BandLab Technologies has named Ivan Chen as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Chen takes the role on Thursday (October 1), with co-founder Meng Ru Kuok becoming Executive Chairman. The company says Kuok has served as Chairman and CEO since co-founding BandLab Technologies in 2015.
Kuok said the company is “in the most dynamic and fast-moving period we have ever seen across music, technology, media and fandom.”
The Singapore-headquartered company announced the change on Wednesday (September 30).
Kuok remains Group CEO of parent company Caldecott Music Group, where Chen also continues as Group President.
Chen joined BandLab Technologies in 2016 as Group Chief Operating Officer and became President in 2024.
His remit expanded to the wider group when BandLab Technologies rebranded as Caldecott Music Group in December 2021, splitting the business into three divisions: BandLab Technologies, Vista Musical Instruments, and NME Networks. Chen was named Group Chief Operating Officer of the new parent.
He has worked with Kuok across operations, fundraising, strategic direction, and M&A, according to the company.
As CEO, Chen will lead the business day to day, while Kuok works with him on long-term strategy, major partnerships, opportunities, and investment priorities.
“Ivan has been closely involved with BandLab Technologies from its early years and has been a key contributor and partner in realizing our vision of making music creation more accessible for creators and artists around the world. A decade on, this ambition has only grown, and we are in the most dynamic and fast-moving period we have ever seen across music, technology, media and fandom. I’m pleased to announce this change, which gives us the capacity to take the company to new levels of success,” said Kuok.
“In his tenure as COO and President, Ivan has turned many of our biggest ideas into reality, and I believe he has the judgment, experience, and understanding needed as we continue to drive forward as a company. He knows where we’ve come from, but more importantly, he has a clear view of where we want to go next. I have every confidence in him to lead the company forward as CEO, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside him.”
“In his tenure as COO and President, Ivan has turned many of our biggest ideas into reality, and I believe he has the judgment, experience, and understanding needed as we continue to drive forward as a company.”
Meng Ru Kuok, BandLab Technologies
“I’m grateful for the trust Meng and the Board have placed in me, and I’m excited to lead BandLab Technologies forward,” said Chen. “We have built products that creators value and a business with enormous potential ahead of it. Creators around the world make music on BandLab every day, and my focus is on ensuring we continue to define the future of music creation for many years to come.”
The company describes flagship product BandLab as a social music creation platform that “breaks down the technical, geographic, and creative barriers for musicians and fans.”
“Creators around the world make music on BandLab every day, and my focus is on ensuring we continue to define the future of music creation for many years to come.”
Ivan Chen, BandLab Technologies
The wider portfolio runs across music production software Cakewalk, artist services platform ReverbNation, beat marketplace Airbit, and AI-powered digital music studio Aiode.
BandLab Technologies acquired Aiode in July 2026, in a deal that gave the company a third music-making platform alongside BandLab and Cakewalk.
Financial terms were not disclosed. Aiode says 100% of the audio used to train its models is licensed and traceable to its source.
In October 2023, BandLab Technologies and Universal Music Group announced what they called “an expansive, industry-first strategic relationship concentrated on artificial intelligence.”
The BandLab platform passed 100 million registered users in March 2024, having added 40 million users since January 2023.
BandLab Technologies secured USD $25 million in May 2023, in a Series B1 round led by returning investor Cercano Management, with participation from Prosus Ventures, valuing the company at $425 million post-money.
That followed a $65 million Series B announced in April 2022 at a $315 million post-money valuation, taking the company’s total Series B funding to $90 million.
BandLab Technologies describes itself as a “collective of global music technology companies” and remains a division of Caldecott Music Group.
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