Parlophone, where Burgess was co-president and Melhuish was GM/head of marketing.
Big Loud Records promoted Jess Anderson to senior director of media, effective immediately. Anderson has worked with the Big Loud Roster since late 2018. She came in-house with the label in 2021 and helped to create the label’s internal publicity roster in 2022 as director of media relations. The Big Loud roster includes Morgan Wallen, HARDY, ERNEST, Stephen Wilson, Jr., Charles Wesley Godwin, Lauren Watkins and Kashus Culpepper. Anderson’s prior career stops include Sweet Talk Publicity, The Press House and Big Machine Label Group. – Jessica Nicholson
Linlin Chen, the group vp of Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), among other roles, will resign all of her positions at the Chinese company for personal reasons on Sept. 30. “On behalf of the Company, we would like to extend our gratitude to Ms. Chen for her dedicated service at TME,” said Cussian Pang, executive chairman of TME, in a statement. “We appreciate her continuous hard work and commitment, which greatly contributed to the success of Kugou Music, one of China’s leading music streaming platforms. We respect her decision and wish her all the best in all her future endeavors.”
Artist management company, music publisher and record label Blue Raincoat Music named Roman Tagoe director of streaming for Chrysalis Records. He will be based in the company’s London office and report to senior vp of marketing James Meadows. In the role, Tagoe will be responsible for driving success on streaming platforms for the company’s frontline and catalog artists. He was previously at BMG, where he served as director of streaming for global catalog recordings.
BOARD SHORTS: The California Copyright Conference announced its 2024-25 officers and board of directors. The new officers are president Rene Merideth (Exploration), vp Carolyn Soyard (Disney Music Group), treasurer Alexandra Guzman (SESAC), secretary Sarah Brockman (Bardic Inspiration Music Services) and assistant secretary Jean Montiel (peermusic). Re-elected board members include Reggie Calloway (Sound Royalties), Debra Delshad (creative music strategy and licensing consultant), Cheryl Dickerson (music industry consultant) and Paula Savastano (Seeker Music Group). Newly-elected board members include Tara Austin (Austintatious Tunes), Rhonda Bedikian (Heavy Harmony Music), Janelle Hawkes (independent publishing administrator), Brandon Jarrett (TV/film composer/music producer/songwriter) and Wayne Josel (ASCAP). Serving their second board of director terms are Kristina Benson (Sweet On Top) and Jonathan Lane (Clearly Music Services); first alternate is James Jacoby (A Bun Dance Production) and second alternate is Sherry Orson (Star Vibe Group).
Abby O’Neill was named head of cultural programming & strategy at Summit Series, an organization that hosts invite-only events for entrepreneurs, artists, philanthropists and more, including Summit At Sea and the forthcoming Subbmit Baja. O’Neill previously served as an NPR executive producer and strategist, curating and producing more than 100 Tiny Desk Concerts and helping realize a 3,000% viewership increase for the series, among other successes. Through her own company, Key Bridge Entertainment, she co-created the free dance music festival Rock the Park DC in Washington, D.C.
Ralph Kink joined German collecting society GEMA as head of digital transformation, effective Sept. 1. In his new role, Kink will spearhead GEMA’s technological development and serve on the company’s executive board. He previously worked at Microsoft for 25 years and is also the co-founder/CTO of digital.fwd, a management consultancy that specializes in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Publicist Nicole Govel launched a new company, Goldfinch Marketing, which will offer PR, influencer marketing and music video promotion services to clients. Govel previously spent eight years as a publicist at Trendsetter Media and Marketing.
Last Week’s Turntable: BMG Europe Exec Exits
Producer Janet Yang was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s board of governors, the Academy announced on Thursday (Aug. 1).
Yang is beginning her third term as president and her sixth year as a governor-at-large, a position for which she was nominated by sitting Academy president David Rubin in 2019 and elected by the board of governors in 2022.
Yang is the fourth woman to serve as president of the Academy. Oscar-winning actress Bette Davis was the first in 1941, though she resigned after just two months in the post. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Fay Kanin served from 1979-83; Film marketing and PR executive Cheryl Boone Isaacs served from 2013-17.
A member of the Academy’s producers branch since 2002, Yang previously served on the board as vp and chair of the membership committee and, prior to that, the membership and governance committee.
