WMG, UMG, whynow, Danny Wimmer, 1916, LVRN

Universal Music Nordics, part of Universal Music Central Europe, has launched One Nordic, a unified operational structure replacing the traditional country‑by‑country model across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Baltics. Designed to increase agility and cross‑market collabos, the framework connects local teams under four vertically integrated divisions — recorded music, live entertainment, artist management and D2C, and creative and commercial services — supported by shared resources. Joakim Johansson continues as president of the region, reporting to Frank Briegmann, who called One Nordic a “bold and forward-looking step.” Newly appointed leaders include Bjørn Rogstad (recorded music), Jimmi Riise (live), Casper Bengtson (artist management and D2C), Jael Steinberg (CCS), Erik Backman (finance) and Martha Åhlund (people, inclusion and culture). “With One Nordic, we are changing how we build and run music entertainment across the Nordic region,” said Johansson. “This is about reflecting how artists actually create, how fans engage, and how the business needs to operate in our region today. By removing silos and working as one team, we can move faster, think bigger, and create more impact for artists and fans alike.”

Top L-R: Johansson, Steinberg, Riise, Rogstad /// Bottom L-R: Bengtson, Åhlund, Backman

Warner Chappell Music has appointed music executive and entrepreneur Edward Matthew to the dual roles of vp of international A&R and head of creative for WCM Scandinavia. Based in Stockholm and reporting to Shani Gonzales and Lars Karlsson, Matthew will drive cross‑border collaboration and expand opportunities across Warner Music’s international network. Since relocating to Sweden, he has become a key figure in the region’s creative ecosystem, founding Lilly Raye Music, which has operated a successful joint venture with WCM since 2019. Under his leadership, Lilly Raye earned three Grammy nominations, achieved multiple Swedish No. 1s, and collaborated with global artists including BANKS, Doechii, GloRilla and FLO. “Edward is a rare talent who truly understands the fluidity of the global music scene,” said WCM chief Guy Moot. “He has an incredible ability to identify world-class creative talent and provide them with the infrastructure to scale globally. We’ve seen what he’s built with Lilly Raye, and bringing his sharp A&R instincts and entrepreneurial spirit more deeply into our international A&R fold is a win for our entire global roster.”

whynow, the London-based multimedia group, has appointed former BMG executive Fred Casimir and former Bravado managing director David Boyne as senior advisors to support the company’s expanding artist‑focused music and media platform. Founded in 2019, whynow blends merchandise, digital music journalism and documentary production. Based in Berlin, Casimir will help develop new artist partnerships and licensing opportunities, drawing on 35 years in the global music industry, including senior leadership roles at BMG. Boyne, based in London, brings extensive expertise in merchandise, fashion and brand partnerships from his tenure at Bravado and earlier fashion roles. “Fred and David both bring a shared belief in building long-term, meaningful opportunities for artists,” whynow CEO Gabe Jagger. “As whynow continues to evolve, their perspectives will be instrumental in helping us create partnerships and commercial models that genuinely serve artists and their audiences.”

Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) has opened a new downtown Nashville office, led by senior executives Boone Vires (svp, marketing), Jake Miller (head of content and creative) and Haley Baca (director of administration), marking a major expansion for the independent live entertainment company. Founder Danny Wimmer says the Music City expansion represents a “strategic step that supports our long-term vision and continued momentum.” The new hub builds on the success of DWP’s flagship Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life festivals, reinforcing the company’s nationwide growth as it expands its portfolio, deepens community impact, and strengthens partnerships with venues and casinos.

1916 Enterprises is expanding its music division with two senior hires and key internal promotions, as partner Ruchir Mohan welcomes Matt Vandini (formerly Sony Music/Ultra Records) as marketing director and Matt Nardone (formerly Kobalt Music) as A&R – manageme and publishing. Longtime team member Mikey Alessie is promoted, and Bella Ronzio steps into an expanded role. Gordon says the additions “bring a rare combination of creative instinct and executional strength,” while the promoted duo represent “the next generation of leadership” at the company. The expansion follows rapid momentum in the Management & Services division, where Mohan recently signed rising artists including Alexander Stewart, QKReign and Her blood.

Beasley Media Group has appointed Amy Leimbach as vice president and market manager of its five-station Las Vegas cluster, effective immediately. Leimbach brings over 25 years of leadership experience across broadcast, digital and integrated sales, most recently serving as region president for iHeartMedia’s Dallas Region, where she also held senior sales roles in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix and Portland. She previously held key leadership positions at Alpha Media and CBS Radio. Tom Humm, who has been Interim Market Manager, will shift into a Senior Adviser and New Business Development role. Beasley’s Las Vegas cluster includes KKLZ-FM, KVGS-FM, KOAS-FM, KXTE-FM and KCYE-FM.

