PRS for Music has bolstered its leadership team by hiring Google and YouTube‘s Director of International Publishing Sami Valkonen and Claire Jarvis from Sky.
In addition, Rachael Naylor has been promoted into the newly-created role of Director of Operations and Distributions, while Barney Hooper joins from AEG in another new position as Director of Communications and Marketing.
Valkonen is Director of International after spending seven years at Google, where he was responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with music publishers and collecting societies globally.
After starting his career as a singer and songwriter, he held various key positions within BMG throughout the 1990s in Los Angeles, Lisbon and New York.
Following a stint as a copyright lawyer, he then joined Nokia in 2008.
Jarvis, who is Director of Membership, was previously Director of Music at Sky where she was responsible for overseeing the music team, and leading the transformation of the organisation’s music publishing business.
Before joining the media and telecoms company, she spent 20 years with the BBC, holding various senior roles within music rights.
“we are proud not only to have hired three key individuals with diverse experience with major music users, but also to have recognised rising talent from within.”
robert ashcroft, prs for music
Naylor has been working for PRS for over eight years and is now focused on improving and enhancing all operational aspects of the business, optimising efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness, as well as taking ownership of distributions of royalties to members.
Barney Hooper was previously Director of Communications with AEG, based at The O2.
Robert Ashcroft, Chief Executive, PRS for Music, said: “The high standard of service we aspire to provide to our members, our licensees and our fellow societies depends on our people and we are proud not only to have hired three key individuals with diverse experience with major music users, but also to have recognised rising talent from within.
“I would like to welcome all four to their new roles at PRS for Music.”
Pictured clockwise L-R: Sami Valkonen, Claire Jarvis, Rachael Naylor and Barney HooperMusic Business Worldwide
