Executive Turntable
Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre Announces Crystal Longo as General Manager
Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre has announced Crystal Longo as general manager for the 93-year-old building. Longo first served as deputy general manager for the theater in January 2020 before leaving due to the pandemic. Upon her return, Longo was asked to helm the venue that underwent a $95 million renovation between 2010 and 2015. Longo started her career in live music as a bartender at New York’s iconic Webster Hall while in college. The New York native then made her way to Hammerstein Ballroom where she worked her way up from operations and concessions to booking and venue management before joining The Bowery Presents as director of operations. While with Bowery, Longo led the team at Times Square’s PlayStation Theater and worked on the renovation and reopening of Webster Hall in April 2019....
David Dormon Returns to Downtown Music Holdings as General Counsel
David Dormon is back in the fold at Downtown Music Holdings, where he’s appointed general counsel. Based in New York, Dormon returns to the music services provider following his departure last fall as vp, legal and business affairs, whereupon he joined international law firm Reed Smith LLP. At Downtown, Dormon succeeds current general counsel Peter Rosenthal, who is exiting to “pursue another opportunity,” according to a statement issued Friday morning (Feb. 25). “I know I speak for the entire company when I welcome David back into the Downtown family,” comments Andrew Bergman, CEO of Downtown Music Holdings. “David has a deep knowledge of all of our operations, keen negotiating skills, global M&A expertise and the respect of the entire industry. I am pleased to be able to offer him th...
Dan Rutman Joins Spotify as Head of Music Creator Partnerships
Dan Rutman has been hired at Spotify as head of music creator partnerships, the confirmed with Billboard on Friday (Feb. 18). Music Business Worldwide first reported the news after Rutman posted an update to LinkedIn the day prior. According to a job post advertising the role, Rutman will spearhead a partnerships strategy “that drives positive sentiment toward Spotify for Artists, accelerates creator adoption of our offerings, and positions Spotify as the ultimate place to build, reach, and monetize an audience.” He’ll also be tasked with developing “scalable processes to manage multiple partnerships simultaneously” while collaborating with Spotify for Artists leadership, creator marketing and Spotify’s corporate and business development teams. Rutman arrives at Spotify from TuneCore,...
Def Jam Names LaTrice Burnette EVP
Def Jam Recordings has named experienced label veteran LaTrice Burnette as its new executive vp, the company announced today (Feb. 8). As part of her move, Burnette will also be bringing her label 4th & Broadway, which she relaunched as president in November 2020, under the Def Jam umbrella. Burnette moves to Def Jam from Island, which she had joined in 2018 as executive vp/general manager. In 2020 she led the relaunch of 4th & Broadway — originally an Island imprint that had been founded in 1984 as a hip-hop and dance label, most notably home to recordings by Eric B. & Rakim — and has since signed artists including Young Devyn, Lil Migo, Pap Chanel, Chiiild and Kidd Kenn to the label. The artists, the label and the core staff of 4th & Broadway will follow Burnette to Def J...
Executive Turntable: Warner Records Taps Commercial SVP, Stem Strengthens Artist & Label Team
Josh Remsberg was named senior vp, commercial revenue at Warner Records. The Los Angeles-based Remsberg joins Warner from Universal Music Group’s Capitol Records, where he’s served as senior vp, commerce & business development since 2020. In his new role, he’ll report to and work closely with Warner Records executive vp, promotion & commerce Mike Chester to develop and implement the label’s new release and long-term sales strategy and artists campaigns across streaming, digital and commercial platforms and accounts. Remsberg joined UMG in 2001 as an 18-year-old college representative at the University of Michigan. After graduating, he was hired as a field rep for Geffen Records in Detroit. He later worked for UMG’s distribution arm with a focus on the Republic and Motown labels. He...
Mike Alexander Named General Manager of Island Records
Universal Music Group veteran executive Mike Alexander has been named the general manager of Island Records, the label announced today (Jan. 31). Based in New York, Alexander will report to new Island co-CEOs Justin Eshak and Imran Majid. Alexander has spent the past year as executive vp at Island, helping the transition as former CEO Darcus Beese returned to his native England to take a job with Warner U.K. Prior to that role, Alexander was executive vp international at UMG, where his purview extended to Island, Republic and Def Jam. “Mike has a well-earned reputation as a successful global strategist,” Majid said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with him to build on the success of Island’s roster of new and established artists,” Added Eshak, “Mike’s experience gives hi...
