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Executive Turntable: SMP Gets Creative, Red Bull Expands Leadership Team

A list of moves and shakes across the music business, including at Sony Music Publishing, Red Bull Records, The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and more.

Sony Music Publishing (SMP) promoted Ian Holder to svp of creative.

Since joining SMP in 2017, he has signed and developed prominent artists like Lil Tjay, Lil Durk and Jack Harlow amongst others.

“Ian is the reason I’m with Sony – he immediately made me feel at home,” said Harlow. “After I joined SMP, he continued to call me and not only connect me with new talent but check in on my mental state. I am grateful to call him a friend.”

In his new role, he will be responsible for contributing to the company’s A&R initiatives throughout the U.S. and will help lead it growing presence in Atlanta. Holder will also continue discovering and attracting new talent as well as advancing new opportunities for SMP’s songwriters.

“Ian has been critical to the success of Sony Music Publishing’s songwriters, and I am incredibly proud of Ian’s growth, passion and instincts as a creative executive,” said Sony Music Publishing Chairman and CEO Jon Platt. “I’m equally proud of his emergence as a leader – I look forward to working alongside Ian in this next chapter as he continues creating unique opportunities for our songwriters.”

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“We are living in a powerful moment where music continues to move culture, and it is a privilege to connect with songwriters every day and uplift their artistry,” added Holder. “I’m humbled to work alongside Jon, who has been an incredible mentor, and I’m grateful to collaborate further with the team at Sony Music Publishing as we continue supporting and growing our creative community.”

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Red Bull Records hired two new members to its leadership team: Nikki Cox as chief marketing officer and Storme Whitby-Grubb as chief creative officer. Each will report to managing director Greg Hammer.

With over 18 years in the music and entertainment industries, Cox formerly served as vp of global commercial marketing at Capitol Records. In her new role, she will lead the company’s marketing efforts and drive overarching artist strategy.

Whitby-Grubb will oversee all creative content and activations. For over 15 years, she specialized in visual storytelling for music, lifestyle, brands and culture and has previously developed creative concepts for Lana Del Rey, Interscope Records, Atlantic Records and more.

Red Bull also promoted Charles “CB” Burks III to vp of A&R. He joined the company in 2019 after serving as director of A&R at Universal Music Group’s label 10:22PM. In his new role, he will continue to oversee artist development and foster new musical talent.


U.K.-based livestream concert producer and promoter Driift has hired Sasha Duncan as head of production.

Duncan comes to Driift with over 20 years of experience in music TV and production, including the BBC, where she managed production teams at events including Glastonbury Festival, Reading Festival, the Mercury Prize, BBC Radio 2 In Concerts and the BBC Proms. She has additionally worked on programs including Channel 4’s Sing It Loud: Black And Proud and ITV’s V Festival 2020.

In her new role, Duncan will lead the company on all aspects of creative development, production and broadcast. She has already begun work on Driift’s forthcoming global livestream event for Live at Worthy Farm, which hosts the Glastonbury festival. The five-hour outdoor show will feature performances from Coldplay, Damon Albarn, HAIM and more.

“Sasha’s track record speaks for itself. She is one of the most respected figures in music TV, with vast experience of translating excitement from the biggest live shows and festivals into hugely successful broadcast events,” said Driift CEO Ric Salmon in a statement. “Her knowhow and dynamism is already proving invaluable to Driift as we look to attract the world’s most brilliant artists and directors, and create similar bridges between live performance and this new format we’re building in the global livestream space.”

Added Duncan, “Being part of the Driift team has been an absolute joy. The level of creative detail that goes into planning and executing these shows is astonishing, as are the production values, and it’s genuinely humbling to witness the immediacy and passion of audience reactions. There’s been a real spark. Obviously the opportunity to work with Glastonbury on the Worthy Farm livestream is incredibly exciting, but it still feels that we’ve only scratched the surface of this format. There’s so much more to come, not only with music but across all other artforms.”


The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced the hiring of Renae Williams Niles as the newly created chief content and engagement officer.

