THE REVOLVING DOOR

LiveStyle (formerly SFX) has hired Gary Richards to be its President of North America. Richards was the founder of Hard Events, the LA-based dance music-focused promoter that was acquired by Live Nation in 2012. Following that acquisition Richards stayed with Live Nation until recently.

Global Entertainment, the UK’s second-largest festival operator, is downsizing its touring business in favour of a renewed focus on its portfolio of festivals, following former Global Live chief Sam Bush and promoter Joe Schiavon’s move to rival Live Nation. They  are joined at LNE by new promoters Kamran Haq (who was a local promoter in Manchester, before moving on to work with acts such as Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes, and Sean Ryman, who joins from Academy Music Group, where he promoted nationally shows by Taking Back Sunday, Slaves and Less than Jake. Live Nation has also hired Chris Loll as the first chief operating officer (COO) of its Media & Sponsorship business. And Canadian booking agent Zaed Maqbool, who had been with The Agency Group/United Talent Agency (UTA) in Toronto since 2006, is to relocate to Dubai to take up a new role with Live Nation.

and Lesley Olenik has joined Live Nation as vice-president of touring for its US concerts division. Olenik, who will be based in Los Angeles and report to senior VP of touring Omar Al-Joulani, is a nine-year veteran of AEG/Goldenvoice, most recently serving as Goldenvoice’s senior VP of talent buying, where she booked shows throughout southern California.

The live events company Mclcreate has appointed Neil Lawson as managing director. Lawson takes over from Tim Spencer who led the recent management buyout from the NEP Group, and now serves as CEO.

Ticketmaster France has hired Charlotte Broutin, formerly of rival operation France Billet, as head of music. Broutin’s arrival at Ticketmaster France (formerly Ticketnet) comes as the company increases its share of the French ticketing market, where it is in competition with Fnac’s France Billet and Vivendi’s Digitick.

Universal Music UK has announced that former EMI and Warner video supremo Stefan Demetriou will join its Globe Productions unit next month in a move which "brings one of the UK music industry's most celebrated audiovisual creatives together with Universal Music's market-leading, Oscar-winning creative and commercial partnerships division".

Larmer Tree Festival has made two new key appointments. Sarah Dennehy becomes the event's Creative Director, and Rachel Kinchin takes on its marketing and communications.
Dennehy has previously worked on events such as the Hay Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and Australia's Perth Festival. Kinchin, meanwhile, has worked with a range of events, venues and artists, and previously collaborated with Dennehy on the Festival Of Voice in Cardiff. After a year off, next year's Larmer Tree Festival will take place on 20-22 July, taking it back from a five day to a three day event.

UK-based marketing specialist Pat Carr has left BMG after joining the company nearly three years ago. Carr became part of BMG’s London office when it purchased Korda Marshall’s Infectious Music in Q3 2014. She leaves behind her role at SVP of Marketing – in which she has recently worked on UK No.1 albums from Rick Astley and Blink 182, amongst others.

Spotify has lured digital-media veteran Courtney Holt over from Disney to lead its efforts around original video and podcast programming. The hire comes days after the streaming service confirmed the departure of Tom Calderone, global head of content partnerships at Spotify.  And Spotify has appointed Rakesh Patel as its new Head Of Sales for the UK. He brings 18 years of experience to the role, most recently as Advertising Director at Auto Trader. He effectively replaces Chris Forrester, who left Spotify in April

David Kramer and Jay Sures have been promoted to co-presidents of United Talent Agency (UTA).  Kramer, who oversees who UTA’s film, comedy touring, licensing and publishing activities, and Sures, who heads up its television departments, both began their careers as assistants to agency co-founder Peter Benedek, and have since 2010 served as joint managing directors.

Sony/ATV has announced the promotion of London-based Dan Nelson to the role of SVP International.

LA-based promoter Goldenvoice has made new promotions in its venues and festival divisions. Jennifer Yacoubin hands over her booking responsibilities at LA’s El Rey Theatre (771-cap.) to Jennifer Liu, who becomes talent buyer, with Yacoubin promoted to talent buyer at the larger Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall (6,300-cap.). Liu was previously talent buyer for the Roxy Theatre (500-cap.) in West Hollywood. Mapi Moran becomes director of festival marketing, handling properties including Coachella, Stagecoach and Hangout in Alabama. Moran was previously marketing manager for Goldenvoice’s club/venue shows.

K2 Agency, which represents Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slayer, has acquired booking agency Factory Music.  Sharon Richardson, who launched UK-based Factory Music Management and Agency in 2004, will join K2 on 1ast October, bringing a roster that includes some of the biggest names in metal.

Warner Music UK has announced two promotions within its senior management team, with Peter Breeden becoming Chief Operating Officer and Mel Fox becoming Chief Transformation Officer. Breeden will also retain his current role of Chief Financial Officer.

Max Lousada,  the Warner Music Group's new global head of recorded music, has joined Warner's bpoard of directors  alongside Jon Platt, the CEO & Chairman of Warner/Chappell, and  international economist Noreena Hertz. Cameron Strang, the current boss of Warner Bros Records - has stepped down from the board.

BMG's EVP Recorded Music, Jon Cohen, has left the company. He joined the Bertelsmann-owned firm after BMG acquired Los Angeles-based Vagrant Records in 2014.  He has told his former colleagues to "keep smiling!" in the wake of his departure


At the Entertainment Retailers Association's Annual General Meeting, Eduard Castello, Music Content Partnerships Manager for both Google Play and YouTube in the UK and Ireland, will join the board of the trade group. Other new board members include Raoul Chatterjee, who was previously Chair of ERA while at 7digital, and is now at SoundCloud, and Tony Boothroyd, owner of Huddersfield-based Vinyl Tap.

Gary Hutchinson is to leave his position as head of venue sales and commercial partnerships at Wembley Stadium. The former Sunderland AFC exec joined the UK’s largest stadium earlier this year, effectively replacing its ex-head of business development, Jim Frayling. He will leave the FA, the venue’s owner, at the end of 2017 to run a private hospitality venture, Chrysalis Leisure Group.