Moving chairs -- Week 4 of 2021

 USA

Andrei Iancu has resigned from his position of Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He was appointed to the job by President Trump in 2018. During his tenure, the USPTO successfully built a coalition to block China's candidate to be elected to the position of Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). In addition, USPTO Deputy Director Laura Peter also resigned on the day Joe Biden became President. These two positions have yet to be filled.

Sony Music Entertainment’s Commercial Music Group (CMG) has promoted Jessica Shaw (pictured, below) to SVP, sync licensing. Based in New York, she will serve as head of the Sony Music SyncShop, the centralised sync licensing team housed within CMG, and lead the group's sync-related creative and licensing activities across all entertainment media, including film, television, commercials, video games and emerging new media. Shaw was most recently was CMG's VP, sync licensing, a position she's held since joining the company in 2014. 


The American Association of Independent Music(A2IM) has launched the Black Independent Music Accelerator (BIMA), a fellowship initiative created with the intention of "fighting for social and economic justice within the music industry by amplifying independent, Black-owned music businesses." The inaugural BIMA Advisory Council, which will help to guide the strategy of the programme and advocate on behalf of the initiative includes: Taryn Brown, Founding Principal at Taryn Brown + Company; Troy Carter, Founder & CEO at Q&A; Marcus Hollinger, SVP, Marketing at Reach Records; Fotemah Mba, Head of A&R, General Market at Cinq Music Group; Madeline Nelson, Founder & CEO at Heads Music; and Chissy Nkemere, Senior Director, Streaming Marketing at Concord Music Group.

Dallas Martin (pictured, below) has been appointed as the new president of Warner Music Group's imprintAsylum Records in the US. He was EVP of A&R at Atlantic Records, a position he will retain. He reports to Eliah Seton, President of Independent Music & Creator Services at WMG and Craig Kallman, Chairman & CEO of Atlantic Records. At Asylum, he will work in tandem with co-President Gabrielle Peluso. “It’s always been my dream to head a label as iconic as Asylum," said Martin. 


Warner Chappell Music has promoted Natalie Madaj to Senior Vice President, Digital Licensing, Americas (she was VP Digital Licensing, North America), and Daniel Lang to Vice President, Digital Licensing, EMEIA (he was Head of Digital Licensing, EMEIA). They both will continue to report to Warner Chappell's EVP Global Digital Strategy Eric Mackay.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing has promoted Audrey Ashby (pictured, below) to SVP, Business Affairs, Catalogue. Based in New York, Ashby reports to EVP, Business Affairs and General Counsel, Peter Brodsky. As SVP, she manages the relationships with some of Sony/ATV’s legacy songwriters and catalogues like Valerie Simpson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Pete Moore, Marvin Gaye, Ron Miller, Sandy Linzer, and many others.


Concord Music Group has promoted Ruth Martinez to Chief People Officer, and Victor Zaraya to Chief Operating Officer. Martinez, who joined Concord in 2019 from Warner Chappell, will be leading the independent music company's global human resources team with a special focus on diversity, inclusion and talent development initiatives. Based in Los Angeles, she continues to report to Concord CEO Scott Pascucci, as does Zaraya.

US management company Milk & Honey has expanded with a sports division and been rebranded as Milk & Honey Music + Sports + Ventures. Agent Jacob Presser will lead the division as a partner and joins with several NFL players, while Dave Frank and Alex Harrow, co-heads of artist management at Milk & Honey, will be overseeing the new sports department at the firm. Agent Rawleigh Williams also joined as a partner. The division will be run out of the company’s New York and Los Angeles offices with the addition of a Dallas presence.

Music video platform Loop Media has appointed Darcy Fulmer as Head of Music. Fulmer will lead a team that produces music video programming for Loop Media’s apps for business, mobile and television as well as its collection of 24/7 music video TV channels. She reports to Loop’s Chief Content and Marketing Officer Greg Drebin. Fulmer worked in the past for radio station KROQ-FM in Los Angeles and Viacom and as a music consultant for Napster and Revolt TV.

Business Manager Josh Klein (pictured, below) has launched TKG Business Management, a Beverly Hills-based firm specialising in business management, tax, and personal CFO services to music industry executives and artists, professional athletes, entrepreneurs, and high net worth individuals. Klein will bring his current client list to TKG, including The Chainsmokers, Big Sean, Logic, Kelly Rowland and Winnie Harlow, among others. In addition to being Managing Partner of TKG, Klein is also a partner in Mantis Venture Capital and JAJA Spirits Company.


Sound specialist Audionamix has hired of music licensing expert and tech advisor Cory Sims to help forge new relationships in the music business for the AI-driven audio isolation company. Sims worked for mechanical licensing agency HFA and led the business development team of its affiliate Rumblefish, before setting up in 2019 his boutique consulting and advisory firm CES ADVISR. “Cory’s expertise in both sync licensing and music technology makes him the perfect liaison between our best-in-class AI stemming solutions and the needs of the music industry,” explained Ellie McNeil, Audionamix General Manager for North America. 

ALIBI Music has elevated Tim Hare (pictured, below) to Vice President, Business Development, working alongside VP, Business Development Kent Carter. Hare is based in Los Angeles and reports to ALIBI Music founder and executive producer Jonathan Parks. A professional composer himself, Hare joined ALIBI as a director in early 2017. 


UK

Gareth Mellor has been named UK Head of TuneCore, the Believe-owned digital music company for the independent sector. He reports to TuneCore's Vice President, International Faryal Khan-Thompson. Mellor was previously Marketing Director, UK & EU at Kobalt Music Group. "The UK is one of the world’s most important music markets so we knew we needed an experienced music executive to lead our efforts. Gareth brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to the table, enabling him to hit the ground running and bring new ideas to the fore," said Khan-Thompson.


RUSSIA

Maxim Vlasov has been appointed Managing Director of Universal Music Russia, replacing Dmitry Konnov, who “leaves the company amicably and by mutual agreement," according to UMG. Vlasov worked as executive director of Universal Music Russia before joining football team FC Spartak Moscow in 2019 as COO. Based in Moscow, he reports to Frank Briegmann, chairman & CEO of Universal Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon.