![\"Entertainment](\"https:\/\/www.digitalmusicnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Ari-Gelaw-Main.jpg\" "\\"Entertainment\\"")
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Ari Gelaw, Sony Music Publishing\u2019s SVP of creative A&R. Photo Credit: Presley Ann<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Entertainment Here\u2019s a recap of recent music industry hires and in-house promotions as of July 31st, 2026.<\/span><\/h2>\nIf you have a job shuffle to share, we\u2019re all ears. Send us a note to\u00a0ne**<\/span>@**************<\/span>ws.com<\/span>. If you\u2019d like to post a job on our Job Board, just send us a request to\u00a0no**<\/span>@**************<\/span>ws.com<\/span>. And, keep track of all the latest music industry hires\u00a0<\/span><\/em>here<\/span><\/em><\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nWarner Music Group<\/h4>\n
Another<\/em> shakeup at WMG?<\/p>\nAfter a little more than one year with Warner Music, CFO and COO Armin Zerza has suddenly exited the company \u201cfor personal reasons,\u201d with DMN getting the low-key email alert late on Friday. Following the abrupt goodbye, Chief Accounting Officer Louis Dickler has once again been tapped to serve as interim CFO, having temporarily assumed the title in 2021.<\/p>\n
And on the COO side, Tom Corson will remain Warner Records\u2019 COO \u201cfor a transitional period\u201d in addition to stepping into the same role on a company-wide basis \u2014 per the aforementioned late-Friday update.<\/p>\n
SiriusXM<\/h4>\n
And for those that want even more<\/em> executive drama: SiriusXM EVP and COO Wayne Thorsen is also suddenly departing<\/a> after less than two years with the company. The news was slipped into Sirius\u2019 recent financial update; no word on why Thorsen is jetting exactly.<\/p>\nSymphonic<\/h4>\n
In calmer appointment news, Symphonic Distribution has announced four A&R hires, welcoming Spotify vet JD Parent<\/a> (manager of A&R and client development) in Canada and longtime Kobalt higher-up Nick Robinson (A&R and business development consultant) in the UK.<\/p>\nAdditionally, former Tigerspring senior A&R manager Pia Eiser (senior A&R manager for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria) has come aboard in Germany, and Nigeria-based Rhythm Managements founder David Niran<\/a> is now A&R and client development manager for Africa.<\/p>\nFinally, in the Netherlands, Symphonic has elevated Sander Stijnen<\/a> to senior director of A&R and client development.<\/p>\nSony Music Publishing<\/h4>\n
Elsewhere, SMP has bumped Ari Gelaw, who\u2019s been with the publisher for the better part of five years, to SVP of creative A&R; the exec \u201cwill be responsible for leading the company\u2019s US R&B\/Hip-Hop team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Secretly Distribution<\/h4>\n
Having started with Secretly Distribution in 2020, Kristian Downs has been upped to executive director of platform operations.<\/p>\n
Pipeline<\/h4>\n
Spencer LeBoff, most recently Avex\u2019s<\/a> head of publishing and acquisitions, has signed on as Pipeline\u2019s<\/a> head of revenue.<\/p>\nBorchetta Entertainment Group<\/h4>\n
Borchetta Entertainment Group has added longtime Vector Management exec Kevin Spellman and Henley Halem (who likewise joins from Vector) as co-VPs.<\/p>\n
Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA)<\/h4>\n
The EMRA<\/a> has brought on Hani Masgidi as association director. In the post, the Qanawat business development VP will \u201clead the development of EMRA\u2019s framework.\u201d<\/p>\nSphere Entertainment<\/h4>\n
Multi-decade comms and marketing specialist Karen Laureano-Rikardsen is now Sphere Entertainment\u2019s<\/a> global head of corporate marketing and communications.<\/p>\nGLP<\/h4>\n
Austria\u2019s Georg Leitner Productions has expanded in the UK by hiring Arts & Entertainment Productions MD Manfred Seipt, who resides in London, in a senior position.<\/p>\n
Music Venue Trust (MVT)<\/h4>\n
Longtime UK government official Chris Hurne is officially the MVT\u2019s<\/a> head of external affairs.<\/p>\nPatreon<\/h4>\n