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Yang’s film producing credits include South Central, The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Zero Effect, Savior, The Weight of Water, High Crimes and the Oscar-nominated animated feature Over the Moon. She won a Primetime Emmy in 1995 for the HBO film Indictment: The McMartin Trial, which was voted outstanding made for television movie.
In other news, film composer Lesley Barber, one of three members of the board of governors representing the music branch, was elected to an officer position for the first time. She is a vp and chair of the membership committee.
Barber is best known for her score for Kenneth Lonergan’s Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea. Her other credits include Late Night, Mansfield Park, Irreplaceable You, How to Change the World and You Can Count on Me.
Here is a list of the other four people who were elected to officer positions by the board:
DeVon Franklin, vp (chair, equity and inclusion committee)
Donna Gigliotti, vp/treasurer (chair, finance committee)
Lynette Howell Taylor, vp (chair, awards committee)
Howard A. Rodman, vp/secretary (chair, governance committee)
Franklin, Howell Taylor and Rodman were re-elected as officers. Gigliotti previously served as an officer.
“I am thrilled to have Janet return as Academy president for a third term to continue our great work of the past two years,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement. “I also am so pleased to welcome this year’s incredible slate of dedicated board officers.”
The 55-member board of governors includes three members who represent the music branch: Barber, Charles Fox (“I Got a Name,” “Ready to Take a Chance Again”) and Richard Gibbs (Say Anything, Dr. Dolittle).
Board members may serve up to two three-year terms (consecutive or non-consecutive), followed by a two-year hiatus, after which eligibility renews for up to two additional three-year terms for a lifetime maximum of 12 years. Officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive years in any one office.
For a complete listing of the Academy’s 2024-25 board of governors, click here.
Alison Donald, Kobalt’s global head of creative, will depart the company at the end of July to pursue other opportunities, it was announced Monday (July 29). Donald joined Kobalt in 2017 to oversee the company’s A&R and creative in the U.K. and Europe for Kobalt Music Publishing and AWAL’s U.K. and Europe creative teams. She […]
Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.
Maximilian Kolb announced his departure as BMG‘s executive vp of repertoire and marketing for continental Europe, effective at the end of the month. Kolb, who has been running things in Europe since late 2021, said the industry is in the midst of “one of its most revolutionary periods” and that it was time for a “new chapter” in his life. Assuming Kolb’s responsibilities in Europe on an interim basis will be Alistair Norbury, president of repertoire and marketing in the U.K. and Asia-Pacific regions. BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld lauded Kolb’s contributions over the years, saying “his leadership and vision have been instrumental in the growth and success of our GSA and Continental Europe operations.” Kolb joined BMG from Sony in 2012 as an A&R manager and was promoted to director A&R recorded music for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GSA) five years later. In 2019, he was elevated to managing director of the GSA block and then snagged his most recent role in October 2021. Some of Kolb and company’s most recent wins include the acquisition of German independent label Telamo and the addition of rights packages from Jean-Michel Jarre, Tina Turner, Martin Solveig, Cro and more. Kolb has not telegraphed his next move professionally.
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Over in the U.S., BMG elevated Jen Morgan to vice president, global content & creative, executing content creation initiatives for BMG artists, as well as developing and executing marketing and sales content strategies supporting BMG’s artists and global objectives. Morgan previously served as vp, creative & imaging, and joined BBRMG in 2010. –Jessica Nicholson
Meanwhile…
Prescription Songs promoted Siara Behar and Eddie Fourcell each to vice president of A&R at the Dr. Luke-founded publisher. Behar was previously senior director of A&R and during her seven years at the company has signed or worked with a host of top writers, including Play-N-Skillz, DallasK, ALOISIO, JayM, LU KALA, Space Primates, Chloe George, Micah Premnath, Seb (1Mind). Prescribed since early 2021, most recently as senior A&R executive, Fourcell has found success with a roster that includes Grammy winner Lunchmoney Lewis (“All My Life” by Lil Durk and J Cole) and Jay-Z collaborator Fridayy, plus B Ham, Kaine, MizzyLoft and Baerose, among others. Fourcell earned his industry stripes at Mary J. Blige’s MJB Productions, where he rose from intern to head of A&R. “Siara and Eddie go above and beyond for our writers and creatives at Prescription Songs,” said Dr. Luke. “We are so grateful and proud to announce their well-deserved promotions and continued leadership roles.” Both executives report to Rhea Pasricha, head of A&R on the West Coast, and Katie Fagan, head of A&R at Prescription Songs Nashville.
