LONDON, UK (CelebrityAccess) – Digital rights music licensing partner for indie record labels and distributors, Merlin has announced several promotions as it enters its milestone 15th Anniversary. Merlin currently represents 15% of the global recorded music market share and its membership includes the rights of tens of thousands of labels spanning 68 different countries.
Ryan McWhinnie has been promoted to Vice President (VP), Business and Legal Affairs. He will be responsible for leading Merlin’s Spotify and China deals. He also closed Merlin’s first gaming deal (with Styngr) and is leading discussions on various possible NFT agreements.
Shrina Patel has been elevated to Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs. In the past year, Patel has navigated YouTube’s Creator program, Merlin’s Facebook renewal, and year-long TikTok renegotiation.
Chris Tarbet has been named Senior Director, Commercial Partnerships. He played a crucial role in leading Merlin’s entry into Spotify’s DJ Mixes, YouTube Shorts and Creator market, as well as the launch of the centralized pitching tool.
Chaida Kapfunde has been promoted to Senior Director, Business and Technology Solutions. In a statement, Merlin said Kapfunde has been key in leveraging technology to launch new products, as well as automating many jobs at Merlin.
Pavan Vasdev is now the Director of Strategy and Growth. Vasdev’s role is evolving into more strategic areas, including a data-led approach to Merlin’s member acquisition efforts.
Quentin Martins was elevated to Senior Manager, Commercial Partnerships. Martins is a key figure in terms of commercial partnerships, including YouTube and TikTok.
Grace Styles is now a Senior Finance Assistant. Merlin states Styles has taken the lead on questions about processes and systems, emerging as a “future finance leader”.
“I’d like to congratulate each of these Merliners on their well-deserved promotions,” said CEO Jeremy Sirota. “Coming off an incredible 2022, our team stepped up to numerous challenges and accomplished tremendous work for our members and the independent community.
“Shared ownership is a core value at Merlin – each of these individuals played an important role in supporting their departments, helping everyone at Merlin, and driving value so our members can own their independence to chart a better future for the music industry.”
Merlin’s premium deals with digital partners include Apple, Deezer, Meta, SoundCloud, Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and more.
