Jake Wisely to be replaced by Jim Selby as Concord's Chief Publishing Executive

 
By Emmanuel Legrand

Jake Wisely (pictured, above), partner and Chief Publishing Executive at independent music company Concord, will join the Board of Directors of Concord on Jan. 1, 2021. He will be replaced as Chief Publishing Executive by current Concord COO Jim Selby, who will report to Concord CEO Scott Pascucci.

  Selby will lead an executive team that includes John Minch (President, International Publishing and executive in charge of Boosey & Hawkes), Kim Frankiewicz (EVP, Worldwide A&R), Duff Berschback (EVP, Business & Legal Affairs), Kent Hoskins (Chief Financial Officer), Brooke Primont (SVP, Sync) and Dana Siegel (SVP, Brand Management and Music Marketing), as well as a team of more than 200 creative and administrative music publishing and shared services employees.

  Said Wisely said: “Since joining Concord in 2016, Jim has been an invaluable member of the team, helping to forge our discipline and culture, focusing on synergies between Concord businesses and maximizing value for all stakeholders. Jim is a consummate music fan, well-versed in our roster and catalog, and will ensure that Concord’s songwriters and composers are diligently served.”

A natural choice

  Added Pascucci: “Jim was a natural choice when deciding who should guide Concord Music Publishing in its continued growth. He knows all areas of the Concord business, is a champion for our artists, songwriters and composers and will transition to Chief Publishing Executive seamlessly over the coming months. I am excited to see our publishing business flourish under his leadership.”

  Wisely will "remain a partner and shareholder in Concord and will maintain an advisory role in the day to day operations of Concord Music Publishing, while also maintaining the company’s Executive Member seat on the NMPA Board of Directors," according to a statement from the company.

  No explanation was given by Concord for these changes. Wisely, who relocated to Nashville from Los Angeles in 2018 after Concord acquired the Imagem catalogue, has overseen the growth of boutique publishing house The Bicycle Music Company, which then merged into Concord Music Publishing and then Imagem to become one of the world’s largest independent music publishing companies.

  Pascucci commented, “Concord would not be what it is today without Jake Wisely and The Bicycle Music Company. Jake was critical to the establishment of Bicycle as a world-class publishing operation, which then became the foundational platform for Concord along with Concord Music Group. Since the combination of those two companies in 2015, Jake has proven himself to be an extraordinary manager and strategic thinker, whose contributions have been invaluable in building the company through new partnerships and investments. I look forward to working with him in his new role as a member of the Concord Board of Directors.”