Executive Turntable: iHeartMedia Marketing Chief Steps Aside, Plus a TikTok Veteran Hooks Up With Jen
Time to drop the needle on the latest Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music.
Read on for (mostly) good news and also check out Billboard‘s annual list of top executives leading the live sector, plus our weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive, our helpful calendar of notable events, and have you ever wanted to look at tchotchkes inside the office of an executive while reading their in-depth answers to the most important questions facing the biz? From the Desk Of is probably your jam.
Gayle Troberman, iHeartMedia’s chief marketing officer for the past decade, is transitioning to a senior advisory role. In a joint memo to staff, chief executive Bob Pittman and president and COO Richard Bressler praised Troberman’s “major impact” on innovation and brand development efforts at the radio giant, adding, “we fully expect her influence to continue in her new role. We’re grateful for her innovative thinking and insights, and we’re pleased she will continue to contribute to the company.” In her advisory role, Troberman will continue leading thought leadership initiatives, including the “New American Consumer” studies, and remain active at key industry events like CES and Cannes Lions. Prior to iHeart, Troberman was CMO at IPG Mediabrands and spent a high-impact 16 years at Microsoft, where she was chief creative officer during rollouts for the Xbox, Bing and other major brands. A successor has not been announced.
RADIO, RADIO: Lauren Burrows Coleman is joining Beasley as chief financial officer, effective Nov. 1, succeedinmg retiring CFO Marie Tedesco, who served for 33 years. Burrows Coleman previously led global financial operations at Wayfair and has held leadership roles at WindSail Capital Group, Wind Point Partners, GE Capital and Lehman Brothers … Jim Malito joined Black River Entertainment as director of radio promotion west coast. He continues to be based in Phoenix. Malito’s career includes time at Warner Music Nashville, BBR Music Group, and most recently Stone Country Records, where he served as vp of radio promotion and marketing … and Big Loud senior director of media Jess Anderson wrapped a three-and-a-half-year run with the label on Oct. 17, with plans to take a new position next month. She had just been promoted in August.
Triller Group unveiled Kevin McGurn as its next CEO, effective in November, when “further enhancements” to the TikTok rival’s leadership will be announced. McGurn, with experience at T-Mobile, Vevo and Hulu, has a strong track record in driving innovation and fostering growth, with achievements including leading Vevo’s global expansion and building Hulu’s sales team. Meanwhile, 1-800-Flowers.com founder James McCann joins Triller’s board as chairman of the nominations committee. McCann brings over 40 years of leadership experience, having served in governance roles at Willis Towers Watson and International Game Technology. Finally, former Triller CEO Bobby Sarnevesht will remain on the board, providing strategic guidance to McGurn and other leaders. “Our renewed focus means Triller Group is well positioned to deliver best in class entertainment, when, where and how our fans watch it,” said McGurn. “We will continue to build from our strong roots in vertical video, music and sports, and optimise our expertise in mobile and connected television.”
Jen, an ethically-trained AI music creation platform, appointed TikTok’s former global head of music partnerships Isabel Quinteros as senior vice president of marketing and industry relations. In her new role, Quinteros will develop a scalable framework to help artists monetize their contributions, fostering a sustainable model for AI-driven music creation. She’ll work closely with cofounder Shara Senderoff. Quinteros, a public relations expert, joined TikTok in 2019 and helped transform it into a key platform for artists, supporting artists in every phase of their careers. She also co-launched TikTok’s first IRL concert and led DEI initiatives, earning industry recognition. Senderoff praised Quinteros as a game-changer who can “bridge the worlds of music and tech, while keeping talent at the center,” while co-founder Mike Caren highlighted her skills in partnership-building and innovation, adding, “I’m confident that under her leadership, Jen will set a new standard for how AI can elevate creativity while ensuring artists remain at the heart of the process.”
Frontiers Label Group, the Italian metal label, appointed Amy Pugh as global digital marketing & social media manager. With over 15 years of industry experience, Pugh is the founder of digital marketing agency 10/13 Media and has held key roles at Sony Music Publishing, EMI, Universal Music Group and Stingray Music. She has managed or worked on global campaigns for a slew of major artists, including Taylor Swift, Metallica, Wu-Tang Clan and Foo Fighters, among others. FLP president Serafino Perugino expressed enthusiasm for Pugh’s “massive expertise and fresh approach,” adding he’s “thrilled at the prospect of the added value that she will bring to the label and our artists.” Pugh, already a fan of several Frontiers acts — the label’s roster includes Blue Öyster Cult, Stryper, Winger and more — looks forward to contributing to the label’s success through innovative campaigns and projects.
