Musical Chairs: April 6

Image: Kanye’s new manager Scooter Braun

SFX Entertainment CEO Robert Sillerman steps down

Robert Sillerman, CEO of the faltering EDM empire SFX Entertainment stepped down in the wake of stock price declining by 99% since a $12-per-share rollout. He will remain as Chairman of the board. In a farewell letter to staff, he said, “We had a bold vision, a revolutionary one. That we stumbled along the way can never detract from the energy and hope that brought us together.”

Kat Markey leaves Darwin for WA

Hot 100 Darwin morning announcer and Production Manager Kat Markey is moving back to WA after a year. She has an on-air role at Southern Cross Austereo’s Hot FM Bunbury. During her studies at the Central Institute of Technology in Perth until 2015, she worked as a casual announcer with Redwave Media.

PIAS grows North American operations

European independent PIAS is expanding its presence in the US and Canada. It has set up a Los Angeles office under Michael Owen to handle its jazz and classical content, and the catalogue of Belgium’s Harmonia Mundi, which it bought last year. PIAS also made two new additions to its New York office: Allan Benedict as National Radio Promotion Manager and Sally Hedberg as National Publicity Manager. Maureen Spillane comes from Fontana North to run the Canadian operation.

Nova 106.9 adds Confidential team

Nova 106.9 Brisbane ramped up its entertainment gossip features by bringing in Kris Crane and Stephanie Bennett of the Courier Mail’s gossip section Confidential to join the station’s Georgina Ingham-Myers for a two-hour weekly broadcast. The first of these took place on Monday night.

Liam Renton heads back to coast

Liam Renton, Program Director of 96five Brisbane, is now at Hot91/Zinc FM on the Sunshine Coast where he has begun as new Promotions Manager. He grew up on the Coast and began his media career there, and working with PD Ross Turner.

Kanye brings in Scooter Braun to management team

Kanye West has brought in Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun to co-manage his business affairs with his long time manager Izzy Zivkovic. The move comes as his new album The Life of Pablo, which has only been on Tidal since Feb 14 (and where it was streamed 250 million times in its first 10 days), now looks like being on both Apple Music and Spotify.

Gibson & Duckworth 2MMM return now permanent

Rob Duckworth and Dave Gibson, whose Gibson & Duckworth on 2MMM Sydney was initially for the holiday season, looks like they’re staying on permanently. They have a Saturday 7 am to 9 am timeslot. Duckworth celebrates his 38th year in commercial radio this year.

New Chair for MPA panel

Adrian Collette AM is the new Chair of the Australia Council’s Major Performing Arts (MPA) panel replacing Julian Knights. Collette is member of the Council’s board. The Council said, “Adrian brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise about Australia’s performing arts sector and the MPA framework, as well as a great passion for arts education and performance more broadly.”

Collette remarked, “Between them the MPA companies employ over 7000 artists, creative and technical people and another 2700 in arts management administration. They reach nearly 4 million people with their activities, either as audience members or through their many regional, educational, or young artist development programs.”

Shalailah Medhora joins triple j’s Hack

With the Federal election upcoming, triple j’s award winning current affairs show Hack has a new political reporter. Shalailah Medhora was previously with The Guardian and SBS. Hack reaches more than 700,000 listeners every weekday on radio, with an 11% share from 5:30pm. Its podcast is consistently in the top 10 news and politics podcasts in Australia.

Hannah Donovan named Vine GM

Twitter’s six-second video app Vine has brought in Hannah Donovan to help stave off the levelling of its growth in the past 18 months. Donovan, a product and design leader and worked in these capacities at the MTV-backed technology studio Ripcord and at Last.fm. She was most recently at fan-club-type subscription service Drip. Vine is focussing on tapping into fan fervour over popular acts found through video.

Tim Lee back in WA

Tim Lee, who built up his career on Hot30 Countdown, Melbourne’s FOX and Sydney’s 2DAY, is back in hometown Perth. He is heard in the afternoon on hit92.9. Before he headed East, Lee was at Trax Music and 92.9.

Greg Mackie starting new role

Greg Mackie, one time head of Arts SA and founder of the Adelaide Festival of Ideas, is stepping out of the arts for his next role. Later this month, he begins as new CEO of History SA. It oversees the Migration Museum, National Motor Museum and Maritime Museum, as well as the History Festival.

New GM for Apparent

Suzy Smiley has filled to the newly created position of General Manager at independent digital and direct communications agency Apparent. She was previously its Head of Strategy for two years.

Toshiba ANZ marketing head departs

Toshiba’s Australian and New Zealand operations has lost Mariana Thomas, its National Marketing Communications Manager for its Information Systems Division since 2007. Working in Australia and abroad, her track record in communications, integrated marketing and media saw a major focus in her work was to manage brands to competitive levels in highly commoditised and price sensitive markets. She now has a similar role at global flooring company Tarkett’s Sydney office, effective April 18.

Jeremy Senior at Samsung

Jeremy Senior is new Director of Home Appliances at Samsung. He was previously interim GM at Dick Smith electronics and at Sony Australia where he drove the channel strategy for consumer products across a diverse retail network.

New GM for Adrenalin Media

After a 120% increase of agency billings over the past 12 months, Sydney-based digital agency Adrenalin Media promoted Client Services Director Vicky Lalwani to General Manager. Lalwani has been with the firm for six years.