APRA AMCOS Promotes Jonathan Carter to COO

Jonathan Carter rises at APRA AMCOS, with the promotion to chief operating officer.

Announced Tuesday morning (Sept. 5) as Bigsound got underway in Brisbane, Carter will be a “critical” piece to the PRO going forward, comments APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston.

Carter has been with the organisation almost 15 years, serving in various in-house legal roles before being appointed head of legal & corporate services in 2016, his most recent position.

“I’m really excited for Jonathan to step into this new role and responsibility,” comments Ormston.

“Given our growth, size and strategic ambition, we need to look at how we’re going to operationalise and drive our strategic plan across the company, and similarly ensure we’re taking a holistic view in mitigating risk.”

Carter, he continues, will be “critical in helping us collectively drive forward on our strategic plan.”

Dean Ormston

The incoming COO holds double first class honours degrees in arts and law from the University of Sydney and an MBA from the AGSM. In 2021, he joined the Support Act board as an observer. Prior to joining APRA AMCOS, he enjoyed stints with Sony Music, EMI and the Federal Court of Australia.

On the music side of the business, he studied trumpet at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

“I’m looking forward to all the challenges and opportunities this next chapter will no doubt bring,” he comments in a statement.

For its financial year 2021-22, APRA AMCOS reported a “milestone” result with gross revenue at $616.5 million, up 21.6% from the previous year — a new record.

At the same time, net distributions to songwriters, publishers, affiliated societies and other rights holders were $534.3 million, up 20.7%.

Digital was the furnace, the PRO reported last October.

Digital sources (combined domestic, up 29.1%; and multi-territory licensing hub, up 68.4%) generated $338 million, a 40.2% gain from the year-before period, for roughly half of APRA AMCOS’s revenue portfolio.

Public performance collections — APRA AMCOS’ oldest business — were up by 23.2% to $77.5 million.

Based in Sydney, APRA AMCOS represents 115,000 songwriters, composers and publishers.