YolanDa Brown OBE DL

For some, worldwide touring and critically acclaimed albums would be satisfaction enough. Not for YolanDa Brown, she wears many hats, musician, broadcaster, author, philanthropist and wears them… with passion and full of vigour.

YolanDa is a double MOBO Award winning saxophonist and composer, her music is a delicious fusion of reggae, jazz and soul. She is currently composing music for the iconic Sesame Street and an animated series called Bea’s Block, as well as Netflix for CocoMelon Lane.

She has toured with The Temptations, Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Beverley Knight, Billy Ocean and collaborated with artists such as Snarky Puppy’s Bill Laurance, Omar, Kelly Jones from Stereophonics and Rick Astley.

A champion for the importance of music education, YolanDa is Chair of Youth Music, on the national council of the Arts Council, a trustee of PRS Foundation, an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust and London Music Fund, a champion for the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. She also sits on the advisory board of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Six by Southbank for the Southbank Centre.

The Department of Education and DCMS in 2021, invited YolanDa to sit on the advisory panel for the National Plan for Music Education, published in June 2022 to positive response. “My dream is that EVERY child has access to music making and benefits from the joy that music emits. The NPME will in many ways support this; from the young child having their first musical experience, to the next generation of aspiring musicians who need to be inspired and motivated to pursue the plethora of career opportunities within the music industry.”

During the pandemic with Sony Music and Twinkl, YolanDa rolled out her bespoke online music lesson plans for teachers, parents and pupils in primary schools nationwide, over 30 000 children have used the resources. In 2018 along with James JP Drake, she launched the "Drake YolanDa Award" offering grants to emerging musicians between the ages of 16 – 30.

YolanDa graduated with first class honours studying an Undergraduate Masters degree in Operations management from the University of Kent, followed by a Masters in Methods of Social Research, she studied a PhD in Management Science for four years, before taking a hiatus from her thesis to pursue her music career. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of East London in 2011.

An eclectic broadcaster working across TV and Radio, including her eponymous series for CBeebies, "YolanDa’s Band Jam", which won the Royal Television Society NW award as Best Children’s Programme. For the BBC Proms she hosted the Ella and Dizzy Centenary, as well as Last night of the Proms, Gospel Choir of the Year and Songs of Praise for BBC One and BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year. Host of the London Philharmonic Orchestra podcast Offstage, which was nominated for a 2022 British Podcast Award.

Over on the airways, she hosts YolanDa Brown on Saturday on Jazz FM and BBC Radio 4’s ‘Loose Ends’ with Clive Anderson, can be heard regularly on BBC Radio 2 or on the plane as part of British Airways inflight entertainment.

You may have also spotted her flexing her general knowledge muscles on such shows as ‘University Challenge’, ‘The Hit List’, Richard Osman’s ‘House of Games’, ‘Celebrity Mastermind’, ‘Pointless Celebrities’ and Gareth Malone’s ‘All Star Music Quiz’. She even got to indulge her other passion of classic cars on ‘Celebrity Antiques Road Trip’, scouring the country for hidden treasures.

An entrepreneur too, she launched the “London Saxophone Festival” in 2018, currently in its third edition. YolanDa loves to drive fast cars around race tracks in her spare time and can even rattle off a Rubik’s Cube in around five minutes (on a good day).

YolanDa Brown was appointed as Chair of UK record labels association, the BPI, in July 2022.

Amanda Maxwell

Amanda Maxwell independently manages London based DJ, TV and Radio host Ellie Prohan.Ellie’s energy and charismatic personality makes her perfect for presenting, having interviewed the likes of Ari Lennox, Princess Nokia, Waka Flocka, Stefflon Don, Shaggy, Snoh Aalegra, amongst many more to hosting the primetime ‘Happy Hour’ show on award winning female led station Foundation FM.Ellies has captivated crowds from London to New York as well as an impressive festival circuit from Glastonbury to Sunburn India. Championed by brands such as Apple, Nike, Milk Make up, JD, Bumble, Puma and Flannels to name a few. You can hear Ellie live as one of the voices to The Apple Music 1 List show out of the London studios. The show brings The Apple Music’s 1 List playlist to life and showcases the world’s best new music. As a highly talented gay middle eastern woman, the importance of being an active representation within the music and entertainment industry is of upmost important to Ellie. As her ambitious career continues to grow from strength to strength, Ellie Prohan is one to watch.

Amanda has set up a collective "Freelance Queens" for freelance predominantly black, asian, middle eastern and minority ethnic, LGBTQIA+, female identifying women from music and creative sectors with over 190 members it is a place for sharing of job roles, advice and amplifying one another.

Additionally a community member of women in music network shesaid.so and a regular contributor to panel talks on subjects related to inclusion, representation and equal empowerment within the creative industries.

