Various Artists Management (VAM) has appointed John Dawkins to the position of UK MD.

London-based Dawkins has been a partner at the company for five years and will continue to work closely with group CEO David Bianchi. A former tour manager, Dawkins relocated to LA in 2003 and worked with bands such as Bloc Party, Alexisonfire and Rise Against on the live scene.

Dawkins currently manages chart-topping singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, who has sold over 50,000 tickets to his live shows in the UK alone. His client roster also includes Rose Gray, Chappaqua Wrestling, Mugun, Frankie Beetlestone, Zuzu and Elli Ingram.

“I am really excited and energised to be taking on this new role and the responsibilities that come with it at such an exciting time for Various Artists Management,” says Dawkins. “Our aim is to be recognised as a significant player in the global big league of artist management and working alongside our amazing team I will be focused on helping us achieve that.”

John has been a key figure in our success in recent years

At VAM, Dawkins has helped guide the careers of Charli XCX, The Enemy, Shed Seven, among others. In 2007, he was awarded an ambassadorship by his home city of Coventry after the platinum-selling success of The Enemy Album We’ll Live And
Die In These Towns. He also owned the city’s now-defunct Rehab Warehouse venue.

David Bianchi, group CEO of VAM, adds: “John has been a key figure in our success in recent years what he has achieved with his own roster, especially Tom Grennan who is currently one of the UK’s most successful and important artists, is astounding. We are an ambitious company with a clear vision of what we want to achieve and John is the ideal person to help lead us towards those goals.”

VAM launched a North American division, headquartered in Los Angeles, in 2016.

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London-based Various Artists Management, whose roster includes Ashnikko, Tom Grennan, Supergrass, Loyle Carner and La Roux, has promoted Rebecca Dixon to head of marketing and promotions.

Dixon has been with Various Artists, which also has offices in Hong Kong and Los Angeles, for five years, helping oversee the careers of Charli XCX and the Libertines, among others.

Reporting directly to group CEO David Bianchi, in her new role Dixon will oversee the company’s global marketing and promotions activities and will work between the company’s London and LA offices once travel restrictions are lifted. Her appointment is effective immediately.

“I’m looking forward to working with our amazing roster of artists and managers in this new role”

“Rebecca joined us straight from university and it has been a huge pleasure to watch her grow into this role over the last five years,” comments Bianchi. “Rebecca’s energy , passion and creativity will add real value and expertise to our roster of artists globally.”

“I’m really excited to take on the position of head of marketing and promotions for Various Artists Management,” says Dixon. “Having been at the company for five years, I’m looking forward to working with our amazing roster of artists and managers in this new role.”

She adds: “[W]e have an array of exceptional talent and we will continue to build worlds and brands for those artists and their fans while innovating across all genres and platforms.”

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London-based Various Artists Management, whose roster includes The Libertines, Charli XCX, Spiritualized, Killing Joke and Reverend and The Makers, has launched a North American division, headquartered in Los Angeles.

Various Artists Management USA will be headed up by Matt Luxon, who cofounded the company in 2008 with Nick Ember and David Bianchi. In LA, he will, says the company, “oversee consolidating the company’s existing relationships, creating new opportunities for the Various Artists roster and developing new talent”.

Luxon says: “A number of the artists we represent are currently achieving real traction in the US, and having a dedicated office will allow us to further develop that success and create even stronger relationships with the American music business, brand partners and the associated creative industries.”

“Having a dedicated US office will allow us to … create even stronger relationships with the American music business”

“We operate in a global marketplace, and the US is the biggest market in the world,” adds Bianchi. “We have already achieved significant success, and it makes complete sense, therefore, for us to have an operational presence there to help develop the careers [of] and maximise opportunities for the artists we represent.”

In addition to its artist management business, Various promotes club nights with Vision Artists and runs a record label, VAM Records.

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