Universal Music Group (UMG) has promoted Frank Briegmann to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Universal Music Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Deutsche Grammophon. The new structure is designed to support collaboration across territories.
Briegmann, a 22-year UMG veteran who joined in 2004 as chief executive of the German business, will retain global leadership of Deutsche Grammophon alongside the expanded role.
Recorded Music and Publishing
- Sony Music UK has hired Jack Fryer as President of Catalogue, Digital Media and Sync. Fryer spent more than a decade at Universal Music in senior strategy and insight roles, most recently leading The Square, an in-house audience research and strategy unit. He will bring catalogue, the digital media agency, and sync under a single remit, reporting to chief operating officer Azi Eftekhari.
- Warner Music MENA, part of Warner Music Group (WMG), has promoted Ahmed Nureni to Managing Director and hired Ahmad Alghawanmeh from Sony Music as General Manager. Nureni joined WMG as general manager of Warner Music Middle East in 2022 and will oversee strategy, corporate development, and catalog expansion across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Morocco. Alghawanmeh spent eight years at Sony in digital business and revenue roles and will lead commercial growth and market expansion. Both report to Guillermo Gonzalez, President of Warner Music Europe, Middle East and Africa.
- Warner Music Mexico has promoted Yusim Aladro to General Manager. She joined earlier this year as Director of Marketing and previously co-founded indie label Rico o Muerto and held roles at Downtown Artist and Label Services, ONErpm, and Altafonte. She will lead strategy across WMG’s domestic roster in Mexico.
- Big Loud Records has named Dusty Miller as President of Catalog Acquisitions, a new division. Miller has more than 25 years in financial services and more than 15 in the music business, having founded Miller Wealth Sports and Entertainment and spent 13 years at Truist Bank advising sports and music clients.
- Music Services, part of SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) Music Group, has hired Nick LaPointe as Senior Director of Business Development. He joins from FUGA’s Audio Visual Services division and previously spent two decades at Warner Chappell Music. Jay Sudarma has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing at CCLI (Christian Copyright Licensing International) Group, with an expanded cross-portfolio marketing brief spanning Music Services’ full range of brands.
Live, Distribution and Rights
- Emporium Presents co-founders Dan Steinberg and Jason Zink will leave Live Nation at the end of 2026, after eight years with the company. Emporium Presents will cease to exist within Live Nation when they depart. The pair founded Emporium in 2015 before Live Nation acquired a majority stake in 2018.
- Believe has appointed Adriana Sein as President, Americas, a newly created role covering the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Sein joins from ADA (Alternative Distribution Alliance), Warner Music Group’s independent services arm, where she was Senior Vice President and Global Head of Artist and Market Development. She previously spent several years at Columbia Records. She reports to Romain Vivien, Believe’s Global Head of Music, and will oversee the company’s Label and Artist Solutions business across the region.
- Paul Shaver joins SoundExchange as Senior Vice President of Business Development. He arrives from CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency), where he served as President for seven years. He will focus on growth opportunities and partnerships, including around artificial intelligence, reporting to President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Huppe.
- Michelle Romeo, former co-owner of Romeo Entertainment Group and a two-decade veteran of the talent buying side, joins Reliant Talent Agency as Corporate Agent. She has bought talent for MontanaFair, the State Fair of Texas, Nebraska State Fair, and Colorado State Fair, among others.