Beggars Group Names New President
4AD U.S. label manager Nabil Ayers will succeed Matt Harmon as president of Beggars Group’s U.S. operations, the label group announced Tuesday (Jan. 25). Harmon, who has been with Beggars for 24 years, is exiting the company to pursue other opportunities. The label consortium has also promoted Claire Taylor to the role of general manager. Ayers has served as U.S. label manager for Beggars Group subsidiary 4AD since 2009. In his absence, Simon Halliday will continue leading 4AD in his role as worldwide managing director. “We are very grateful to Matt for his contributions over two decades which have brought us such success, but equally excited about Nabil and Claire’s elevations, as we look forward to an even brighter future,” said Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills in a statement. Ayers i...
Executive Turntable: Merlin Conjures New Board; WMUK Label Vet Promoted to SVP, Commercial
Merlin announced its newly-elected board, which includes representatives from 12 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and Oceania. The Merlin board includes equal representation from the organization’s three regional blocs: North America, Europe and All Other Countries, according to a press release. Nine of this year’s board members were elected or appointed for their first term, while 11 members are returning for another term. Newly elected to the 2022 board are: Pascal Bittard, owner of IDOL (France); Tom Deakin, head, EMEA at AudioSalad (U.K.); Sandra Ortega, director, global partnerships at Altafonte (Mexico); Louis Posen, president & executive director at Hopeless Records (U.S.); Jason Taylor, director, sales & label relations at Redeye (U.S.); a...
Capitol U.K. Co-President Nick Raphael Exits Company
Nick Raphael, the co-president of Capitol Records U.K., has exited the company, sources confirmed to Billboard. No reason was given for the exec’s departure, which was said to be amicable, in news that was first reported by Record of the Day. Raphael was named president of Capitol’s British outpost upon its launch in April 2013, when he moved from London Records to take over the newly-standalone frontline, shortly after Steve Barnett took the reins at Capitol Music Group. His exit comes weeks after Michelle Jubelirer was named the new chairman/CEO of CMG globally. Co-president Jo Charrington will continue to lead the label as its sole president moving forward, sources tell Billboard. Charrington has a long history alongside Raphael, having moved from London Records to Capitol U.K. in 2013 ...
Disney Taps Spotify Exec Horacio Gutierrez as General Counsel
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek has found the successor to longtime Disney executive and general counsel Alan Braverman. Disney has named Horacio Gutierrez senior executive vp, general counsel and secretary for the company, succeeding Braverman, who is retiring at the end of the year. Guttierez joins from streaming audio giant Spotify, where he was head of global affairs and chief legal officer. The executive, who starts at Disney Feb. 1, previously served as general counsel at Microsoft. “Horacio is an incredibly skilled attorney and dynamic leader who comes to Disney with 35 years of legal experience in markets around the globe. Having spent more than two decades working for premier technology companies, he has an extensive understanding of the complex legal questions that come with techn...
OnlyFans Founder Tim Stokely Steps Down as CEO
OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely has stepped down as chief executive and will be immediately succeeded by Amrapali “Ami” Gan, the company said on Tuesday. Gan was most recently the chief marketing and communications officer for OnlyFans and will now “assume the day-to-day leadership” of the London-based company from Stokely, who is leaving to “pursue new endeavors,” OnlyFans said. Stokely will remain on as an adviser to assist with the leadership transition. A company spokesperson declined to comment further on Stokely’s reason for leaving the company. “Ami has a deep passion for OnlyFans’ business and I’m passing the baton to a friend and colleague who has the vision and drive to help the organisation reach its tremendous potential,” Stokely said in a statement. “OnlyFans is still a new compa...
UnitedMasters Names David Reich President
David Reich has been named president at UnitedMasters, the company announced Friday (Dec. 17). He succeeds Lauren Wirtzer-Seawood, who departed the role in May to join SoundCloud as chief content and marketing officer. Reich arrives at UnitedMasters following five years at Uber, where he led product and growth in 60 countries before founding and leading Uber Transit as general manager and head of product. Prior to that, he was a founder and CEO at Assured Labor, a digital recruitment platform in Latin America. “David has played a key role in building some of the most impactful digital marketplaces in the world,” said UnitedMasters founder and CEO Steve Stoute in a statement. “We are excited that he has joined the UnitedMasters team at such an important inflection point in the music industr...
