Andy Edwards

2008 – 2011 (3 years)

An artist management company affiliated to two sister companies Sound Advice (Legal) LLP and Sound Advice (Financial) LLP to provide a complete range of services around individual artist clients to enable better strategic planning and implementation on both a creative and business level.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
• Led all digital-specific deal-making activity: negotiating commercial terms, service levels and headline legal points
• Worked alongside the legal team on broader contract negotiations such as recording, merchandise and so called 360-degree rights deals that include digital rights and service provisions
• Developed company strategy and preferred supplier/ partner relationships for all digital and commercial operations including digital services, merchandise and brand partnerships
• Provided project management for individual artist projects: overseeing all aspects of digital operations including web site design and build, content, digital marketing/ PR and revenue generation
• Mentoring and team building: constructing teams around artist projects, utilising internal and external resource

2008 – 2011 (3 years)

Sound Advice (Legal) LLP is a leading music business law firm based in Covent Garden.

The role was a non-legal consultancy, working alongside the partners of the firm and ran concurrently with that of Head of Digital to Sound Advice's sister company Connected Artists.

Strategic and commercial input was provided across a range of deal making activity, but especially relevant to digital media and new business models (such as 360-degree deals). This included schedules, KPIs and service provisions in addition to structuring commercial terms.

2006 – 2011 (5 years)

DIGITAL MEDIA/ CRM CONSULTANCIES – BRANDS/ CORPORATE
Vexed (award winning digital agency)

• Strategic planning brief, projects included: e-commerce, social commerce and mobile

• Contributed to new business pitches; and written analysis of emerging industry trends
• Clients included: Domino's Pizza, Virgin Atlantic, De Vere Hotels, Cafe Rouge 


CSL (CRM solutions company)

• Planning and project implementation for sales, retention, customer service campaigns

• Clients included: Sky, Vodafone, American Express, Tiscali, Unilever and Lexus

• Heavy emphasis on team building, people management and mentoring

DIGITAL MEDIA CONSULTANCIES - MUSIC

• Wrote a definitive report on the UK digital music market since its inception for The Official Charts Company
• Identified key dynamics and drivers at market and campaign-specific level across a range of digital business models
• Advised major recording artists on digital strategy, web development, revenue generation and commercial/ contractual matters
• Projects included Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) and a number of prominent managers/ artists on a confidential basis

IN THE CITY MUSIC CONVENTION

• Identified key industry issues for editorial content
• Consistently secured the participation of industry figures at the highest level
• 2010 in particular was considered a huge success and "turnaround" in a tough market

2004 – 2006 (2 years)

KMG’s two core areas of business comprised: rights acquisition via a $300m fund and business management services to major artists. Main board included ex-CEOs of Cordiant Communications plc, EMI Music Europe and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Worldwide and the former co-manager of The Rolling Stones. Offices in London and New York

Reporting to the main board, responsible for all marketing and business development activity across the Group on a global basis:

DIGITAL MEDIA AND MARKETING STRATEGY:
• Led KMG’s global digital strategy in respect of rights acquisitions, including supplier/ partner agreements
• Advised on all marketing, brand development, and product development issues in respect of acquired assets

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT:
• Led business development for the touring division, whose clients included major international acts such as Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Robbie Williams and Sting

2003 – 2004 (1 year)

Senior level international business development role for a German owned media company with offices, partners and clients around the world. Managed board level relationships with key corporate clients in London and New York (mainly the major record labels) and business partners such as Billboard and Nielsen.

Key successes included:

Revenue generation: renegotiated a number of corporate deals including EMI, BMG and Universal; driving a 23% year-on-year increase in revenue.

Launched a new product for the radio sector striking deals with the BBC, Capital Radio Group, Chrysalis Radio Group and others

Initiated a strategic relationship to supply the MCPS-PRS Alliance, which culminated in a ground breaking deal between Nielsen (who acquired Music Control) and the Alliance. A key factor was correctly identifying the needs of the Alliance and laying a plan to bring Music Control's operational capacity in line with these requirements.

Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Music industry

2001 – 2003 (2 years)

SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (UK) LTD; DIGITAL CONSULTANCY
Provided input into digital media strategy, managed strategic partner relationships. This continued my relationship with the company since my full-time employment 1996-2000 prior to my leaving to join the dot.com start-up Music3w.com. Succeeded in striking content deals with BTopenworld and News International and a content/ revenue share model with ITV.com


TERRA FIRMA ARTIST MANAGEMENT
Artist management company for Paul Oakenfold, Richard Ashcroft and Lemon Jelly. Undertook artist development projects under the Terra Firma umbrella. This continued my relationship with Marc Marot, the CEO of Music3w.com to whom I reported.

2000 – 2001 (1 year)

m3w was a pioneering digital music company and one of the first to pursue a 360-degree strategy of monetising all revenue streams surrounding an artist – sponsorship, merchandise, ticketing, subscriptions, etc in a web/ digital context.

The role reported directly to the CEO and managed key artist and investor relationships (Genesis and Phil Collins). Oversaw projects for Genesis, Phil Collins, New Order and Feeder, in addition to working as part of the company's senior management team.

Key successes included:

Launching the first artist-branded ticket stores for Feeder in January 2001. The approach is now considered "industry standard" and is a highly sought after source of revenue.

Concluding one of the first mobile deals on an artist-by-artist basis to sell ring tones and logos directly to fans.

Project managed a £150k web site design and build for Genesis, managing a team of 11 and reporting to the board of m3w and the band themselves.

Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Music industry

1996 – 2000 (4 years)

Strategic input into marketing campaigns, issues included: timing, promotional/ PR set-up, retail channels, planning ATL advertising expenditure (with an emphasis on TV advertising), competitor activity, best practice. Also involved providing Sony Music with early stage guidance on digital issues, including e-commerce and CRM issues.

Campaigns included: George Michael, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Charlotte Church, J-Lo, Mariah Carey, Des’ree, Sade, Jamiroquai, Leftfield, Korn, Pearl Jam, Manic Street Preachers. Also worked as part of the Concept Marketing team, producing branded marketing concepts in conjunction with media and brand partners.

The role also provided executive support to the Chairman & CEO, including: report writing covering artist campaigns, market trends and new media issues, due diligence work relating to major artist and label deals/ acquisitions.

1994 – 1996 (2 years)

BMG InterAct was a start-up division focusing on developing direct marketing techniques, which later evolved into BMG’s Digital Division. InterAct played a key role in breaking Take That, M People, Natalie Imbruglia, etc.

The role involved improving consumer engagement and insight and facilitating the cross-promotion of artists, where relevant, across the BMG roster. This was a truly ground-breaking operation and role which is now considered as the "industry standard" for the sector.

1992 – 1993 (1 year)

Wrote a 30,0000 word undergraduate thesis on the digital distribution of music, one of the first major writings of its kind. Correctly asserting that CRM marketing techniques would have huge application in connecting artists and fans in a digital environment and questioned the role of intermediaries (i.e. traditional record companies and retailers).

Supporters included: Hugh Goldsmith (MD RCA Records, etc), Ray Cooper (Co-President Virgin Records, etc), John Reid (Vice-Chairman Warner Music International), Steve Redmond (Editor of Music Week, etc) and Peter Scaping and Chris Green at the BPI. Gained highest grade in year group.