Music Industry Moves: APG Names Brian Nolan President of Global Marketing and Synch; NIVA Taps Stephen Parker as Executive Director
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Brian Nolan has joined Artist Partner Group (APG) as president of global marketing and synchronization. The former Motown executive VP will oversee all label marketing (including international marketing), sales and streaming, artist development and synchronization.
He will additionally be focused on breaking artists, marketing optimization, expanding business internationally, engaging brand and sync partnerships, recruiting talent, and will continue to serve on APG’s executive leadership team.
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Before this appointment, Nolan oversaw marketing for APG and, during his nearly 6-year tenure, scored a series of brand partnerships and campaigns for a diverse array of artists on the UMG roster. These included multiple deals for Lil Baby and a series of campaigns for Halsey with Beats By Dre.
“I am so fired up to join APG and grateful to [founder] Mike Caren for this opportunity”, says Nolan. “APG’s model and vision redefine what it means to be a partner with the artist. Coming on board with this team, I will be relentless in our pursuit of this goal, so that our artists can achieve their dreams”.
+ The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has appointed Stephen Parker as executive director. Parker will work with NIVA’s board and staff to grow the association’s membership in addition to expanding national partnerships in live entertainment sectors.
Parker is also responsible for promoting diversity and equity across independent venues, ensuring that music and comedy venues, festivals and promoters have a voice at the federal, state and local levels.
His background includes stints as a national association leader, a music policy advocate, a senior advisor to governors across the U.S., and a national coalition builder. He spent nearly a decade at the National Governors Association, where he directed intergovernmental and congressional affairs, and served as a liaison between governors and the federal government in addition to leading education, labor, economic, and workforce policy development.
“Independent venues and festivals are a platform for artists, an inspiration for fans and an economic driver in every state and community,” said Parker. “I look forward to working with the board of directors to ensure that live entertainment venues, festivals and promoters have the resources they need to survive and thrive, to advocate for equity across music and comedy ecosystems and to place NIVA at the forefront of policy discussions nationwide.”
+ Primary Wave Music has announced the promotions of Catie Monck, Samantha Rhulen, and Lexi Todd. All three execs are based out of the company’s New York office.
Both Monck and Rhulen will transition into senior VP roles in publicity and business and legal affairs, respectively. The two previously held VP positions in their corresponding departments.
Todd, who served as a director within the business and legal affairs department, moves into a VP position as one of the youngest VPs in the company’s history. Rhulen will continue to drive the company’s collection of catalogs, including handling acquisitions, as well as supervising asset management and exploitation, content development and branding initiatives; in the last year, she closed over $250 million in deals with artists and estates such as James Brown, Def Leppard, Julian Casablancas from the Strokes and Martina McBride, among others. Monck joined Primary in 2016 as director of publicity, before being promoted to VP in 2019.
+ Rock Paper Scissors has promoted Tristra Newyear Yeager to chief strategy officer and hired Travis Feaster as their new business manager.
Yeager, who has been with the company for seventeen years, steps up to the C-suite from her previous role as director of strategy. She will oversee PR/client services and guide strategic planning. Feaster joins with a background in the music industry and expertise in sales. He previously managed customer service with Wampler Pedals—even co-designing two pedals—and worked in B2B sales roles at Guitar Center and Boutique Amps Distribution.
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