The Revolving Door

Merlin, the organisation that represents independent labels worldwide has selected a new board. Beggars boss man Martin Mills was re-elected and will stay on as Chairman of the group. Meanwhile Essential Music USA's Erik Gilbert and Evolution Music Hong Kong's Ashley Whitfield join the board for the first time. The Board now comprises Europe: Erik Brataas - Phonofile (Norway), Michel Lambot - PIAS Group (Belgium), Martin Mills - Beggars Group (UK), Florian von Hoyer - Altafonte (Spain), Horst Weidenmueller - K7 (Germany) Plus non-voting observers for Europe: Emmanuel de Buretel - Because Music (France), Oke Goettlich - Finetunes (Germany): North America: Glenn Dicker - Redeye Distribution and Yep Roc Records - (USA), Erik Gilbert - Essential Music and Marketing (USA), Dave Hansen - Epitaph Records (USA), Geoff Kulawick - IDLA (Canada), Tom Silverman - Tommy Boy (USA) plus non-voting observers for North America: Kris Gillespie - Domino Recording Co (USA), Darius Van Arman - Dead Oceans/Jagjaguwar/Numero Group/Secretly Canadian (USA): Rest Of World: Colin Daniels - Inertia (Australia), Hilton Roth - African Dope - (South Africa), Luciana Pegorer - Delira Musica (Brazil), Ashley Whitfield - Evolution Music (Hong Kong) and Alison Wenham (WIN)

The IFPI's market research chief Gabriela Lopes is to join Universal Music as Senior Vice President Global Insight.

Celador Radio, which operates a network of local stations under the Breeze brand, plus three Jack FM outlets, has announced Don Thomson as its new CEO.

Caroline International, has announced a number of a new appointments who will report into the division's top duo MD Michael Roe and Head Of Music Jim Chancellor. Joining are Berlin-based Tina Adams, formerly with Domino Records; Amsterdam-based marketing and A&R man Fred van Kruining; Emma Greengrass, formerly with Oasis's label Big Brother Recordings; and Anya Strafford, previously with the aforementioned Co-op Music. The latter two will be UK-based in their new roles.


Warner Music have announced the promotion of Lucy Otterwell to the role of SVP for Digital Strategy & Business Development for the EMEA region.

Digital music company Rdio is downsizing its workforce, with a source telling TechCrunch that about 35 staff members are likely to go, reducing the firm's overall headcount between a fifth and a third.

The Kobalt Music Group has announced the appointment of former Sony and BMG marketing exec Ryan Wright to the role of SVP Marketing. Ryan will be based in New York and reports to Kobalt President Richard Sanders.