Most recently left Boiler Room as their Open Dance Floors programmer and project manager ensuring the company looked across their platform for intersectionality and social political issues intertwined with music culture.

Asma Siddique

Asma is a UK qualified solicitor who has dedicated over 20 years to working in a legal and business affairs capacity within the creative sector working on high value, high stakes deals.  Her experiences span development, acquisition, production, commissioning and the international distribution of television programming across scripted and non-scripted genres, children’s content, merchandising, book publishing and music rights. 

Asma qualified with a boutique London-based music law firm before continuing her career in-house. Asma has worked for the likes of Sky UK and RDF Media/Zodiak Rights (to name a few).  At Sky UK Asma was involved in many Equity Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, including the reverse mentoring of senior leaders. As well as acquisitions, development, production, commissioning and international distribution work, Asma led on multi-million-pound negotiations across US scripted original co-productions.  She was also the lead lawyer on a number of Sky Studio’s key first-look and development deals, including with Merman TV – the first deal for the then newly launched Sky Studios.  

In her current role at PRS for Music (one of the world’s largest music rights member organisations), Asma works full-time leading legal negotiations across the Commercial Division for the joint licensing of PRS and MCPS rights in the UK.  She also handles the licensing of broadcasters, digital platforms and the gaming sector, as well as PRS’s tariff development activities for existing and new schemes for music licensing. 

Asma is committed to creating more equitable workplaces within the creative industry. She is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and for working parents.  At PRS, Asma is the co-chair for the Parent and Carers Affinity Group. She is a keen ally across the other PRS affinity groups to whom she lends her regular support.  Asma has been part of several firsts for the organisation since she joined, including the first PRS Family Event and celebrations for wider faith and belief events. 

Asma is a people-first leader who champions collaborative action. One of her key strengths is bringing teams together to deliver action-oriented goals within tight timeframes. For example, Asma launched an initiative at the end of 2023 to raise money for a humanitarian crisis which also had the positive outcome of fostering greater cohesion and a shared sense of purpose within the team.  For this work, Asma won the PRS Values Award for inclusivity. 

As a keen member of the PRS Choir, Asma regularly performs with the group at company-wide events and enjoys the opportunity to see another side of her colleagues. 

Eve Horne

Eve Horne is a pioneering figure in the music industry, renowned for her over 20 years of experience as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Her diverse background enriches her advocacy and leadership roles. Eve is the founder of We Are The UNHEARD CIC, an organisation dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices and promoting gender equality in the music industry.   

Her efforts have garnered significant recognition, including being named a SheSaid.So ALT List 2020 Honorée and serving as an innovator for the UK on the Keychange 2022 program. Eve has been a representative on the UK Music Diversity Taskforce and was enlisted into the Music Week Women In Music Roll Of Honour in 2022  

In September 2022, she launched the We Are The UNHEARD Academy, which is funded by PRS Foundation and PPL Giving and supported by major music industry entities like Ableton, Music Minds Matter, Bapam, Flare Audio and Neumann.  

Since 2023, Eve has taken on pivotal roles as an Ivor’s Academy Senator and Board Director, and she became the first female of colour to be voted onto the Board of Directors for the Music Producers Guild (MPG).  

Eve was a mentor on the HUNNA program at the XP Conference in Saudi Arabia, supporting women from the MENA region. Her organisation also delivered Mother's Write, the UK's first songwriting camp for mothers. As an ambassador for PRS's Get Paid guide and a Business Advisor for Help Musicians, Eve continues to support emerging talents and industry professionals to understand Metadata and get paid correctly.  

In 2024, Eve was part of the groundbreaking Women In CTRL's Seat At The Table Report and participated in its launch panel. She was a judge for the BRIT awards 2024 and The Ivor's Awards 2024. She was also the first person of colour to be shortlisted for the Music Producers Guild's "Breakthrough Producer of the Year" award. Eve Horne's work is making a significant positive impact on the music industry and the lives of the individuals she supports and mentors.  

Iona Rodger

Iona’s journey into the music industry is a testament to her unwavering determination, resilience, and passion. She graduated with a first-class degree in Online Music Business from BIMM, a remarkable achievement she accomplished while navigating the challenges of lockdown and the loss of her father. 

Her path was not without its obstacles. Driven by a deep hunger to succeed in the music world, Iona took on multiple unpaid internships, all while juggling a full-time job to support herself. One of the most defining moments of her early career came when she took an unpaid role in London despite living up north. This meant embarking on a grueling four-hour coach journey every week, staying in a hostel overnight, and working without financial compensation. The experience highlighted the class barriers that often exist within the industry—particularly for those unable to afford to work for free—but it also showcased Iona's relentless drive to learn and grow in her field. 