Reporting to the CEO Chad Smith, Williams Niles will provide strategic guidance and articulation of the L.A. Phil’s organizational goals and policy. She will also be responsible for the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) and will guide further integration of the L.A. Phil’s diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

“I am both overjoyed and humbled by the trust the L.A. Phil has placed in me,” said Williams Niles. “For quite some time I have found the L.A. Phil’s programming to be innovative and the educational programs to be incredibly impactful. I am looking forward to working with Chad, Gustavo and the entire Phil team to further the extraordinary programming and to also thoughtfully engage and work with a multitude of communities and colleagues, locally and across the globe. It is my hope our collective work will ensure programs and experiences that are unifying and inspiring.”

With over 25 years in the arts and nonprofit sectors, she joins the L.A. Phil from her most recent role at the Culver City Education Foundation where she served as executive director.

“I have long admired Renae and her work. From the foundational and defining programming she launched during her time at The Music Center to her participation in the establishment of the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at USC, her creativity, collaborative spirit and deep connection to our artforms have made her one of the most respected arts leaders in the country,” said Smith. “When the increasing complexity of our work and the institution’s ambitions for the future made it evident that we would benefit from creating the position of Chief Content and Engagement Officer, Renae was the person I immediately thought of, and I am thrilled that she has agreed to take this on. I know all of our artists, collaborators and partners, and the communities we serve, will join me in warmly welcoming Renae to the L.A. Phil.”


Triple Tigers Records promoted Hope Garrison to manager of marketing and promotion. She will report to svp of promotion Kevin Herring and vp of marketing Laura Hostelley.

“I am so excited to be working with Hope in her new role,” said Hostelley. “She has been an integral part of the team since she started, bringing creativity and tenacity in both the marketing and promotion world. As marketing and promotion continue to work closely together, her contribution in tying both together will bring great results for the Triple Tigers team and artists.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity and I am thrilled to be working with Kevin and Laura in this new capacity,” added Garrison. “If this year has shown us anything it’s that marketing and promotion are working closer than ever. Without live shows, we have had to lean more on the digital marketing space to develop our artists for airplay purposes, and we don’t see that changing.”

Triple Tigers is Sony Music Entertainment imprint in partnership with label president and partner Norbert Nix, Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 Management.


117 Entertainment announced its rebranding as an innovative publicity and artist development company. They also announced the additions of two new hires: Cassie Wells as label and content manager and Jentry Davis as publicity manager.

“A motivated and driven team is instrumental to our success in this era of ever-evolving strategies,” says owner and president Zach Farnum. “Cassie and Jentry add a new energy to our team and bring innovative ideas, unique experience and excitement. We are thrilled to have them as a part of the 117 family and helping us stay on the cutting edge of the industry. Our company is more collaborative than we’ve ever been!”

Davis started as an intern at 117 before going into B2B marketing and now returning to public relations. Wells formerly served as the morning host on YoCo Nashville before joining 117.


Live media platform Moment House announced a slew of new hires including: Sam Berger as head of music, Michele Bernstein as marketing strategist, Casey McCabe as head of live music and strategy, Dionte Goodlett as director of hip-hop and R&B strategy and partnerships, Randy Nichols as director of rock and metal strategy and partnerships, Bart Coleman as head of comedy for North America and Georgie Donnelly as head of comedy for the U.K.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Sam, Michele, Casey, Dionte, Randy, Bart, and Georgie to the Moment House team as we work to propel the company to new heights,” said Moment House CEO and co-founder Arjun Mehta. “Their deep expertise and unique specializations working with talent of all kinds will massively aid Moment House’s continued growth and evolution.”

All will continue to help the company achieve its mission of bringing people together through art and technology.


Warner Music Indonesia named Triari “Ari” Senawirawan as their new managing director. He will report to Simon Robson, president of international record music at Warner Music Group.

Senawirawan joins Warner from Visa Indonesia where he drove the company’s marketing strategy and consumer digital engagement.

“The future of Indonesia’s recorded music market is very exciting, as it’s poised for exponential growth when subscription really gains traction,” said Robson. “It’s crucial that we have a very strong team in place to maximize the considerable potential of the market, for our domestic and international artists.  Ari is a brilliant marketing specialist and brand strategist with a passion for music. Given his background, I’m confident that he can be instrumental in building up our domestic roster, amplifying our artists’ profiles and growing their fanbases in Indonesia and overseas, helping them sustain long-term careers.”