LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – A globally renowned independent record label, Sumerian Records, announces the appointment of Piero Giramonti as President. Giramonti will report to Sumerian Group Owner and CEO Ash Avildsen and oversee all label operations in this role.
Avildsen shares, “Piero is the perfect weapon for what the label has been missing. Truth be told, I’ve always shined with the creative, vision and taste side of our business but never with the operational. As my focus continues on building the Sumerian brand further into entertainment with IP beyond just music, such as film, tv, books, comics and all things story – I couldn’t ask for a better President than the seasoned experienced Mr. Giramonti to take charge of the label. He has the crucial combination of both great instincts and professional acumen. As we are having our biggest year in the company’s history, I am grateful to have him by my side entering the next chapter of Sumerian.”
Giramonti began his music business career in various international marketing divisions of EMI Music, based in New York City, London, UK, Milan, Italy and Los Angeles – for the Parlophone, Capitol, SBK, and EMI Records labels. After a decade in the UK and Europe, he returned to the USA as Head of Global Marketing for Virgin Records America; he served in the same role at EPIC Records under Polly Anthony, then Steve Barnett, and Warner Brothers Records under Tom Whalley.
His most recent position was at the Capitol Music Group (CMG), where he relaunched Harvest Records, signed and developed Death Grips, Glass Animals, and Banks, and later signed TV on the Radio and Best Coast, among others.
He later took over Caroline Independent distribution (now Virgin), with whom Sumerian has recently engaged for distribution services. He has also had stints as an artist and producer manager in visual content production with SONY Music and independently. His most recent project was development of a children’s TV and music property called Music Club Kids as part of an executive development team. Music Club Kids has recently joined forces with Republic Records.
Giramonti states, “I have been in the music business for a long time. I know what I like, and I know what I don’t. Sumerian is the place for me. Ash has built an organization that is solid from head to toe, in an environment where very few succeed, by sheer force of will, with taste, determination, commitment, integrity, and savvy all along the way. He has greater ambitions to explore, but Sumerian Records is at its core. I intend to uphold all of those values to maintain and expand the success and future growth of this company. This is about the music. It’s about the artists. And it’s about respecting our partners with ideas, facts, objectivity, and accountability.”
Since Giramonti began at Sumerian, the label has had remarkable success with Bad Omens, whose single “Just Pretend” was number one at active rock radio last month and top 5 on the Spotify global viral chart. It is also the first time the label has had a top 20 airplay song on alternative radio. The label also re-signed Poppy and has new releases on deck from new signing Des Rocs and label veteran Nita Strauss.
