United Talent Agency (UTA) has hired Lyndsay Harding as its new chief financial officer, in an appointment the company says marks the first time a woman has served as CFO of a major booking agency.
Ticketfly founder Andrew Dreskin, now Eventbrite’s head of music, has been appointed to the Eventbrite board of directors.
Festival owner LiveStyle has announced NRG Productions founder Neil Ryan as its new Senior VP and Head Of North America Production. CEO Randy Phillips comments: "While running AEG Live, I had the pleasure of working with Neil and saw first-hand his depth of expertise in the live event/production space. He adds to LiveStyle's exceptional staff as we continue to bring on the best and the brightest".
Hollywood agency ICM Partners has promoted six agents to partner, bringing its total number of partners to 54. The new partners – three men and three women – include five booking agents based in its LA office and one in New York. Music agents newly elevated to ICM partners are Scott Mantell, the agency’s head of international touring, who joined as an assistant in 2003 and now represents acts including Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, D’Angelo and Cyndi Lauper, and Adam Ginivisian, who works across both comedy and concerts and becomes ICM’s youngest partner. Also promoted are comedy agent Ayala Cohen, literary agents Hrishi Desai and Kathleen Remington and physical production agent (representing ‘below-the-line’ clients such as costume designers and cinematographers) Lara Sackett (IQ)
UK record industry collecting society PPL has announced a number of promotions in its top team. Sarah Mitchell, formerly Head Of Member Services, becomes Director Of Member Services. Operations Director Christine Geissmar becomes Chief Operating Officer. Director Of Legal & Business Affairs David Harmsworth becomes General Counsel. And Finance Director Chris Barton becomes Chief Financial Officer.
Dasha Smith Dwin has been named Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer at Sony Music Entertainment. Dwin spent her early career in London and New York in a series of corporate associate roles for international law firms including Latham & Watkins, and Dwin joins Sony Music from global alternative asset management firm GCM Grosvenor, where she began working in 2011. Rob Stringer, CEO Sony Music said “We sought an innovative and visionary leader of our global Human Resources business. We found that person in Dasha."
Warner Music has placed Paul Samuels in charge of A&R at its East West Records UK label, concurrent to his role doing the same at Atlantic UK. And Warner Music has appointed Marcela Vaccari as Vice President, Business Development, Latin America and Spain. She will be based in Miami and reports to Iñigo Zabala, President, Latin America and Iberia, Warner Music. And Warner Music has promoted Briony Turner and Alec Boateng to become Co-Heads Of A&R at its Atlantic Records UK label.
Warner/Chappell UK has announced the promotion of Paul Smith to the all new role of Creative Director. He joined the Warner music publisher in 2016 as Senior International Creative Manager.
Beggars Music has announced Amy Morgan as its new Managing Director. Previously Creative Director, she will take over the day-to-day running of the Beggars Group music publishing company from Andy Heath, who will remain its Chair.
Ed Sheeran's manager Stuart Camp has parted company with Elton John's Rocket Man artist management firm after more than a decade. The move sees the joint venture he launched with Rocket Man - Grumpy Old Management - go independent with Sheeran its headline artist. Image: Mark Potter.
US-based Symphonic Distribution has hired the former Senior Label Manager of Beatport, Peter Wohelski, as Content Development Specialist. Wohelski brings over 25 years of experience in the electronic music space after starting out as a DJ in the '90s.
Dougie Bruce, who signed Adele during his first stint at Universal Music Publishing's UK office, has returned to the company, MBW understands. Respected A&R specialist Bruce has been hired by UMPG's UK boss Mike McCormack. Bruce's history has seen him work at the likes of XIX Entertainment, and he's a former MD of Epic Records UK. (MBW)
Interscope Geffen A&M has appointed Nicole Wyskoarko as Executive Vice President of Urban Operations in Santa Monica. She joins IGA from law firm Carroll, Guido & Groffman.
Another senior Spotify executive has departed. Pat Shah,Spotify's head of original content licensing. Los Angeles-based Shah is the latest high-profile exit from the firm following the likes of Stefan Blom, Rob Harvey and Kevin Brown out of the door.
And another senior executive at Sony Music Germany has exited the firm with SVP of International Stefan Goebel stepping down after 19 years, MBW has revealled. His departure follows that of Sony Music GSA CEO Philip Ginthör who also left after 18 years in January.