PULSE Music Group promoted Steven Gringer to senior vp of A&R. Foley is celebrating his tenth year at PULSE, where in 2014 he started as an A&R coordinator for its publishing division before quickly being promoted to creative director that same year. He eventually rose to vp of A&R for publishing, his most recent title at the company, where he’s based in Los Angeles and reports to Ashley Calhoun, president. Prior to PULSE, Gringer worked in A&R at Shapiro Bernstein Music Publishing. Gringer’s portfolio at PULSE includes Noah Kahan collaborator Gabe Simon, Jack Harlow producer Angel Lopez, Latin music hitmaker Manuel Lara, cross-genre writer-producer DVLP and others. “What makes Steven really incredible as an A&R executive is his deft ability to work across genres, creating pop, latin, hip-hop and international opportunities for our roster of songwriters and producers,” raved Calhoun and co-CEOs Scott Cutler and Josh Abraham in a statement. “As we continue to take the careers of our clients to the next level, Steven’s work over the past 10 years at PULSE Music Group has been an instrumental part of this success.”
Live music company Mammoth hired Rob Owens as president of global touring and Angela Brown as president of global tour marketing. Owens was most recently vp of talent at NoCap Shows and earlier in his career held director-level gigs at AEG Presents and Nederlander Concerts — where for years he booked the historic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Brown, who is based in St. Louis, joined Mammoth following 27 years at Live Nation, where she rose to vp of marketing and along the way helped promote tours for Beyoncé, Drake and Billy Joel, among many others.
credit: Amanda Brandl
Alyssa Kitchen was promoted to general manager of the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. The New Jersey native and self-professed former “emo kid” was previously assistant GM and director of finance at the venue. Prior to storming The Capitol (sorry), Kitchen served in senior accountant roles at Relix Media Group and Hear & There.
Jelena Grozdanich is the new vp of music at FivePointFive, a welltech app launching soon that will offer live and on-demand classes of functional breathwork. Grozdanich (GROWS-duh-nitch) is coming off a 10-year run at Sony Music Entertainment and Columbia Records, where she rose to director in the latter’s film and TV licensing division. While at Sony/Columbia, she represented a who’s-who of influential artists including Beyoncé, Adele, Miles Davis, A Tribe Called Quest and Elvis Presley, among others. During this decade, she also founded her own talent management firm (Guardian MGMT) and wellness community (TheSecret.LA). Grozdanich is based in Los Angeles.
NASHVILLE NOTES: Writer/artist development company Eclipse Music Group hired Courtney Crist as vp of publishing. She joins EMG from Anthem Entertainment, where as senior director she worked with writers including Ronnie Bowman, Early James and Brit Taylor, among others. “Courtney is a songwriter’s best friend, ultimate ally and has the best ears in the business,” said Penny Gattis, a partner at Eclipse … EastCoast Entertainment added Beth Potter to their Nashville office. Potter arrived from Downtown Band Entertainment, home of the Music City-based party band of the same name. ECE recently signed on to rep the band.
Lisa Goich recently left The Recording Academy, where she oversaw the jazz and comedy genres for the Grammy Awards, to launch her own consulting firm. LGA Creative Consulting will work with emerging artists and entrepreneurs from concept to creation on their creative projects. Prior to joining the Recording Academy in 2011, Goich worked in radio, website production (notably for Carole King) and was a coordinator and web-and-social media guru for the Playboy Jazz Festival.
Alana Battaglia joined the publicity team at The Untold. In her new role, she will manage accounts with notable clients including talent agency UTA and its new UTA Creators division as well as Don Toliver’s newly released Fortnite game Hardstone — a playable experience tied to his new album, Hardstone Psycho. Battaglia was previously director of public relations at gaming and esports organization FaZe Clan, where she led strategy and execution for internal and external facing communications and publicity. Prior to that, she was on the digital publicity team at Universal Pictures. –Chris Eggertsen
ICYMI:
Bob Bruderman
Legendary Columbia Records and PolyGram president Dick Asher passed away at age 92 … Alexis Lanternier was named CEO of French streamer Deezer, replacing interim CEO Stu Berger … HYBE promoted Jason Jaesang Lee to be the company’s new chief executive, replacing Jiwon Park … and Kobalt elevated longtime executive Bob Bruderman to the role of chief digital officer.
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