The Latest Music Industry Moves
Veteran label executive and founder of UK indie label One Little Indian, Tim Kelly is joining Inertia Music as Managing Director. Christine Pepe was promoted to VP of Business and Legal Affairs at ASCAP and Taeko Saito has joined Downtown Music Publishing as International A&R. Also at ASCAP, Alice Kim has been hired as EVP, Chief Strategy and Development Officer. With Concord Music Group’s acquisition of Vanguard and Sugar Hill from Welk Music Group, Vanguard’s operations and label team will be moving to Concord.
Pitbull has split from his manager Charles Chavez ending an eight year relationship. In another split, Mariah Carey has been dropped by her publicist Cindi Berger. Carey is searching for a new publicist. In the meantime Laura Swanson, EVP of Media and Strategic Development at Epic Records, is covering publicity issues for the singer. Charlie Davis, who was previously Director of Licensing at Warner/Chappell Production Music, has been appointed Senior Director of Spirit Music Group. Warner Music Group has promoted Eliah Seton to President of Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA). Doghouse Records, Kitsuné, and Hit City U.S.A. have joined INgrooves Music Group. Hit City will be using INgrooves for global distribution and marketing. Kitsuné is partnering with them in both the U.S. and Canada. Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville Gary Overton is stepping down from his position sometime next month. Emily White has stepped down from her COO position at Snapchat.
Soundwave Touring label manager Janine Morcos has joined Cooking Vinyl Australia as their new Head of Publicity. Martin Moulton has been hired by Arising Artist as General Manager. Ashley Tabor’s Global Entertainment has announced a round of executive hires to its teams in London and Global’s recently launched LA office led by former AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips. Monti Olson, most recently EVP & Head of A&R at Universal Music Publishing, takes on the role of EVP & Managing Director of Worldwide Music Publishing. London-based Paul Adam is now the new SVP A&R, increasing his A&R responsibilities across the company’s US and UK recorded music and publishing operations. Bob Semanovich joins the LA-based team as SVP of Marketing from Capitol Records where he oversaw and executed the marketing strategy for Katy Perry, Beck, Rod Steward and Coldplay among others. Reporting to Semanovich is Ben Karter who joins Global Entertainment as General Manager, Recorded Music U.K. Simon Perry, previously VP of Creative, has been promoted to CCO of ReverbNation.
Rick Krim, most recently EVP of Artist Development at Republic Records, has been announced as the new Co-President of A&R at Sony/ATV, Christina Wighton, formerly at Kobalt, has been hired as the Office Manager at Indie Music Publishing Company Creative Nation, and Epic Records has promoted Courtney Lowery to VP of Publicity. Bryon Prescott has been announced as the new Head of Urban at Epic Records. Prescott will also bring his Chameleon Entertainment imprint to Epic. Verve Music Group has announced the promotion of Mike Rittberg as their new GM. Patch Culbertson, part of Republic Records A&R Department since 2009, has been named Republic’s Director of A&R effective immediately. Republic Records also promoted Naim McNair to Senior VP of A&R. Jake Wisely has been promoted to CEO of Bicycle Music and will oversee all music publishing, licensing and rights management at Bicycle and well as Concord Music Group while reporting to group CEO Scott Pascucci. Rob Wells resigned as Universal Music’s President of Global Digital Business after fifteen years at the company.
Good Ear Music Supervision, a music supervision company that has worked with Apple, Google, and others, has hired Jackie Shuman as Music Supervisor. Shuman was previously Head of Sync at Crush Management. Richard Dinnadge has been hired as International Business Development Director by Schott Music. Dinnadge was previously head of music and video at Reader’s Digest. Def Jam Recordings’ Gabe Tesoriero has been promoted to EVP of Media and Artist Relations. Tesoriero was formerly SVP of Media and Artist Relations at Island Def Jam Music Group and is Kanye West’s publicist.
Source: Music Registry