UK based content protection and data insights firm MUSO has hired ex-Universal executive Russel Coultart as Global Head of Music Partnerships. At Universal, Coultart served as Global Head of D2C, overseeing and growing the major label's direct to consumer business worldwide, before leaving in 2016.
Jenna Andrews, the songwriter/producer who has collaborated with the likes of Drake and Dua Lipa, has signed up as an exclusive A&R consultant for Barry Weiss-led label RECORDS.
Katie Malcolmson is to head up the new UK office of US music PR firm Brixton Agency. Currently Head Of Press for indie label One Little Indian, she will continue to represent the company in her new role.
After stepping down as President of Warner Bros. Records in California last year, veteran music exec Dan McCarroll has joined Amazon Music as Global Head of Originals and Artist Relations. In his new role, McCarroll will be leading the team that produces exclusive global programming while working closely with artists and labels to elevate new releases.
Beggars Group founder Martin Mills has been appointed as non-executive Chair at the Worldwide Independent Network – the trade body which works in the interests of the independent music sector on a global basis. Mills, who stepped down as Chairman of Merlin earlier this year, said he was "honoured" to takes up the new position at WIN.
Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer with the multi-platinum selling band the Cranberries, has died aged 46. O’Riordan had been in London for a recording session. A statement described the death as sudden, and added: “Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.” A Metropolitan Police statement said that O’Riordan’s body was found at a Park Lane hotel. Family and close friends accompanied her body to her home town church in Co Limerick ahead of her funeral. Candles lit the streets as her coffin was brought to the Church of Saint Ailbe in Ballybricken. O’Riordan, who had suffered from depression throughout her career. The star had three children, son Taylor, 20, and daughters Molly, 16, and Dakota, 12 with her ex-husband Don Burton. The children live in Canada with their father, a former tour manager for Duran Duran. Ronan Keating told of his sadness at the “loss of an incredible talent and a lovely soul”, while singer Brian McFadden said he was “in shock”. “Iconic vocalist and a lovely woman too.” Duran Duran wrote on Twitter: “We are crushed to hear the news about the passing of Dolores O’Riordan. Our thoughts go out to her family at this terrible time.” Talk show host James Corden spoke about meeting the singer when he was 15 and she signed his train ticket. “I got her autograph and it made my day,” he wrote. “She had the most amazing voice and presence.” Her Her mother and six siblings were in attendance at the funeral, and her Cranberries bandmates left a floral tribute beside her coffin which read ... "The song has ended, but the memories linger on."
The Zombies bassist Jim Rodford has died aged 76 just days after his final performance. The musician, whose career spanned six decades and included 18 years with the Kinks, died on Saturday after a fall on the stairs, his cousin and the band’s frontman Rod Argent confirmed. Following the break-up of the Zombies in 1968, he joined Argent’s new band, the eponymously named Argent – with gold records and chart success following as they released Hold Your Head Up and God Gave Rock & Roll to You. Rodford had just returned home to England after completing a short tour in Florida with the Zombies with his final on-stage appearance coming on the 14th January. "Jim was not only a magnificent bass player, but also from the first inextricably bound to the story of The Zombies. An enormous enabler for us," Argent wrote in his long tribute to Rodford. "To the end, Jim's life was dedicated to music. He was unfailingly committed to local music - an ever present member of the local scene in St.Albans, where he had spent his whole life." The Kinks' Dave Davies tweeted "I'm devastated Jim's sudden loss I'm too broken up to put words together it’s such a shock I always thought Jim would live forever in true rock and roll fashion - strange - great friend great musician great man - he was an integral part of the Kinks later years."