Not to end on a dour note, but Patreon has now laid off 93 employees<\/a>, some of whom joined the company earlier in 2026. Impacted roles include a staff engineer, the head of top creator partnerships, plus a senior fraud prevention specialist, associate manager, content moderation specialist, social media manager, and recruiter.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n
Warner Music Group<\/h4>\n
Another<\/em> shakeup at WMG?<\/p>\n After a little more than one year with Warner Music, CFO and COO Armin Zerza has suddenly exited the company \u201cfor personal reasons,\u201d with DMN getting the low-key email alert late on Friday. Following the abrupt goodbye, Chief Accounting Officer Louis Dickler has once again been tapped to serve as interim CFO, having temporarily assumed the title in 2021.<\/p>\n And on the COO side, Tom Corson will remain Warner Records\u2019 COO \u201cfor a transitional period\u201d in addition to stepping into the same role on a company-wide basis \u2014 per the aforementioned late-Friday update.<\/p>\n And for those that want even more<\/em> executive drama: SiriusXM EVP and COO Wayne Thorsen is also suddenly departing<\/a> after less than two years with the company. The news was slipped into Sirius\u2019 recent financial update; no word on why Thorsen is jetting exactly.<\/p>\n In calmer appointment news, Symphonic Distribution has announced four A&R hires, welcoming Spotify vet JD Parent<\/a> (manager of A&R and client development) in Canada and longtime Kobalt higher-up Nick Robinson (A&R and business development consultant) in the UK.<\/p>\n Additionally, former Tigerspring senior A&R manager Pia Eiser (senior A&R manager for Germany, Switzerland, and Austria) has come aboard in Germany, and Nigeria-based Rhythm Managements founder David Niran<\/a> is now A&R and client development manager for Africa.<\/p>\n Finally, in the Netherlands, Symphonic has elevated Sander Stijnen<\/a> to senior director of A&R and client development.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, SMP has bumped Ari Gelaw, who\u2019s been with the publisher for the better part of five years, to SVP of creative A&R; the exec \u201cwill be responsible for leading the company\u2019s US R&B\/Hip-Hop team.\u201d<\/p>\n Having started with Secretly Distribution in 2020, Kristian Downs has been upped to executive director of platform operations.<\/p>\n Spencer LeBoff, most recently Avex\u2019s<\/a> head of publishing and acquisitions, has signed on as Pipeline\u2019s<\/a> head of revenue.<\/p>\n Borchetta Entertainment Group has added longtime Vector Management exec Kevin Spellman and Henley Halem (who likewise joins from Vector) as co-VPs.<\/p>\n The EMRA<\/a> has brought on Hani Masgidi as association director. In the post, the Qanawat business development VP will \u201clead the development of EMRA\u2019s framework.\u201d<\/p>\n Multi-decade comms and marketing specialist Karen Laureano-Rikardsen is now Sphere Entertainment\u2019s<\/a> global head of corporate marketing and communications.<\/p>\n Austria\u2019s Georg Leitner Productions has expanded in the UK by hiring Arts & Entertainment Productions MD Manfred Seipt, who resides in London, in a senior position.<\/p>\n Longtime UK government official Chris Hurne is officially the MVT\u2019s<\/a> head of external affairs.<\/p>\n Not to end on a dour note, but Patreon has now laid off 93 employees<\/a>, some of whom joined the company earlier in 2026. Impacted roles include a staff engineer, the head of top creator partnerships, plus a senior fraud prevention specialist, associate manager, content moderation specialist, social media manager, and recruiter.<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\nSiriusXM<\/h4>\n
Symphonic<\/h4>\n
Sony Music Publishing<\/h4>\n
Secretly Distribution<\/h4>\n
Pipeline<\/h4>\n
Borchetta Entertainment Group<\/h4>\n
Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA)<\/h4>\n
Sphere Entertainment<\/h4>\n
GLP<\/h4>\n
Music Venue Trust (MVT)<\/h4>\n
Patreon<\/h4>\n