Merlin’s Jim Mahoney promoted to VP, Global Operations
Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent label sector, today announced that Jim Mahoney is promoted with immediate effect to the newly created role of VP, Global Operations.
Joiningthe Merlin team in October 2014 as General Manager US, Jim has overseen theestablishment and growth of the organisation’s North American operation -providing a primary contact for Merlin’s expanding US membership of independentrecord labels, distributors and artist service companies, and ensuring theyderive full benefits from the agency’s global licensing partnerships.
Jim wasrecently named among Billboard’s 2019 Indie Power Players, and the promotion tothis new global role will see him step up alongside Charlie Lexton (CCO &General Counsel) and Helen Alexander (CFO) as part of Merlin’s seniormanagement team, reporting directly to CEO Charles Caldas.
Jimwill continue to work in Merlin’s New York office, alongside Bela Zecker,Merlin’s Member Services & Operations Manager, Americas.
CharlesCaldas, CEO, Merlin, said:
“Jimhas earned the respect of the entire independent music community. Since joiningMerlin in 2014, his hands-on approach has played a key part in our successesand expansion - providing a trusted point of contact in the world’s largest musicmarket, and ensuring our members are benefitting from the full scale ofMerlin’s global licensing deals. His promotion to VP Global Operations isrecognition of this important work, and ensures our worldwide network will groweven stronger in the months and years ahead.”
JimMahoney, Merlin VP, Global Operations, added:
“I’mgrateful for the support of Charles, the Merlin Board of Directors, mycolleagues and, really, the entire Merlin membership who challenge us, educateus, support us and rely upon us. It’s been my life’s work supportingindependent distributors, labels and artists and the music partners who valuethis community’s work. As such, Merlin’s mission is quite personal to me andit’s with that great respect that I enthusiastically approach this new role.”
Merlin operatesglobally with offices in London, New York and Tokyo, with a head office inAmsterdam.
Supportingthe senior management team are Tom Deakin, Merlin’s longstanding Director,Global Member Services as well as Akira Nomoto (General Manager, Japan), ChaidaKapfunde (Headof Technology & Development), Christopher Tarbet (Head of Global Member Operations)and Marta de la Hoz (Head of Reporting &Analysis).
In June2019, Merlin revealed record revenue distributions, with $845m paid toindependent label and distributor members between April 2018 and March 2019 -including more than $130m in revenues from settlements and other non-royaltyincome such as proceeds from the sale of Spotify shares.
Aspreviously announced, Merlin CEO, Charles Caldas, is due to step down at theend of 2019.
Merlinis the digital rights agency for the world’s independent label sector.
Theorganisation’s members command in excess of 12% of the digital recorded musicmarket and embody more than 20,000 independent record labels and distributorsfrom 63 countries.
Theseinclude Altafonte Distribution, Armada Music, Beggars Group, Curb Records, DimMak, Domino, Eleven Seven Music Group, Entertainment One, Epitaph Records, !K7,Kobalt Label Services/AWAL, Mad Decent, Merge Records, mtheory, Mom + Pop,Ninja Tune, PIAS, Redeye Distribution, Secretly Group, Symphonic Distribution,Sub Pop, The state51 Conspiracy and Warp Records, representing some of theworld’s most important and successful artists.
Merlinacts to ensure these companies have effective access to new and emergingrevenue streams and that their rights are appropriately valued and protected.
Sincecommencing operations in May 2008, Merlin has licensed over 25 key digitalservices including Facebook, YouTube Music, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, Alibaba,NetEase and Tencent, and has reached a number of high value copyrightinfringement settlements on behalf of its members.
Merlinhas won ‘Independent Champion’ at the A2IM Libera Awards three times - in ‘15,‘16 and ‘18. The company’s CEO, Charles Caldas, has been recognised byBillboard in its 2019 list of the 100 most influential people in the musicbusiness, for the second year running, while Merlin has been named as anadvocate for the publication’s 2018 ‘Indie Power Players’.
Merlinhas offices in London, New York and Tokyo, with a head office in Amsterdam.