Ashley Tabor’s newly-formed ‘360’ artist rights company, Global Entertainment, has begun assembling the team it hopes will challenge the dominance of the music biz’s biggest players – with Capitol Records, Universal Music Publishing and James Grant Management execs coming on board.
Tabor took the wraps off Global Entertainment last month. He named ex-AEG boss Randy Phillips as the CEO of the new LA and London-based company, which operates label, publishing, artist management, promotion, live concerts, events, touring, branding, sponsorships and marketing divisions.
Global Entertainment has swallowed Global Publishing into its ranks, which boasts a roster of writers including Ellie Goulding, Corinne Bailey Rae, LMFAO, The Script, The Vamps and The Vaccines.
Tabor said that he and Phillips wanted to “redefine the possibilities for a 21st century music and entertainment company”, and now they’ve added four new execs to drive their mission:
- Monti Olson joins Global Entertainment as an EVP and Managing Director of Worldwide Music Publishing, leading Global Publishing across both the LA and London offices. Olson joins from Universal Publishing where he was Executive Vice President/Head of A & R. Olson will lead the former Global Publishing team in London, as well as building a team in the LA Office.
- Bob Semanovich joins as SVP Marketing of the record label division of Global Entertainment, based in LA. He joins from Capitol Records where he was responsible for the marketing strategy for acts including Katy Perry, Beck, Rod Stewart and Coldplay. Prior to that, Semanovich was at Columbia Records for a decade.
- Ben Karter, who reports to Semanovich, joins Global Entertainment as GM, Recorded Music, UK. Karter was previously Director at James Grant management, with responsibility for artists such as The Script and Pixie Lott. Prior to that he was Head of Marketing at Mercury Records where he looked after artists including Elton John, Taylor Swift, Jake Bugg and Bon Jovi.
- Angel Haze manager Nicola Carson – a former Modest! Management exec – joins as VP Artist management, based in Los Angeles. Before leaving Modest! in 2013, she oversaw Leona Lewis, One Direction, and the company’s roster in the US.
[Pictured L-R: Olson, Carson, Semanovich, Karter]
Meanwhile, two further changes will take place in the company’s UK office:
- Paul Adam, previously Director of Global Talent and Global Publishing, has been given a new position as SVP A&R at Global Entertainment, based in London and working across both the UK and US for recorded music and music publishing. Over a 20-year career, Adam has held senior A&R roles at labels including Mercury Records, Island Records and Polydor, helping launch Bjork’s career, and signing acts including The Gaslight Anthem, Suede, McFly, Busted, Ian Brown and Amy Macdonald. He was a judge on the first reality TV talent show, Popstars, which was the forerunner to Pop Idol and the X Factor.
- Also based in London, Rachel Wood will partner with Carson as a fellow VP Artist Management. Wood has been at Global for four years and was previously at 19 Entertainment overseeing the Spice Girls reunion and managing other high profile artists and brands. Between them Carson & Wood run Global Entertainment’s artist management functions across the US and the UK.
Phillips said: “These executives are all seasoned pros who can think outside-the-box and get the job done for our artists which fits the Global profile. I have always maintained that a great company is only as great as the people in it and Monti, Paul, Bob, Ben, Nicola, and Rachel are an example of the commitment that Global is making to our industry.
“There are other significant executive announcements coming now that Global Entertainment is running on all cylinders.”
“These appointments show the depth of commitment Global has to our new Entertainment division and we are hiring top class executives in each of the areas of the company. All executives announced today are in place and we have more to come soon.”
Global Entertainment’s first release, 18-year-old Atlanta artist Anthony Lewis, was brought to Global by Garnett March.Music Business Worldwide