Her perseverance eventually paid off when she secured a coveted position at Sony Music as part of their internship scheme as creative marketing intern for Music For Nations, a label within Sony Music known for its edgy and innovative approach, often referred to as the ‘naughty corner’ of the company. This milestone was a dream come true, marking the beginning of her career at one of the most influential music companies in the world. Surrounded by a talented and supportive team, Iona continues to grow and evolve professionally, seizing every opportunity to contribute and learn. 

During her time at Sony Music, Iona has become the co-chair of an employee resource group called SOUND, which focuses on supporting neurodiverse employees. Through SOUND, Iona has been instrumental in creating a safe space for neurodiverse individuals and ensuring they have the necessary resources to thrive. She also participated in an inclusive design workshop, which helped foster positive changes within the company and the wider music industry, emphasizing inclusivity and accessibility at every level. 

Beyond her personal achievements, Iona is deeply committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable music industry. She has been an advocate for breaking down barriers, particularly those that prevent individuals from marginalized backgrounds from accessing opportunities within the industry. She believes in the urgent need to make the music business more accessible for everyone, especially for those who cannot afford to work unpaid internships. 

While Iona is proud of the progress she’s made, her commitment to fostering an equitable future in music remains as strong as ever. She continues to champion diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity, working tirelessly to create lasting change in an industry that has often overlooked those who face barriers to entry. Her journey is a powerful example of what can be achieved through determination, passion, and a steadfast belief in creating a better future for all.

Kwame Kwaten

Kwame Kwaten is MD of Ferocious Talent, an artist services company covering, artist management, label services, music consultancy, and in house production, which manages acts such as George Ogilvie, Blue Lab Beats, Jodie Abacus, Caitlyn Scarlett, Steve Brown (Laura Mvula/Rumer producer co writer), writer and producer Jack Gourlay (Jess Glynne/Tom Odell/Jack Garrett), and The Collier among others. 

Kwame’s own writing and production work include work for Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, Ultra Nate, Seal, Mark Morrison, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Daryl Hall - as part of D-Influence productions. They also co-produced classic pop hits like ‘Wishing On A Star’ (Jay Z), and ‘You Might Need Somebody’ (Shola Ama), and remixed Mark Morrison’s 'Return of the Mack'/'Crazy'/'Lets Get Down'. 

Born May 13th 1967 in London Hackney, Kwame Amankwa Kwaten began his musical career learning the ins-and-outs of the production world at ‘Courtyard Studios’, home of new band "On a Friday" who then a year later changed their name to Radiohead. Kwame spent two years at Courtyard learning from Chris Hufford how to operate a mixing desk and to use what he calls his best instrument - his ears . 

In 1989 a session musician called Steve Marston approached Kwame with an invitation to join his exciting new band D-Influence as keyboard player. D-Influence self released their first album, and, after a plug from Tim Westwood on Capital FM, soon inked their first record deal with Acid Jazz Records before signing to Atlantic for their biggest album ‘Good 4 We’. D-Influence accomplished many powerful moments such as supporting Michael Jackson, Prince, and James Brown, to name a few. Also performing as Bjork’s backing band (still on YouTube) on her debut Jools Holland performance performing ‘Aeroplane’. 

D-Influence soon turned to a production group, producing and remixing work for Mick Jagger, Seal, Tom Jones and more. However it was Shola Ama that broke D-Influence as mainstream producers. Kwame personally found Shola. Hearing her humming while walking past each other, Kwame auditioned her on the platform of Hammersmith station, then signed her to Freakstreet Records; producing her with D-Influence productions at the helm of her album. The D-Influence produced single “You Might Need Somebody" went on to break radio airplay records for that year, while her debut album ‘Much Love’ sold over a million copies  

Kwame has always made a conscious effort to involve and open doors to young people to get into the music business. He started the Urban Music Seminar (now known as The Ultimate Seminar of which he is a co-director of alongside Andrea and Nicky Charles) - this is regularly oversubscribed and over-attended. The seminar bridges the gap between the classroom and the boardroom, bringing in other industry leaders such as other managers and heads of labels. Kwame also runs internship and work experience placements through his current management work and consultancy work. 

Mackinlay Ingham

Junior Marketing Manager at Polydor Records 

Martina Connors

Martina Connors has extensive experience in the music industry; she spent the first half of her career working at cult indie labels, and is now part of the management team at Beatink, an artist agency representing Adrian Sherwood, Brian Eno, Oneohtrix Point Never and Roger Eno, where she is responsible for marketing strategy and campaign roll out across artist activity.  

