Catherine Haridy to leave AAM for top job at Australian Music Centre

The Association of Artist Managers (AAM) is on the lookout for a new leader with Catherine Haridy announcing her departure from the peak body.

Haridy is due to exit AAM in June, after which time she’ll join the Australian Music Centre as CEO.

It’ll mark the end of a two-year spell at the helm of AAM, which exists to develop, promote and advocate for artist managers.

Her leadership “has been nothing short of remarkable,” comments Greg Carey, AAM Chair. Over the past two years, Haridy “has grown the organisation substantially and created opportunities for all levels of managers,” Carey continues.

Haridy ticked off a string of achievements in that time, from providing support to the artist management community during the pandemic, including hosting masterclasses, webinars and Zoom drop-ins; providing information on subsidies, grants, changing restrictions and regulations to keep business alive; through to planning new research projects to quantify the value of artist managers; increasing funding for professional development programs and more.

Lars Brandle, Jen Fontaine, Regan Lethbridge, Jeremy Furze and Catherine Haridy at the 2019 ARIA Masterclass

Also, Haridy was a part of the industry team that helped secure a $135 million lifeline for the entertainment sector.

“It’s been an honour to represent our brilliant, resourceful and supportive artist management community at a time where we’ve been so challenged and disadvantaged,” she explains in a statement. “The last two years we have devoted ourselves to connecting, supporting, advocating for, and putting the spotlight on valuing our managers and their artists within the industry.”

In future, Haridy will contribute as a practising artist manager and patron of the AAM. She’s also a current board member of Music Victoria, and a patron of the Australian Music Prize.

Previously, she has held board roles with Support Act and the Community Broadcasting Foundation.

Haridy will take on the AMC’s head position July 1, following the departure of AMC’s CEO John Davis after a 32-year run at the top.

On her new role, Haridy explains: ‘It is no secret that our sector has been deeply challenged by the uncertainty and disruption of the past year. The AMC has a critical role in promoting the sector’s recovery by providing both tangible service outcomes and strong advocacy, and I am excited to contribute to that mission working closely with AMC’s members and key stakeholders.”

The AMC, says Carey, “are very lucky to have her.”

The AAM is seeking expressions of interest for the vacant Executive Director role. Visit www.aam.org.au for more.

This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.