Sony/ATV Music Publishing has promoted Johnny Tennander to the role of MD of the Scandinavian company.
Tennander will oversee all the operations of Sony/ATV Scandinavia, based out of its Stockholm offices. The promotion comes into effect immediately and he reports into Guy Henderson, Sony/ATV’s executive vice president of international. He succeeds Patrik Sventelius who has left to pursue other opportunities.
The new role will run alongside Tennander’s other responsibilities as senior vice president A&R Europe within Sony/ATV’s hugely successful pan-European A&R team, a role in which he reports into Sony/ATV UK managing director and president of European creative Guy Moot.
Guy Henderson said: “I am thrilled to be making this announcement. With Johnny’s experience and skill set he is well equipped to play this very important role, not only for Sony/ATV but for the Scandinavian industry as a whole. Backed up by a strong team and with his proven creative and A&R skills, Johnny is set to take our business in Scandinavia to its greatest heights.”
Guy Moot said: “I’ve grown up with Johnny in this business and I’m very proud of what he has achieved. He’s passionate about music and he’s passionate about winning deals but, more importantly, he has a deep passion for the music publishing business in this company. Scandinavia is such a forward-thinking market in terms of creating and exporting music and technology and I couldn’t be happier that Sony/ATV will be led there by him.”
Johnny Tennander said: “It’s an honour and very exciting to take this step and I want to thank Marty Bandier, Guy Henderson and Guy Moot for giving me this opportunity. We are in a defining time in the music industry and I couldn’t be in a better team or company to take on the challenges that lie ahead. For me it will always come down to the quality of the music and giving the absolute best possible service to our songwriters and artists.”
Tennander’s music industry career began at V2 Records before he joined EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia in 2002. He was promoted to head of A&R in 2006, became vice president A&R Europe in 2009 and then moved across to Sony/ATV in 2012 as head of A&R Scandinavia and Senior Vice President A&R Europe following the acquisition of EMI. He was made deputy managing director of Sony/ATV Scandinavia in early 2015.
Among his signings and songwriters he has worked closely with are DJ, songwriter and recording artist Avicii whose string of global hits includes Wake Me Up, Hey Brother and Levels, Lykke Li, Peter Bjorn and John, Lido (Halsey, Chance The Rapper, Ariana Grande) and Noonie Bao who has written hits for Charli XCX, Carly Rae Jepsen, Avicii and now has the current MØ single.
He signed Daniel Ledinsky who co-penned the Tove Lo hit Habits which was a US airplay No.1 and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, Astma & Rocwell (NONONO, Maroon5) and hotly-tipped Swedish artist Elias, while more recently he has enjoyed global success with Alan Walker’s Faded, which was co-written by writers Greve and Froen.
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