Latest BPI ‘Wisdom Wednesdays’ event focuses on influencing culture through A&R and artist development

UK record labels association the BPI is pleased to announce that “Wisdom Wednesdays” returns on 28^th November at The Auditorium, Huckletree, London EC2A.

This event gives BPI members the opportunity to network, learn and be inspired. The evening is consists of two parts – a panel discussion and Q&A with 5 successful professionals from the music industry about their personal journey, offering invaluable insight into their thought processes, followed by a mixer with free drinks and pizza.

This third panel is made up of Downtown Music UK’s Daniel Lloyd Jones, BMG’s Korda Marshall, Glassnote UK’s Liz Goodwin, Machine Management’s Martha Kinn and Warner Music’s Sian Anderson. The panel will again be moderated by Jen Long. (See below for more information on the panellists).

Our panel come from a variety of backgrounds – major and indie labels, publishing, management and media but all have large A&R components to their roles. Over the years they all played an instrumental role in shaping the identities and careers of some of the most successful and inspiring artists of our times including Muse, Alt-J, Lana Del Rey, Elbow, Years & Years, PJ Harvey, Plan B, Wiley, Charli XCX and Jess Glynne. This event will look at what these industry heavyweights think is important and meaningful when developing an artist and, in their view, what makes an artist exciting.  We will also explore the relationship between an artist and their team and the dynamics at play around an act becoming truly influential. Lastly, we will chat about the big picture – how culture changes, where UK music fits in the global picture and what we, as an industry, can do to foster the next generation of era-defining artists.

Our two previous Wisdom Wednesdays events hosted speakers from AEI, Barbican, Columbia Records, Concord Music, Kobalt/AWAL, PIAS, Sony Music and Warner Music. They were both sell-outs, so members are asked to ensure they book their free place in advance here.

The line-up for the third panel for Wisdom Wednesdays has been confirmed with:

Daniel Lloyd Jones - Head of UK A&R/SVP of International Creative, Downtown Music UK

Dan has been working in the music industry for over 15 years, he was an award winning PR while working in Press at Warners Brothers, where he worked with Gnarls Barkley on their St Elsewhere campaign, Crazy was the first ever digital download number 1. He also fronted campaigns for My Chemical Romance, Biffy Clyro and The Fratellis while working in PR. He left Sony ATV Music Publishing/EMI Music Publishing in 2017, where he was Vice President of A&R, after serving there for a decade. During his tenure he was responsible for signing 2 time ASCAP Songwriter of the year Taio Cruz, The Mercury Music Prize winning album 'Let England Shake' by PJ Harvey, multi award winning polymath Plan B and Grammy award winning talent Joy Williams from The Civil Wars. Other signings include Pendulum, Knife Party, Nero, Youmeatsix, Gorgon City, The Maccabees and more recently Bugzy Malone, Tom Grennan, Stefflon-Don and Norwegian pop sensation

Sigrid. Daniel is currently Head of A&R and Senior Vice President of International at Downtown Music Publishing - where he has signed Chase and Status, Kano, Goldie and recent capitol records Signing Mae Muller.

Korda Marshall – UK SVP Music, BMG

After starting his career at RCA Records in 1983, Korda quickly rose to become A&R Director of the label. Departing RCA in 1993 he launched Infectious Records, which eventually merged with Australian company Mushroom Records before being acquired by the Warner Music Group in 2003. At Mushroom Korda signed Muse, Ash, Garbage and Paul Oakenfold’s Perfecto label. As part of this acquisition, Korda became Managing Director of the company’s Atlantic Records label, where he signed The Darkness and James Blunt among others, before taking over at Warner Music in 2004 overseeing the careers of Madonna, Green Day, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and signing artists including Gnarls Barkley, The Foals, The Enemy, Pendulum and Seasick Steve. Korda re-launched Infectious Records in February 2009 which boasts hit band The Temper Trap, Local Natives and alt J. Korda sold Infectious to BMG and now heads up their frontline record label and is responsible for labels such as Infectious, Rise, Skint and RAM and artists such as Jack Savoretti, James, Rick Astley and Blink 182.

