Round, a UK-born creative and digital agency that counts Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music among its clients, has made two key promotions to drive its international expansion.
To date, Round claims to have delivered more than “1.5 billion engagements from the activation of more than 1,000 campaigns” for artists such as Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Calvin Harris, Ed Sheeran, Fred Again, Lana del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo and Stormzy.
Ray Uscata was named Managing Director to lead the agency’s expansion in the Americas, while Simon Friend was promoted to Round Group Chief Operating Officer.
Uscata, who has been with the company since its inception in 2019, assumes the role of Managing Director for North and South America, charged with spearheading Round’s expansion across the Americas.
“The expansion into the US marks a strategic leap, providing us with vital experience and important boots on the ground. Reflecting on Round’s journey to its current UK presence, I’m eager to present our offerings to a wider audience and make our mark globally,” Uscata said.
“Our core focus is two-fold: amplifying the value we deliver to our existing clients and forging connections with new partners across the US and Latin America. This move is about more than changing locations; it’s about igniting trends worldwide and achieving global recognition As we embark on this transformative journey, our unwavering commitment to excellence drives us forward,” the executive added.
“Our core focus is two-fold: amplifying the value we deliver to our existing clients and forging connections with new partners across the US and Latin America.”
Ray Uscata, Round
Meanwhile, Friend was promoted to COO after serving as the company’s Managing Director for nearly two years. Under the new role, Friend will oversee the growth of Round’s talent management arm, Apex, and the company’s proprietary audio tracking tool, trnds.xyz.
Friend, formerly of UK media agency the7stars, has delivered high profile digital campaigns for Sony Music’s in-house labels. He previously led the agency’s Events and Festivals division, and its Music team’s roster of independent labels.
“By harnessing the Round team’s inherent agility and dynamism, I am looking forward to driving initiatives that will further benefit our clients and enhance our already impressive portfolio of work. Building on what we have already achieved in a relatively short space of time, we will be exploring exciting new opportunities and executing initiatives to support our global expansion,” Friend said.
Commenting on the two appointments, Round Chief Executive Officer Aaron Sayer, said: “The importance and power of digital marketing is growing exponentially and is now an integral part of the way in which consumer-facing brands engage with their audiences; but it is a competitive marketplace that demands specialist expertise and tools to achieve cut through.”
“Building on what we have already achieved in a relatively short space of time, we will be exploring exciting new opportunities and executing initiatives to support our global expansion.”
Simon Friend, Round
Added Sayer: “These new appointments provide a strong foundation from which we can continue to scale and foster strategic collaborations with new clients and partners, both domestically and internationally. Their experience and creative pedigree will enable us to cement our position at the cutting-edge of this evolving space as an innovative and effective player delivering first-class results and stand out campaigns on behalf of our clients.”
Round’s client roster includes labels and their in-house creative departments such as 4th Floor Creative, Atlantic Records, Columbia, Def Jam, and Polydor, as well as partnerships with music festivals and events companies AVA, Broadwick Live, Lost Village, LWE, Tramlines, and Truck Festival.
Additionally, Round works with management companies ATC Management, Modest! Management, Redlight Management, and Three Six Zero, as well as entertainment companies Lionsgate+, Odeon, and Pepsi+Co.
Music Business Worldwide