Veteran US concert promoter Jack Boyle of Cellar Door Productions in Washington DC and Fort Lauderdale has died. He was 83 years old. With the 160-capacity Cellar Door Nightclub in DC as his trademark venue, Boyle was the major concert promoter from Baltimore to South Florida and promoted shows in venues ranging from clubs to stadiums with artistes such as the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, The Who, U2, Madonna and Bruce
Legendary South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela has died at the age of 78 after a decade-long fight with cancer, Often called the “Father of South African jazz”, Trumpeter, singer and composer Masekela, affectionately known locally as “Bra Hugh,” started playing the horn at 14 and quickly became an integral part of the 1950s jazz scene in Johannesburg as a member of the Jazz Epistles. In the 1960s he went into exile in the United Kingdom and the United States, where he collaborated with American jazz legend Harry Belafonte and used his music to spread awareness about the oppressive system of white-minority rule in South Africa. He also scored an international number one hit in 1968 with “Grazing In The Grass.” He collaborated with many musicians including Paul Simon and Herb Alpert. He was married to South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba for two years. “A baobob tree has fallen,” Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa’s minister for arts and culture, wrote on Twitter. “The nation has lost a one of a kind musician . We can safely say Bra Hugh was one of the great architects of Afro-Jazz and he uplifted the soul of our nation through his timeless music.” Image by Maurice: Hugh Masekela playing at The Hague Jazz 2009.
Mark E Smith, frontman for The Fall, has died after a lengthy period of illness. He was 60. In a statement, the band's manager Pam Vander said last night: "It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Mark E Smith. He passed this morning at home". Smith's continuing ill health led to the cancellation of various Fall shows in the UK, Europe and the US last year. Smith formed The Fall aged nineteen in 1976. His authoritarian approach to band leadership led to many changes in the outfit's line-up over the years, and a total of 66 different members passed through the group during their 40 year history, many fired by Smith. The band released 32 studio albums, most recently last year's 'New Facts Emerge'. There were an equal number of live albums, plus numerous other releases. Smith also found time for two solo albums, and various collaborations, including with Gorillaz and Coldcut.
David Zard, the pioneering concert promoter who was the first to bring some of the biggest names in rock music to Italy, has died aged 75. Born in Tripoli, Zard emigrated to Italy in 1967 and over the next five decades established himself as one of the country’s leading promoters, organising stadium tours by Cat Stevens, Elton John, Tina Turner, Lou Reed, Frank Zappa, the Rolling Stones, Genesis, Bob Dylan, Madonna, Michael Jackson and many more. Zard is survived by his wife, Patrizia Tomasich, and their son, Clemente, who now leads Warner Music Italy’s live operation, Vivo Concerti.
Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, best known for his work in film soundtracks, has died. He was 48. Jóhannsson released his debut solo album, 'Englabörn', in 2002, featuring music written for a play of the same name. In 2014, he won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score for his work on Stephen Hawking biopic 'The Theory Of Everything', for which he also received an Oscar nomination. His score for 2016's 'Arrival' was one of his best received works and in the same year, he also released his final standalone album, 'Orphée', based on the Orpheus myth. He is survived by his parents, three sisters and a daughter
Eventbrite has strengthened its executive team with two new hires. Omer Cohen joins the ticketing tech giant as chief people officer, while Brian Irving has been named chief brand officer. Irving, formerly of Apple, Google and Airbnb, is tasked with “leading a cross-functional effort to codify the company’s global brand strategy, storytelling and positioning in the market”, Cohen had held leadership roles at the tech firms Lytro and DigitalThink, and also served as president of the Great Place to Work Inc., which ranks America’s workplaces.
Live Nation's recently-launched Latin division in the US market has hired Patricia Flores as its Vice President of Marketing. She joins the company from rival AEG/Goldenvoice and will report to SVP of Live Nation Latin, Hans Schafer - also an AEG alumnus (MBW).
Two of Austria’s best-known international hard rock agents, Dominik Meyer and Guenther Beer, have announced the launch of Cobra Agency, a new boutique booking agency that represents some of the biggest names in metal. Beer and Meyer – who had been with RTN (Rock the Nation) since 2005 and 2008, respectively – bring their full rosters, which include the likes of Sepultura, Sabaton, Danzig, Testament and Amon Amarth, to the new agency, whose offices are in Salzburg.
Ben Sharman has joined NEC Group Arenas as venue sales manager. Sharman – whose background in commercial marketing has seen him work on naming-rights agreements for both NEC arenas (the 16,000-cap. Genting Arena and 15,800-cap. Arena Birmingham, formerly Barclaycard Arena), as well as for Aston Villa Football Club and British Athletics – is tasked both with working with the arenas’ existing client base and bringing new business and event concepts to market.
AEG Presents has opened its first office in France, headed up by local concert promotion veteran Arnaud Meersseman who was previously MD of the MIALA/Fimalac Group. The creation of AEG Presents France follows AEG's recent investment in the Accors Hotel Arena in Paris, as well as its recent buyout of the Rock En Seine festival.