NAMM recently announced that Carolyn Grant, longtime leader of the Museum of Making Music (MoMM) and member of NAMM’s management team, will conclude her tenure in summer 2026. A national search is underway for the next NAMM Foundation director to oversee MoMM, which highlights the history and impact of music products through exhibitions and community programs. During her 25‑year tenure, Grant curated hundreds of exhibitions, expanded educational initiatives, helped attract more than one million visitors, and guided the museum through major growth. “Carolyn has made such an incredible impact on NAMM during her storied career, and it will be a bittersweet day in June when she departs,” said NAMM CEO John Mlynczak. “Her passion and daily positive efforts have been a model of professional excellence and have a strong foundation for the future success of our museum and its programs.”

Love Renaissance (LVRN Records), the Atlanta-based record label and management company, has expanded its leadership team with three executive appointments. Erica Grayson joins as senior vice president of global A&R, bringing more than 20 years of experience from Interscope, NBCUniversal, Amazon and Sony Publishing, where she led major artist projects and global creative initiatives. Selitta Legrand has been named head of business and legal affairs, overseeing contracts, clearances and legal strategy following prior roles at Saban Music Group, EMPIRE and Plummer Law Group. Angela Alvino becomes vice president of accounting and operations, leading financial planning and company-wide operational oversight, backed by three decades of experience at City Winery, Icon Parking and Razor & Tie.

Music Support, the UK charity supporting music‑industry professionals facing substance addiction and mental‑health challenges, has appointed Claire Haffenden to its board of trustees. Haffenden brings three decades of experience in artist welfare, having spent 30 years at Universal Music UK before founding Haffenden & Co., and is widely respected for her discretion and advocacy for mental‑health support in high‑pressure creative settings. Her appointment comes as Music Support marks its 10th anniversary amid surging demand, with a 71% rise in people seeking help and more than half assessed as being in crisis.

Symphonic has opened applications for its annual Women Empowered+ mentorship program in celebration of Women’s History Month, offering mentees the chance to learn directly from top industry executives. This year’s mentors include Kassandra Robinson (Spotify), Sarah Davis (Downtown Music Publishing), Mayra Vargas (Concord Music Publishing), Bianca Alarcon (Spanish Broadcasting System), Juliette Leparrée (Music Story), Bilarys Ramirez (Rimas Publishing), Ellen Truley (The MLC), Isabel Echeverri (Meta), and Laurie Jakobsen (Jaybird Communications), alongside additional mentors from Audiomack, Chartmetric, Cinq Music, FUGA, Sony, and more. Selected mentors (apply here) and mentees will begin meeting monthly from April through November, supported by program-wide check‑ins and community events hosted by Symphonic.

Rights Intelligence, a new consultancy founded by Linda Collin and Åsa Enström, has launched to provide specialized expertise in music licensing and rights management. Collin, CEO, brings experience from Polaris Hub, Universal Music Group, and major negotiations with Spotify, Meta and Google, while Enström contributes 25 years of legal smarts across IP, licensing and tech roles at BMG Rights Management, Polaris Hub and Softube. The firm offers strategic and hands‑on support to CMOs, publishers, labels and tech platforms navigating complex licensing, AI developments and regulatory changes.

TIPS Music Limited announced that CEO Hari Nair will step down on April 30, after leading the India-based music company through a major digital transformation. Nair, who joined in 2023, said in his resignation letter that he achieved his goal of modernizing the storied label into a data‑driven digital business and is departing to pursue new leadership opportunities. During his tenure, TIPS secured key digital partnerships with Sony Music Publishing, TikTok, and Warner Music, driving strong revenue growth anchored by its iconic catalogue. Until a new CEO is appointed, his responsibilities will be shared by Girish Taurani (Executive Director) and Sushant Dalmia (CFO).

Longtime CBS Records promotion executive Gordon Anderson passed away this week at age 79. He also held notable roles at Manhattan and Savage Records, and co-founded the metal label Grudge Records … Natalie Waller was re-elected chair of the ARIA board, while Sean Warner was named deputy chair … Alex Flores has been appointed to head of Double P Publishing and president of Prajin Publishing, and Teresa Romo as its first-ever vp … and former WME leader Lucy Dickins has been named a managing director at CAA.