Music Industry Shuffles: Promotions and New Hires Across Major Labels and Distributors

Culture Wave, the Red Light Management subsidiary, has made significant moves on its roster and team. Rachel Hacken earned a promotion to artist manager, while the company absorbed Polarizer Management, bringing managers Ryan Cunningham and Mike Bingham into the fold along with their clients. Cunningham will maintain his role as publicist at Biz 3 Publicity. The company also named Paramore touring percussionist Joey Mullen as co-manager for Agriculture, working alongside Bingham.

Additional Culture Wave hires include Alana Lopez as touring and logistics manager, Madison Stern handling day-to-day management for co-founder Andrew Jarrin, Erin Carignan managing Cunningham's schedule while continuing as The Armed's tour manager, and Ana Garcia joining as digital marketing coordinator.

Warner Chappell Music Italy elevated two long-serving employees this month. Lodovico Pagani, who's been with the company for a decade, moved up to head of A&R. Francesca Rossi, a four-year veteran, took over as head of legal. The label also shifted Rossella Lorello—who's spent nearly 30 years at WCM Italy—to sync and licensing, and brought in Giacomo Domenichelli from Intera Music as A&R manager.

Qobuz tapped Will Evans, formerly Bandcamp's artist and label ambassador, as music merchandiser covering Australia and New Zealand.

In Nashville, Hybe America named Jake Basden, president of Sandbox Entertainment, to lead Blue Highway Records, the company's newly renamed country and roots rock imprint.

UMG's Virgin label completed its acquisition of Downtown Music and confirmed Pieter van Rijn, the former Downtown CEO, as COO. Andrew Bergman, who chaired Downtown's board, moved into a senior advisory capacity. Founder Justin Kalifowitz exited the company.

KHS America promoted Ryan Rehnborg, an employee since 2018, to creative and marketing communications manager.

At Secretly Distribution, Chris Welz became partner after more than two decades with the company in his COO role.

Runner Music hired Julia Betley as head of sync. Betley previously served as senior VP of creative sync at Warner Records.

Various Artists Management confirmed three UK promotions: George Shepherd advanced from senior manager to associate director, Rebecca Dixon moved from head of marketing and promotions to global head of marketing and strategy, and Kayleigh Ramchand-Bentley became GM. The company also recruited Kelley Fox from Advanced Alternative Media as senior international A&R.

Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment brought on Bruce Wheeler as GM of Loew's Jersey Theatre ahead of the venue's reopening later this year.

AXS appointed Henrik Berndtson, formerly CEO of All Things Live Sweden, as Nordics GM.

Finally, Casey Wasserman confirmed plans to sell his talent agency after stepping back from day-to-day operations.