PRS for Music has hired Nigel Hall, formerly Managing Director at KPMG UK, as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. At KPMG UK, Nigel was Client Lead Partner and Lead Subject Matter Expert for a number of KPMG’s technology, media and telecoms accounts building on more than 20 years of experience including, leading the launch of Orange internationally and founding his own company, Interim-Consulting Ltd, to focus on his passion for start-ups. Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive, PRS for Music, said: “PRS for Music celebrated a record-breaking year in 2016, in no small part thanks to our investments in technology and data, which are becoming ever more integral to the music business. It is therefore my pleasure to welcome Nigel to PRS for Music. We look forward to having his digital expertise on hand to steer us through a time of continuing growth and transformation, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole.”
Warner Music'S Jennifer Ivory has been named GM of Warner Bros Records UK. She moves up from her role as VP, Marketing after success with Dua Lipa, who ended last year as the most streamed female artist in the UK, and Royal Blood. And Tom Corson has made his first major hire since joining Warner Bros Records. Former Epic exec Laura Swanson has been named Executive Vice President of Media & Strategic Development at WBR, based at the label's Burbank HQ in the US. (MBW)
John Fleckenstein and Joe Riccitelli have been promoted to Co-President positions at RCA Records in New York, reporting into label boss Peter Edge. The news comes after former Co-Chairman and COO Tom Corson left the Sony company to join Warner Bros. (MBW)
Daniel Lieberberg has landed a top-level position at Sony Music in Europe. The Germany-based exec has been named President, Continental Europe and Africa, Sony Music Entertainment. He will oversee Sony Music’s operations across the two regions, with the exception of Spain and Portugal. And seven months on from the abrupt departure of CEO L.A Reid, Epic Records the Sony label run by Sylvia Rhone today confirmed that Rick Sackheim is joining as Executive VP and producer, songwriter and creative executive Ezekiel 'Zeke' Lewis is also joins as EVP of A&R at Epic Lewis leaves behind his role as SVP at Universal Music Group/Capitol Music Group's Motown label, where he spent the past six years. Jenifer Mallory has been promoted to Executive Vice President, International at Sony Music Entertainment after spending two years as SVP of International. During her time at the major label, Mallory has played a key role in worldwide marketing campaigns for artists including Harry Styles, P!nk, Camila Cabello and Khalid.
Vevo has parted company with its product head, Mark Hall. The news comes a month after the abrupt exit of the company's Chief Executive Officer, Erik Huggers. Hall joined Vevo when it bought his video aggregation startup, ShowYou. And Vevo's Senior Vice President of Creative Content and Programming, Tom Connaughton, is also leaving the company in the coming weeks. (MBW & Variety)
Kristen Burke is stepping up from her role as SVP of Marketing at Universal Music Canada to become EVP and General Manager. In her new position, she will report to CEO Jeffrey Remedios.
Molly Neuman, who has been Kickstarter's Head of Music for the past two years, has joined Downtown-owned publishing royalty admin platform Songtrust as Head of Business Development. The exec previously worked at indie trade body A2IM.
After 33 years at the label, Peter York has been promoted to lead Capitol Christian Music Group. In his new role, York will continue to manage the company's Label Group and publishing division. He takes over from founder Bill Hearn, who died last year. (MBW)
Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas manager Phil McIntyre has joined ABC series American Idol as executive producer representing CORE Media. "I understand the balance between artist development and making good television," he says. "I think we have the platform and the heritage brand to be able to do that [with Idol]". (Variety)
Rob Harvey, Head of Label Relations at Spotify in the US, has left the streaming service amid a handful of lay-offs at the company, MBW understands. MVW understands the mini-restructure is the result of a merger between Spotify's Artist & Label Services and its Artist Marketing teams.
One year after Pandora cut 100 jobs from its global workforce, it's once again taking an axe to headcount. The streaming music company has announced an 'organizational restructuring' which it says will 'shift resources to focus on ad-tech and audience development efforts while positioning the company for improved operating leverage over time'.
Loeb & Loeb LLP has announced that Josh Brackin has joined the law firm’s Nashville office as Senior Counsel, bringing more than 15 years of experience in various segments of the music and new media industries.