Liz Goodwin – UK Managing Director, Glassnote UK

Liz Goodwin is the UK Managing Director of the award winning indie label Glassnote. Since 2016, Liz has led Glassnote’s UK operation, spearheading releases by breakout artists Jade Bird, IDER, Dylan Cartlidge and more. Goodwin oversees all aspects of the label’s UK operation including marketing, promotions, publicity & digital partnerships. Under Liz, Glassnote has established a fantastic, exciting independent label in the UK that has shown their abilities to bring success across a wide range of acts from the most idiosyncratic artists such as Childish Gambino to the huge pop potential of Jade Bird. This has been achieved through a creative vision, finely conceived strategies and a tenacity to not be derailed. Since Goodwin joined Glassnote, the company has grown a great deal in the UK with signings including the BBC Sound Poll nominated Jade Bird, North London duo IDER, Dylan Cartlidge and Mosa Wild. The record label also achieved their first ever Brit nomination in 2018 for Childish Gambino and Gold status with his track ‘Redbone’.

Prior to Glassnote, Liz spent 14 years at Polydor, where she was Head of Marketing, responsible for developing and overseeing the creative and marketing plans for a range of artists. Highlights of her career include working with Lana Del Rey from the launch of her debut single Video Games in 2011, and being instrumental in setting the strategy and aesthetic tone for her album campaigns on a global scale; winning the Music Week Award for Artist Marketing Campaign Of The Year for Elbow’s The Seldom Seen Kid, which sold over 1 million copies in the UK and countless other campaigns for the likes of Imagine Dragons, Snow Patrol, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Shura and more. For her outstanding career, Liz has been inducted in the 2018 Music Week Women In Music Awards Roll Of Honour.

Martha Kinn – Partner and Music Manager, Machine Management

Martha Kinn is a partner at Machine Management and manager of Years & Years and Bree Runway. Since 2013 she developed Years & Years’ sound and set the strategy for global success; changing the band’s line up, drafting in a raft of creative collaborators and building heat outside the major label system to create the first wave of fans. The band’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Communion’ has clocked over 2.5million

sales to date, hit the top ten in over 20 countries around the world including no.1 in the UK and the band were nominated for 4 Brit Awards.  Their second album ‘Palo Santo’ firmly cemented the band as a cultural phenomenon with Olly Alexander described as a ‘once in a generation front-man.’ The album was accompanied by an innovative short film - narrated by Dame Judi Dench- which Martha helped create and executive produced. She further exec produced Olly’s poignant documentary ‘Growing up Gay’ for the BBC that covered the link between mental health and the LGBTQI+ Community, both areas Olly continues to be an advocate for. Palo Santo went top 3 in the UK and lead single ‘If You’re Over Me’ went platinum and is one of the biggest selling singles of 2018.

Prior to joining Machine, Martha started her career in music journalism before becoming a scout for various UK major labels. In 2009 she discovered Rizzle Kicks and later started her own management company where she co-managed the act for three years taking them to a platinum selling debut album.  Martha won the ‘Rising Star’ award at Music Week’s Women in Music Awards in 2016. Machine Management were named “Management Company of the Year” at the A&R Awards 2017.

Sian Anderson – Consultant, Warner Music

Sian Anderson is a 28 year-old media powerhouse and Grime ambassador. During her time at Rinse FM, her love for grime grew and she and Julie Adenuga (now at Beats 1) would interview the hottest crews from across the scene on a weekly basis, including Boy Better Know, Newham Generals and OG’z.

Her next break came when she presented ‘Topman CTRL’ on Channel 4, a programme centred on exploring the women involved in the growing scene. This laid the ground for her wider opportunities in the music industry.

In 2011, She joined Warner Bros, working with Wiley. Three years later, she moved to Atlantic Records as marketing manager for Charli XCX and Jess Glynne. At a similar time - in 2015 - Sian hit the national airwaves and landed a slot on BBC Radio 1Xtra. She is now working with Parlophone and has her own label called Saint Music.

Among her other endeavours, Sian runs SighTracked - her own Marketing and PR Company, as well as a youth mentoring programme called Nexxt Step, which is supported by the Mayor of London. She also writes as a freelance journalist for a handful of well-respected publications including The Fader, i-D Magazine, Red Bull and Noisey (VICE).

Moderated by Jen Long (former BBC Introducing)

Jen has been working in music for over a decade. Best known as the former host of BBC Introducing on Radio 1, she worked her way up from a broadcast assistant in Wales to a spot on national radio. She was the voice of BBC Three, announcing Family Guy into people's homes every night and presented festival coverage for the channel alongside Greg James. After leaving the BBC, Jen worked at DICE as Music Editor before setting up her own company. She still runs the Kissability label she founded with Transgressive, and presents the podcast Talk The Line for The Line Of Best Fit.