MMF appoints new five-person board for 2021
The UK’s Music Managers Forum (MMF) has appointed its board for 2021, with members reelecting the association’s vice-chair, Kwame Kwaten (Ferocious Talent), and electing four new members.
As part of its annual general meeting yesterday (1 July), the MMF welcomed Adenike Durosaro (Big Drum Entertainment), Ross Patel (Whole Entertainment Group), Sandy Dworniak (This Much Talent/Twisted Talent) and Karl Nielson (William Orbit, Maeve) as board members, with Adam Tudhope (Everybody’s Management), Lisa Ward (Red Light Management), Ric Salmon (ATC Management) and Rachael Bee (ILuvLive).
At the AGM, MMF CEO Annabella Coldrick revealed that the association has increased its membership from 700 in 2019 to more than 1,200 today. She puts the the dramatic increase to successes in outreach, training and campaigning, including new initiatives such as Unite (the MMF’s forum to discuss race, anti-racism and injustice, run in collaboration with The Zoo XYZ), emergency funding programme ReBuild, which has provided nearly £500,000 of support to managers’ businesses to survive the pandemic, and the continued development of Accelerator, the grants and education programme for music managers.
The MMF’s membership, she said, is now 38% female or non-binary/gender non-confirming and 29 black, Asian or minority-ethnic.
Seven new associate partnerships were also announced at the AGM: livestreaming platform Moment House, funding platform beatBread, NFT marketplaces Bondly and Serenade, revenue share platform Shout4, advertising platform Feed and royalty firm CWorks. These companies join the MMF’s 44 existing associate members, including Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Spotify, TikTok and Songtrust.
Coldrick also gave an update on the MMF’s advocacy work, including #LetTheMusicMove, the campaign to end post-Brexit restrictions around European touring which now has the backing of more than 1,000 artists.
“It’s been a ludicrously tough 12 months and throughout the MMF has rallied to support the management community with initiatives like ReBuild, Unite and Accelerator, extensive virtual learning sessions and tireless campaigning and advocacy work. I’ve no doubt it’s why we’ve seen such a huge and rapid increase in our membership,” she says. “Music management can be an isolating and highly pressurised way of making a living, and I’m proud of the way the MMF continues to be an organisation where knowledge is shared and everyone is welcome.”
“As board members, the contribution made by Adam Tudhope, Lisa Ward, Ric Salmon and Rachael Bee has been immense, and I’d like to thank them sincerely for their generosity and input over many years of service,” comments MMF chair Craig.
“Alongside my redoubtable vice-chair, Kwame Kwaten, I would also like to welcome our four new board members Nike, Ross, Sandy and Karl. Their expertise and experience will be vital as we strive to ensure the MMF makes ongoing progress to represent all in our community.”
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Paul Craig elected MMF chair
Following the UK managers’ association’s AGM last week, the Music Managers Forum (MMF) has announced Paul Craig of Nostromo Management as its new chair.
Craig currently manages Biffy Clyro, and has previously worked with and managed acts including INXS, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand, Birdy, Bullet for My Valentine and the Overtones. He replaces Diane Wagg (Deluxxe Management), who steps down after four years at the helm, including three as co-chair with Stephen Budd.
Wagg will remain a board member for another year, before becoming an MMF custodian. Kwame Kwaten (Ferocious Talent) has been elected vice-chair.
“Working in tandem with our chief executive, Annabella Coldrick, Diane Wagg has been fundamental in transforming who the MMF represents and what it stands for,” comments Craig. “As well as overseeing industry changing initiatives such as Dissecting the Digital Dollar and the FanFair Alliance campaign, which have helped foster a new era of transparency and trust, there has also been a sea change in the make-up of our membership and our board.
“There has been a sea change in the make-up of our membership and our board”
“The increase in membership, especially among younger and female managers is testimony to Diane’s impact, her leadership and her innate sense of inclusiveness. Our last year working together has been hugely enjoyable.”
Under Wagg’s tenure, the MMF’s membership has grown by 35%, with the organisation now representing more than 500 UK-based managers, of whom a third are female and 20% from a BAME (black, Asian and minority-ethnic) background.
Adds Coldrick: “Diane has been a real rock of support for me personally. She ensured a welcome introduction, not only to MMF members but throughout the wider industry. I’ll always be in debt to her generosity and expertise, and for the positive stamp she has made on the MMF, ensuring we represent a greater diversity of managers, and a greater number of managers overall.
“I know that Paul and Kwame are huge advocates of her achievements, and I look forward to working with both of them.”
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