In April we learned that Concord acquired 145,000 copyrights from New York-headquartered Downtown Music Holdings, in a deal MBW understands cost around $400 million.
After the announcement, Downtown revealed that it will now focus exclusively on the music services sector, in a plan that it said will support “the extraordinary growth of the independent music economy”.
Now, the company has established a new department that it says will be responsible for unlocking growth opportunities for Downtown in both new and existing global territories.
Downtown has appointed Sheer Music Africa MD David Alexander to serve as Senior Vice President of this newly created global team, reporting to Downtown EVP of Global Business Development Andrew Sparkler.
Heli Del Moral, who previously led CD Baby’s international business, will serve as Vice President.
Across Downtown’s operating brands, the company currently manages more than 23 million music assets on behalf of more than 1m creators and 2,500 enterprise clients, and claims to be the largest pure-play service provider in the global music industry.
Downtown acquired South Africa-based Sheer last year, which formally expanded the company’s geographic footprint to the African continent.
For the time being, David Alexander will continue to manage the Sheer Music Africa business in addition to his new role.
Downtown says that a search for a successor is “currently underway”.
Under Alexander’s leadership, Sheer has grown to be Africa’s largest independent music publisher and elevated the profile of African creators. He also serves as a non-executive director of SAMRO, Chairman of the Music Publishers Association of South Africa (MPA-SA), and Member of the Pop Bureaux of the ICMP and a Board member of the IMPF, among other affiliations.
Under Del Moral, CD Baby’s international operations have expanded to include India, South Africa, and Latin America. CD Baby currently represents nearly 200,000 Latin artists, including Dominican dembow artist El Alfa. Del Moral was named to Billboard’s Latin Power Players List in October 2020.
“I’m excited to help shape a comprehensive global strategy that addresses the needs of creators in both established and emerging markets.”
David Alexander, Downtown
David Alexander, SVP of New Markets for Downtown Music Holdings, said: “I’m excited to help shape a comprehensive global strategy that addresses the needs of creators in both established and emerging markets.
“Understanding cultural differences and how the music industry is developing across international markets is essential to craft better opportunities and more equitable solutions.
“This decision further demonstrates Downtown’s commitment to international creators and its purpose to represent the interests of music creators across all genres, languages, and territories.”
“David’s deep expertise building the largest independent music publisher on the African continent, his knowledge of the global music industry, and passion for supporting creators, makes him ideally suited to lead our new markets strategy.”
Andrew Sparkler, Downtown
Andrew Sparkler, EVP of Global Business Development for Downtown, added: “David’s deep expertise building the largest independent music publisher on the African continent, his knowledge of the global music industry, and passion for supporting creators, makes him ideally suited to lead our new markets strategy.
“The added partnership and support from Heli, with his impressive track record growing international operations in Latin America and India, is an ideal compliment,”
Music Business Worldwide
