Executive Turntable: Moves at Capitol Music Group, Musicians On Call, & More

Capitol Music Group announced the hire of Emmanuelle Cuny as senior vice president of video production on Feb. 5.

“I am super thrilled to bring my unique creative eye to such an iconic company and its passionate team, and look forward to sprinkling my light and magic everywhere.  We are in a very special time where creating outstanding and innovative visual content is so vital in developing our young superstars and helping our established artists to remain at the forefront of our culture,” said Cuny in a statement.

“Emmanuelle is a true champion of artists who has earned her reputation as a trusted creative advisor and collaborator.  She has tremendous energy and spirit to complement her wealth of experience, and I couldn’t be happier that Emmanuelle has made the move to the west coast to join us here in the Tower,” added CMG Chairman & CEO Steve Barnett.

EMPIRE announced the hire of Amir Abbassy as head of content development and production and Peter Kadin as vp of marketing on Feb. 4. 

“I have spent my career championing independent and established artists, especially through leveraging new technologies, social media and video content. There couldn’t be a more dynamic player in the market to partner with than EMPIRE,” said Abbassy in a statement. “I have known and respected Ghazi and Nima for years and watched them build EMPIRE brick by brick into one of the leading, wholly independent music companies. I’m excited to have the opportunity to create original series and longer form content featuring the most dynamic artists in the world, and giving those artists the massive infrastructure, support and reach of EMPIRE. All ideas and creative directors, writers and talent are welcome as we open our new studio in downtown San Francisco.”

“I’m thrilled to join the bold and innovative team at EMPIRE,” added Kadin. “EMPIRE has a keen sensibility for artist discovery and growth beginning at the earliest, most exciting phase of an artist’s career, and it couples that with the foresight to capitalize on future trends in the music industry and in culture as a whole.”

Mixcloud announced the hire of Daniel Petruzzi as vp of partnerships on Feb. 4. He will be based in New York City to help the London-based company expand in the U.S.

“Mixcloud’s history is grounded in integrity, both toward its creator community and the music industry. They’re going through an exciting period of growth and have big ideas to evolve from being a tech platform into a culturally relevant brand,” said Petruzzi in a statement. “I’m looking forward to helping the team dig in to the U.S. scene, securing the talent partnerships needed to solidify their place as the go-to platform for creators and their fans worldwide.”

“Daniel has played a critical role in establishing Okayplayer as a cultural force in the music world and beyond, helping to define and create the gold standard for online music communities comprised of both artists and fans,” added Nikhil Shah, co-founder of Mixcloud. “We are thrilled to have him join Mixcloud’s New York office, where his culture marketing expertise and music industry knowledge will help us greatly expand our community in the world’s biggest market.”

Warner Music Sweden announced the hire of Niklas Twetman as marketing director on Feb. 5. He will report to Jonas Siljemark the president of Warner Music Nordics.

“Niklas comes to us with an amazing track record and an international outlook. He also has a spirit of entrepreneurialism that will sit well in our team and shares our artist-centred approach to the business. We’re delighted he’s joined us and can’t wait to harness his talent for our artists,” said Siljemark in a statement.  

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to work with Jonas and his team who’ve built an incredible reputation for artist development. Sweden led the streaming revolution and remains at the cutting edge of our changing business. So this is an unrivalled chance to develop pioneering campaigns that rewrite the rules for connecting artists and fans,” added Twetman   

ONErpm announced the hire of Michelle Fantus as vp of a&r on Feb. 5. She will scout and sign new clients.

“I’m excited to be a part of such a forward-thinking, modern music company, and for the value I’ll be able to offer artists in this new role,” said Fantus in a statement. “ONErpm is uniquely positioned to cultivate talented artists in every aspect of the business. I’m looking forward to bringing these capabilities to bear for the next generation of music superstars.”

“Michelle has a keen ear for talent, which she has proven over and over again in her decade-plus career in the music industry so far,” added Jason Jordan, managing director of North America at ONErpm. “Her ability to find, sign, develop, and advocate for promising artists will be crucial as we continue our expansion by bringing in the best artists and labels in America and beyond.”

ole announced the appointment of Al Pedecine to interim chief financial officer on Feb. 6. He will work closely with Chris Giansante the senior vice presidentof finance and administration.

“I am very pleased to join Helen and the entire ole team, and I look forward to helping them determine the path forward for the ole family of businesses. As ole grows and expands its business reach, it is sure to become an ever more valuable partner to its writers, artists, and clients. I appreciate the opportunity to help make this happen under Helen’s leadership,” said Pedecine in a statement.

“I am very excited to have Al assist me as we chart our plans for future growth. Al has tremendous financial discipline and integrity, as well as a tireless work ethic. He has been a strong supporter of creative talent throughout his career and I look forward to benefiting from his wisdom and expertise,” added Helen Murphy the chief executive officer.

Musicians On Call announced four new members to their national board of directors on Feb. 7 including Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships for Maverick Management Alisann Blood, EVP of Marketing for Live Nation Clubs & Theaters Alex Merchan, President of Parma Ventures Tim Scarvey, and Vice President of G7 Entertainment Marketing Rick Whetsel.

“As we work to expand our programs and reach thousands more people with the healing power of music, we are extremely fortunate to bring on the talents of Alisann, Alex, Tim and Rick to our National Board of Directors. They have each already provided so much value to our mission and their expertise will be invaluable to the work of the board. We are thrilled to have them join our incredible group of influential industry leaders,” said Musicians On Call President & CEO Pete Griffin.