Prior to this, she held freelance roles that integrated not-for-profit work with the music world. This included a consultancy at Ninja Tune, where she developed their social causes agenda and implemented activations. At Attitude is Everything she highlighted the charity’s mission via their artist and ambassador programme.  

She was the first Chair at ‘ESEA Music’, an organisation run by East and South East Asian music industry executives and artists, which seeks to establish a supportive community and promote better representation within the business. The old adage "You have to see it, to be it" is very true for the next generation looking in. “The music industry has always had a reputation for being progressive and it's heartening to see it's discourse on inclusivity always continuing. I am thrilled to be part of this conversation as a new member of the BPI EJAG board.”  

As part of her interest area in mental health, she is also undertaking part-time studies in Psychotherapy. 

Meenal Odedra

With 9 years of experience in the music industry, Meenal Odedra is a skilled distribution manager, operations leader, and social justice advocate, currently working as Audio Distribution Manager at COLORSxSTUDIOS.  

Beyond her professional work, Meenal is an active advocate for positive change. She sits on the BPI’s Equity & Justice Advisory Group and the UK Music Futures Group, a collective of emerging executives shaping the future of the sector. She has also contributed to the shesaid.so Mental Health Committee and the AQA Music Syllabus Roundtable, ensuring that the UK national curriculum reflects diverse perspectives.  

Meenal’s efforts have earned her recognition as a Rising Star by Music Week, an honouree on the shesaid.so Alt Power List, and a member of Music Week’s Women in Music Roll of Honour. 

Paulette Long OBE

Paulette Long has worked within the music industry for 35 years. Beginning her career in music PR with Alan Edwards, she specialised in regional press for artistes as diverse as Smiley Culture, Luther Vandross, Ozzy Osbourne and Mick Jagger, also working for their parent artist management company (Big Country/The Cult). 

Paulette joined Westbury Music in 1988 working within all areas of publishing from licensing, artist development and business affairs to royalty accounts and distribution. Continuing in a consultancy capacity for Westbury, Paulette worked for an advertising agency on their music accounts and an independent record label before setting up Long Term Management where she represented music producer/remixer team 2B3 Productions who worked with major R&B artistes including Beverly Knight. Always having worked closely with Westbury Music, she rejoined its ranks in 2000, three years later becoming a director. 

In 2004 Paulette was elected to the board of directors at the Music Publishers Association and 2005 saw her take the role as a Trustee for the PRS for Music Foundation serving as Vice Chair and now an Ambassador. Other directorships include Urban Voice and Urban Development, (Chair) a one-stop organisation for East London’s new urban music talent. 

2008 saw Paulette elected to the board of directors for PRS for Music the first Black person and in 2011 she was elected for a term by their board to serve as their Deputy Chair (Publisher). 

Paulette is also a Board Trustee of the PRS for Music Members Fund and a founding member of ADMM (The Alliance for Diversity in Music and Media) who successfully created the UK music industry’s first Diversity Charter (formally adopted by UK Music). Paulette currently sits as Deputy Chair of the UK Music Diversity Task Force and has served as co-Chair of the BPI Equality & Justice Group. In 2016 Paulette was added to Music Week’s ‘Women In Music Roll Of Honour’ and later that year received an OBE for services to the music industry. 2017 saw Paulette receiving the prestigious Gold Badge Award from BASCA (The Ivors Academy) and more recently in 2019, held the role of Jury President in the Entertainment Lions for Music category at the renowned Cannes Lions Festival. 

Trenton Tomlinson

Trenton Tomlinson serves as Label Operations Executive at UMG UK's catalogue label 'Universal Music Recordings', managing the day-to-day of innovative campaigns including Record Store Day (featuring partnerships with War Child), National Album Day, and the self-created (alongside Genny Turay & Akara Etteh)  ‘Black Story’ celebrating the legacy of Black artists within Universal’s archives. Trenton ensures seamless coordination across all physical, digital, and video UMR formats, supporting iconic artists and teams such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Spice Girls and countless others.  

Passionate about equity and inclusion, Trenton has significantly contributed to Universal Music’s social impact programs. As a member of the International Taskforce for Meaningful Change; a driving force for equality and social justice within UMG, he has worked in a team to amplify and expand UMG’s current programs and devise new initiatives to support marginalised communities across aid/charitable giving, legislative/public policy, internal/institutional change via education and events as well as programming/curation.  

Co-Chairing UMG’s Pride Network, Trenton has also championed LGBTQIA+ representation through partnerships with Queer Britain, Gaydio, Warner & Sony and initiatives including Queer Therapy sessions, curating and producing inclusive events and discussions celebrating queer life that fosters education. 

With a background spanning A&R, marketing, management and creative operations within the music industry, Trenton combines strategic insight with a deep commitment to fostering diversity and innovation in the music industry.