Jeremy Sirota will step down as CEO of Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for independent labels and distributors, effective December 31, 2025, the organization announced today (May 13).
The Merlin Board and Sirota said they have developed a transition plan as the organization searches for his successor.
“Jeremy has been an extraordinary CEO for Merlin, bringing great focus, tremendous energy and brilliant thinking to one of the most important and challenging roles within the independent community,” said Darius Van Arman, Chairperson of Merlin and co-founder of Secretly Group.
“His work and leadership has Merlin more prepared than ever to manage an increasingly complex music licensing landscape and to achieve our mission of enabling greater independence for all Merlin members.
“As chairperson, I will miss working closely with Jeremy, and on behalf of the Merlin board and the whole Merlin community, I want to express immense gratitude to Jeremy for his unwavering commitment to Merlin these past six years.”
According to documents researched by MBW, Merlin’s annual revenue collections reached GBP £1.19 billion (GBP $1.48 billion) in 2023.
Merlin charges its members a low admin fee, between 1.5% and 3% of collected digital royalties for deals its members have opted into.
Merlin has secured several key deals in the past 12 months, including the launch of “Merlin Connect” for emerging technology platforms to license independent music, a renewed partnership with Meta, and a licensing agreement with Twitch regarding DJs livestreaming music.
The organization has also undergone challenges, including the termination of its licensing negotiations with TikTok in October 2024.
As MBW reported, TikTok opted to pursue direct licensing deals with individual Merlin members. TikTok cited concerns about copyright issues, while Merlin stated this was an attempt by the Bytedance company to “fragment the Merlin membership”.
Merlin says its membership – across 70+ countries – represents 15% of the global recorded music market.
“Leading Merlin and empowering independence has been the privilege of a lifetime,” said Sirota. “Every day I get to wake up and create meaningful impact for our members, help them navigate through disruption, and ensure they have agency in a time of extraordinary change.
“I leave with incredible pride knowing that Merlin has a bright future.”
Jeremy Sirota
“I leave with incredible pride knowing that Merlin has a bright future. I look forward to finding my next opportunity to lead a company, drive innovation, and continue to have a positive impact in the world.”
Sirota added: “Merlin continues to be the most important organization representing independents. I’m incredibly proud of what the Merlin team accomplishes every day on behalf of our members.
“I encourage every leading independent to apply for membership. I’m also immensely grateful for the support of Darius Van Arman, Dave Hansen, the co-founders — Martin Mills, Michel Lambot, and the late Horst Weidenmüller — as well as the entire Merlin Board.”
According to the announcement, Sirota will continue in his role through the end of the year. The executive team that will remain includes Charlie Lexton (COO), Jim Mahoney (SVP, Member & Partner Success), Adam Wright (CFO), and Neil Miller (General Counsel).
The Merlin Board has formed a recruiting subcommittee to search for Sirota’s replacement.
During Sirota’s time as CEO, Merlin has added new members including Artist Partner Group, Avex, Global Sound, and Nettwerk.
The organization recently launched the Weidenmüller Sustainability Fund in partnership with IMPALA.
Music Business Worldwide