Columbia Records has named Nicole Kim vice president of A&R. She was previously head of A&R for BigHit Music/HYBE and head of creative for superstar K-pop group BTS. She worked across their collaborations with the likes of Coldplay, Halsey, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion and others. She will be based out of the company’s Los Angeles office.
Prior to joining Big Hit Music/HYBE in 2017, she held creative positions at Starship Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing Korea.
+ Incoming BMG CEO Thomas Coesfeld, who assumes his new role on July 1, has announced details of his new senior management team. In addition to succeeding founding CEO Hartwig Masuch, Coesfeld will also become a member of Bertelsmann’s Group Management Committee, the committee advising Bertelsmann’s Group Executive Board.
Effective July 1, Mathis Wolter will join BMG as CFO, replacing Coesfeld. Wolter joins from sister Bertelsmann division RTL Group. Also newly appointed to BMG’s top management team is Alberto Chullen Llamas, who joins BMG from Bertelsmann Education Group as EVP Investments to drive forward the company’s growth strategy and support future catalog acquisitions.
Joining Coesfeld and Wolter on a new BMG board are:
- Sebastian Hentzschel, now promoted from CTO to Chief Operations Officer, responsible for rights and royalties, supply chain, technology and data;
- Chief Content Officer Dominique Casimir, responsible for repertoire and marketing ex-US (excl. global recorded marketing), synch and corporate responsibility;
- Chief Human Resources Officer Nikola Holle-Spiegel, responsible for learning and talent development, talent acquisition and employer branding, HR analytics and projects and people and culture.
Tuesday, May 16
The T.J. Martell Foundation will be honoring three music industry veterans for its 45th annual New York Honors Gala, which returns to the City for the first time since 2019 on June 13.
This year’s honorees include Warner Records Co-Chairman and COO Tom Corson, who will receive the Lifetime Music Industry Award; Chief Creative Officer and executive VP at Def Jam Recordings Archie Davis, recipient of the Rising Music Superstar Award; and Grammy Award-winning songwriter/producer Shane McAnally, who will receive the Spirit of Music Award.
Gala Co-Chairs and Board Chairman John Esposito, Tunji Balogun, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Robert Carlton, Steve Gawley, Laura Swanson and Julie Swidler, will be hosts for the evening. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler, R&B star Coco Jones, and singer-songwriter Brandy Clark will provide entertainment.
As the Foundation’s primary fundraiser of the year, the Gala will support medical research and treatments focused on finding a cure for cancer. For more information see here.
+ Virgin Music has elevated three executives at the company: Leslie Cooper becomes senior VP of artist development and special projects; Marisa Di Frisco is the new VP of national promotion and Lauren Holman is the new VP of streaming marketing.
Based in Los Angeles, Cooper will oversee K-Pop releases and work to identify new artist development opportunities within the company and lead collaborative efforts in that area. She was previously VP at the company, where she worked closely with SM Entertainment on their SuperM and NCT 127 projects.
Di Frisco will continue to oversee promotion campaigns at alternative, rock, AAA, and non-commercial/college radio for Virgin Music. Holman will lead the streaming and playlisting strategy team, who is behind the successes of such artists as Rema, whose global hit “Calm Down” has been riding high in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for weeks.
“These three accomplished executives have played a crucial role in artist development. They make sure our labels and artists get the support they need at every phase of their careers,” said Jacqueline Saturn, President of Virgin Music. “I’m happy to be able to promote them to these important new positions where they will be able to contribute even more to our continued success.”
+ Warner Chappell Music UK (WCM UK) has announced the promotion of Amber Davis to the role of senior VP. She will simultaneously continue in her position as WCM UK’s head of A&R and will report to Shani Gonzales, WCM UK’s managing director.
In addition to continuing to oversee the A&R department, Davis will take on a broader role in shaping the publisher’s overall UK strategy. She joined the international team in 2014 as creative director and was named head of A&R in 2019.
“We have an incredible team here and a roster of world-class songwriters that I’m extremely privileged to work with,” commented Davis. “I’m excited to carry on discovering the best UK talent whilst also working with our senior leadership team to drive the company forward. I’d like to thank Shani, Carianne Marshall and Guy Moot for this incredible new opportunity.”
+ Hallwood Media, a full-service management company, has upped Danny Berkeley-Scott as its new vice president.
“Danny embodies what I believe a true manager should be,” said Hallwood Media founder and CEO Neil Jacobson. “He has an almost daring entrepreneurial vision embracing innovative ideas and partnerships. He has become a rising star and natural leader within our management division”.
During his time at Hallwood Media, Berkeley-Scott represented clients like Young DZA, who produced Cardi B’s “Up,” along with Elyas, who produced Drake and 21 Savage’s “On BS.” He also helped launch Hallwood Media’s Engineer Management division, signing Grammy-nominated recording engineers Angie Randisi (Lil Baby, PartyNextDoor, GloRilla, Tyga) and Mike Tucci (DaBaby, Juice Wrld, The Kid LAROI). On the global front, Berkeley-Scott expanded Hallwood’s producer roster throughout Eastern and Western Europe.
+ Eileen Mercolino will be joining the Veeps team as the company’s first chief marketing officer, taking the lead over the concert streaming business and its audience optimization, technology, marketing, merch offerings, philanthropic efforts, and partner alignments. She brings years of experience in executive roles at Hard Rock International, the Walt Disney Company, and most recently, Spin, to name a few.
+ FaZe Clan head of communications Chelsey Northern has left the LA-based esports and gaming brand to shift her focus to the PR firm she helped launch called the Untold.
FaZe Clan is now represented by the brand, alongside clients Deadfellaz, PROOF, Futureverse and the innovation teams at Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records.
+ 300 Entertainment has partnered with Florida-based imprint Remain Solid for a label joint venture. Remain Solid was founded by 100k Track, who has helped manage the careers of such artists as YNW Melly, King Von, Hotboii, and more.
“This partnership with 300 Entertainment was based on loyalty and family,” said 100k Track. “Since their signing of YNW Melly in 2018, the love and respect from Kevin Liles, Selim Bouab, and Rayna Bass has never wavered. 300 showed me the blueprint of developing and launching a successful artist and how to navigate the business. I’m excited to continue this journey and put some major wins on the board.”
“Track has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his artists,” adds Selim Bouab, co-president of 300 Entertainment “His natural ability to connect with artists and recognize their gifts aligns with our mission at 300. He has an incredible ear for music and we look forward to signing more talent this year and beyond.”
+ Veteran publicist Hillary Smoot has joined the Schneider Rondan Organization (SRO PR) as Las Vegas director and senior account executive.
Smoot, who has nearly 30 years of experience in the business under her belt, will bring several of her own clients including Feld Entertainment Inc. (“Disney On Ice” and “Monster Jam”), Las Vegas-based restaurants and venues, plus the restaurant Backyard Kitchen & Tap.
The news was announced by SRO PR’s partners Marcee Rondan and Mitch Schneider, who opened the company’s Las Vegas office three years ago.
“Hillary and I met two years ago in Las Vegas through our mutual friend and associate, publicist Laura Herlovich,” said Schneider. “I was immediately struck by Hillary’s abundance of passion, skills, knowledge and super-tight relationships with the media… We stayed in touch via lunches and meet-ups, which then evolved into a working relationship when we both came together to handle the Nice Hospitality Group in late 2022. Working closely with Hillary on that account really planted the seed for us to combine forces in a bigger way at SRO PR. I truly feel it’s limitless as to what we can achieve together.”
