Merlin has announced the appointment of Jeremy Sirota as the organisation’s new CEO.
Sirota – who joins Merlin from Facebook’s Music Team – succeeds Charles Caldas, who served as Merlin’s CEO since the agency’s founding in 2007. He will be based in both New York and London.
At Facebook, Sirota led the company’s efforts to license and acquire recorded music rights from independent record labels and distributors around the world for social music features across Facebook, Instagram, Oculus and Messenger.
Sirota previously held a number of senior positions at Warner Music Group, culminating in his appointment as SVP and head of business & legal affairs for both Warner-Elektra-Atlantic (WEA), Warner’s artist and label services division, and Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), Warner’s indie distribution arm.
In his role at ADA, Sirota helped deliver large distribution deals and built longstanding relationships throughout the global independent music sector – working directly with ADA’s roster of label partners, including Beggars Group, BMG, Dim Mak, Domino, Dualtone, Epitaph, Merge, Nettwerk, Partisan, Polyvinyl, Sub Pop, Tommy Boy and Triple Crown. Sirota’s remit also included support for Asylum Records, and helping to establish Level Music, WMG’s distribution platform for self-releasing artists.
Prior to his work at Facebook and Warner Music Group, Sirota was an associate at Morrison & Forster, LLP, New York, in their Technology Transactions Group.
Speaking about his appointment, Jeremy Sirota, said: “I am honored by this opportunity to lead Merlin and serve independents throughout the world. Merlin’s team of executives and employees are widely respected throughout the music and DSP communities, and I look forward to working closely with them to write the next chapter. With the digital music market potentially on the brink of another wave of transformative change, it’s vital that independents continue to have an organisation that represents their interests, ensures the value of their repertoire is respected, and keeps pace with innovation.”
Martin Mills, Merlin board member and Beggars Group chairman, added: “I’m delighted that we’ve found in Jeremy an executive with deep experience in both the tech and music worlds to build upon Charles Caldas’ exceptional work. He has all the credentials to help write Merlin's next chapter. With our new CEO, the right executive team, and a strong, newly-elected board, Merlin will continue to thrive and empower independents in this new decade.”
An official press release confirmed that Merlin’s senior management team is completed by Charlie Lexton (CCO) and Helen Alexander (CFO), both based in the UK, and Jim Mahoney (VP Global Operations) in the US.
In addition to Sirota’s appointment, Dave Hansen will move into a new role as executive chairperson.
Hansen, former GM, Epitaph Records, said: “Having committed to an incredibly rigorous and wide-reaching search, Merlin has found an exceptional individual to lead the organisation forward. In addition to his experience at Facebook, Jeremy brings a deep-seated knowledge of independent music and a reputation for embracing new, exciting and transformational technologies. We believe he can build on the groundbreaking work of Charles Caldas and ensure Merlin’s membership continues to thrive in a global digital music market.”
Merlin has also announced the results of its biennial board elections, with eight new executives joining the organisation’s 15-member board.
The new incoming board members are: Alexandria Hock (Better Noise Music), Carlos Mills (Mills Records), Chan Kim (Fluxus, Inc), Katie Alberts (Reach Records), Marie Clausen (Ninja Tune), Merida Sussex (Stolen Recordings), Michael Ugwu (Freeme Digital) and Pieter van Rijn (FUGA).
Merlin’s board is divided into three territorial blocs with equal representation given to North America, Europe and ROW. In first name alphabetical order, the full Merlin board is as follows:
North America
Alexandria Hock, Better Noise Music (US)
Darius Van Arman, Secretly Group (US)
Justin West, Secret City Records (Canada)
Katie Alberts, Reach Records (US)
Marie Clausen, Ninja Tune (US)
Europe
Emmanuel De Buretel, Because Group (France)
Horst Weidenmueller, !K7 Records (Germany)
Martin Mills, Beggars Group (UK)
Michel Lambot, PIAS Group (Belgium)
Pieter van Rijn, FUGA (Netherlands)
ROW
Carlos Mills, Mills Records (Brazil)
Chan Kim, Fluxus (South Korea)
Masahiro “Jack” Oishi, Danger Crue (Japan)
Merida Sussex, Stolen Recordings (Australia)
Michael Ugwu, Freeme Digital (Nigeria)
Merlin’s Advisory Board is:
Chris Maund (Mushroom Group)
Jason Peterson (Cinq Music)
Nando Luaces (Altafonte Network)
Paul Hitchman (AWAL)
Subscribers can read our December interview with outgoing Merlin CEO Charles Caldas here.
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