The Academy of Country Music revealed its newly-elected board of directors for the 2024-2025 term. Previously announced officers for the ACM’s 2024-2025 term are Randy Bernard (chair), Cris Lacy (vice-chair), Jeff Krones (vice president), Carmen Romano (treasurer), Gayle Holcomb (sergeant-at-arms), Duane Clark (parliamentarian) and Tommy Moore (secretary). Newly elected board of directors members are Adam Weiser, Becky Gardenhire, BJ Hill, Cameo Carlson, Chandra LaPlume, Cyndi Forman, Deana Ivey, George Couri, Jon Loba, Kristie Sloan, Lee Thomas Miller, Marcel Pariseau, Margaret Hart, Martha Earls, Meredith Jones, Scot Calonge, Scott Scovill, Tim Roberts and Ward Guenther. Newly appointed director-at-large members of the board of directors are Aaron Spalding, Andy Moats, Benson Curb, Candice Watkins, Chris Lisle, Cindy Mabe, Curt Motley, Emily Falvey, Howie Edelman, Jeremy Holley, Matt Cottingham, Rod Phillips, Sally Seitz, Shawn McSpadden, Storme Warren and Tim Foisset. –Jessica Nicholson
The Orchard appointed Jeeyoung Lee as head of South Korea, overseeing operations from Seoul and reporting to evp and head of strategy, Prashant Bahadur. Lee, with nearly 20 years of experience at companies like Warner Bros. Discovery and CJ E&M, will manage label relations, release strategies, global distribution and regional support. Additionally, Sungho “Jake” Bae has been named director, Asia Pacific Region, Artist and Label Services. Bae, also based in Seoul, focuses on release strategies and cross-country marketing, drawing on previous experience at Spotify and Big Hit Music, where he played a key role in BTS’s global success. John Park, svp of strategy and corporate development, will now focus on business opportunities in Korea, working closely with Lee on new signings and partnerships. The Orchard’s Korean roster features artists from Starship Entertainment, ABYSS, Eric Nam and more.
OpenPlay Inc. hired Chris McMurtry as senior solutions architect to enhance the platform’s features for label and publisher clients. McMurtry brings over 20 years of music tech expertise, having led product development at companies like Artist Growth, PEX and Exactuals, where he launched RAI, a machine learning tool designed to enhance song metadata. Earlier in his career, McMurtry founded Dart Music, an automated digital distribution platform specializing in complex metadata. His industry impact earned him recognition on Billboard’s 2019 Digital Power Players list.
Berklee made it official with Michael Shinn as executive director of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, effective Oct. 28. Shinn, who has served as interim executive director since August 2023, will lead new initiatives, programs and collaborations while contributing to Berklee’s strategic planning. During his interim tenure, he expanded the dance division, raised over $4.2 million, hired more than 30 faculty members and recruited a new dean of theater. Previously, Shinn was the Conservatory’s dean of music for six years. Before Berklee, he chaired keyboard studies at Juilliard, his alma mater, and also co-founded the pianoSonoma Music Festival. “Michael brings a wealth of leadership experience to the executive director role, as well as a passion for the development of the arts, arts education, and performing artists in a contemporary context,” said David Bogen, Berklee’s interim president. “He is incredibly collaborative and supportive of faculty, staff, and students.”
mtheory appointed Jared Losow as senior director of tour marketing and Dirk Lemmenes as vp of client relations. Losow, co-founder of Barley MGMT, will be based in NYC, while Lemmenes, former COO and management lead for Zac Brown Band, will work from Atlanta. Losow brings nearly 15 years of industry expertise, having worked at various indie labels and venues, plus he held leadership roles at In de Goot Entertainment, Relapse Records and the San Francisco Symphony. Lemmenes clocked over 20 years in artist management and operations. He has managed teams across marketing, finance and touring for Zac Brown Band and previously worked as a MTV music supervisor, a booking agent, record store owner and touring musician.
EastCoast Entertainment appointed Erin Collums as director of marketing. With over 12 years of experience in marketing and entertainment, Collums has managed campaigns for major sports organizations like the Carolina Panthers (NFL) and Charlotte FC (MLS). At ECE, Collums will focus on enhancing the brand’s national presence through developing digital strategies to engage audiences and foster growth across corporate events, performing arts, comedy tours and various private entertainment programming. ECE president John Wolfslayer called it a “significant milestone in the company’s evolution” that Collums is joining the team, seeing her appointment as a key step as the company approaches its 50th anniversary. Passionate about live events, Collums believes in the transformative power of music and performance and looks forward to helping ECE create memorable experiences for clients.
ICYMI:
New York City nightclub complex Avant Gardner hired Josh Wyatt as its new CEO … Jeff Jones is stepping down as the CEO of The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd after 17 years in the role … Yoann Chapalain and Marc-André Niang will lead the newly launched Warner Music Africa Francophone … and Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino has been deposed in the ongoing litigation over the 2021 Astroworld disaster. [KEEP READING]
Last Week’s Turntable: Capitol Hires Breaker of Artists
Marc Schneider
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