Ticketing and music discovery app Dice has announced a trio of new appointments in the latest step towards the company's global expansion.
First revealed by Music Week last month, former Coda agent Jason Edwards has been hired as the new head of music UK. Edwards, who previously represented acts such as Years and Years, Grimes and Alessia Cara, will succeed Russ Tannen, who has been promoted to UK managing director.
"Dice is bringing significant and long-needed change to the live music industry, and fans and artists love it," said Edwards. "Being able to lead the music team to help spread the word is an exciting proposition. We will help grow promoters margins, build sustainable and exciting careers for artists whilst ensuring fans have the best experience.”
Former NME senior staff writer Leonie Cooper has been appointed to the newly created role of editor, leading the editorial team as Dice expands into creating more original artist content.
Cooper said: “We’ll be creating something totally new in the way that we offer content to our growing fanbase and changing how users experience live music as soon as they open the app. Excitingly, Dice isn’t just brilliant for fans, it’s invaluable for artists too - we want to work alongside acts from the moment they step onstage at the Moth Club and still be with them when they’re headlining the O2 and the world’s best festivals.”
In addition, Patrick Duffy joins from Airbnb as creative lead. With 19 years in the creative sector, Duffy will bring a wealth of design-led expertise as Dice expands to a global audience with localised campaigns.
Duffy said: “We’re on a mission to free people from the insanity of the current ticketing system and connect them, easily and intelligently, to incredible live music that can change their lives. My primary motivation for joining this brand was that Dice actually cares about the fans and the artists; they have a point of view and we’ve been given the freedom to articulate it to the world. Our platform is leading the revolution and to be heading up the creative charge is a dream come true for me.”
CEO Phil Hutcheon said: “Dice is becoming the most important platform for fans to discover and buy tickets to the best gigs, club nights and festivals. Jason’s intelligence, insight and passion will help build artists, venues and promoters on the platform. Leonie’s one of our favourite writers and will bring expertise in creating stories to the large Dice community. And finally, Patrick’s creative background and leadership will help to propel Dice as a global brand. These new hires are joining Dice at an exciting time.”
PHOTO: (L-R) Jason Edwards, Patrick Duffy, Leonie Cooper
