Photo credit: Graham JewellPictured [Left to Right]: Eric Mackay, General Manager; Matt Young, CEO; Amy Zaglauer, Senior Vice President, Artist Strategy; Dan Goldberg, Senior Vice President, Strategy and New Ventures. Not pictured, Rachel Redfearn, Senior Vice President of A&R.
Universal Music Group’s merchandise division Bravado has strengthened its senior executive team under the continued leadership of Matt Young, who has been promoted to CEO of Bravado.
According to Bravado, including both internal promotions and new hires, the team will “focus on creating products and experiences that build stronger connections between artists and their most passionate fans”.
Young, who joined the company as President in 2021, is based in New York and continues to report to Boyd Muir, Chief Operating Officer of Universal Music Group.
Young’s newly strengthened senior management team includes:
Eric Mackay has joined the company as General Manager, where Bravado says he’ll play “a central role connecting teams, sharpening execution, and delivering maximum impact for artists and clients”.
Mackay is the former EVP of Global Digital Strategy at Warner Chappell Music and a respected music industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience at companies including VEVO, CELAS, White Noise and Integral Management.
Dan Goldberg has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Strategy & New Ventures. In this newly created role, he will lead strategy and business development across Bravado, expanding into new verticals, and developing “innovative” partnerships across music, sports, brands and broader culture.
In his prior roles, Goldberg previously built and led the Music & Entertainment division at Fanatics and served as SVP of Warner Music Artist Services (now WMX).
Amy Zaglauer, meanwhile, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Artist Strategy. She will continue to be the artists’ and their teams’ key liaison within the company. She joined Bravado in 2021 after artist services and brand management roles at Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records, and Fueled By Ramen.
Rachel Redfearn will continue in her role as Senior Vice President of A&R, a position she has held since 2023. She will continue to lead the company’s effort to sign new artists.
Young, Zaglauer and Goldberg will be based in New York City, while Mackay will be based in Los Angeles and Redfearn in London.
Commenting on the promotions, Boyd Muir said: “Creating products for superfans is integral to how artists express their creative vision and forge lasting connections beyond the music itself.
“Matt leads an expert, nimble team that moves quickly with the market, while staying closely aligned with each artist’s needs, ambitions, and identity. These appointments underscore our continued commitment to expanding opportunities for artists to engage and grow with their biggest fans.”
“Matt leads an expert, nimble team that moves quickly with the market, while staying closely aligned with each artist’s needs, ambitions, and identity.”
Boyd Muir, UMG
Matt Young added: “The work we do brings fans deeper into an artist’s world in ways that are meaningful, lasting, and real.
“I’m excited to work alongside Amy, Eric, Dan, Rachel, and the wider team as we continue creating innovative products and experiences that turn connection into community. In the equation of Artists + Fans, we are the plus sign.”
“I’m excited to work alongside Amy, Eric, Dan, Rachel, and the wider team as we continue creating innovative products and experiences that turn connection into community. In the equation of Artists + Fans, we are the plus sign.”
Matt Young
Bravado oversees artist merchandise, brand collaborations, and licensing and also handles official merchandise and licensing for premier non-music lifestyle brands.
The company also encompasses VIP tour experiences, brand licensing partnerships, innovative fashion and lifestyle brand collaborations and more.
Bravado has also used its scale to create cutting-edge solutions to produce more sustainable merchandise items and a groundbreaking upcycling program it launched together with Billie Eilish last year. The first upcycled products from the initiative are expected to be rolled out on tours this spring.
UMG’s ‘Merchandising and Other’ revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025 reached €248 million ($288.4m), flat year-over-year at constant currency.
According to UMG, “growth in merchandising touring revenues and direct-to-consumer sales offset lower retail sales” during the quarter.
Full-year Merchandising and Other revenue was €811 million ($912m), also flat in constant currency.
According to UMG, merchandising touring revenues were up year-over-year but “offset by lower direct-to-consumer sales which were very strong last year in connection with the timing of artist tours”.
Bravado is sure to have a billion dollars in annual turnover in its sights for 2026.
