Musical Chairs: ARIA’s Rosen joins Creative Vic task force; New EVP for Def Jam; Ricki-Lee to front TV show; Ex-Hi-Fi booker James Power joins Melbourne Pub Group

ARIA’s Dan Rosen joins Creative Victoria task force

ARIA chief executive Dan Rosen is in a 15-person Creative Victoria task force to come up with a new strategic policy for the state’s creative industry by October.

Chaired by Melbourne University Press chief executive Louise Adler, the committee includes performers Shaun Micallef and Eddie Perfect, filmmaker Tony Ayres, Australian Centre for the Moving Image CEO Katrina Sedgwick, artist / academic Callum Morton and Bendigo Art Gallery director Karen Quinlan​. Victoria’s creative industries contributed $22.7 billion to the state in 2013 – representing 8% of its economy. It employed 220,000 and generated $1.4 billion in exports and drew $1 billion of cultural tourism.

Ex-Hi-Fi booker James Power joins Melbourne Pub Group

Following the Hi-Fi venues' rebrand to Max Watt's –which saw the new ownershire The Venue Collective as bookers – veteran booking agent James Power has joined Melbourne Pub Group. In the role ofLive Booking Director,Power will service the company's venues Cellar Bar,Prince Bandroom andPrince Of Wales Public Bar. Power will report toMelbourne Pub Group DirectorTom Walker. Power has also revived his 'pre Hi-Fi' companyTiger Live Agency, with plans to take it nationally.

Spotify gets a global head of publisher relations

Spotify announced that its Head of Licensing, James Duffet-Smith, will be its Global Head of Publisher Relations. He will oversee Spotify’s relationships with music publishers, collecting societies, performing rights organisations and the songwriters they represent. Before joining Spotify, the lawyer was Director, Legal and Business Affairs for Fox Interactive Media in Europe.

New EVP for Def Jam

Music industry veteran Faisel Durrani is the new EVP and GM (USA) for Def Jam Recordings. He worked in executive positions at Live Nation and Beyoncé's management company Parkwood Entertainment.

Tasha Mahalm joins ABC Creative team

The ABC appointed Tasha Mahalm to the new executive role of Studio Manager of ABC Creative division. The internal creative services agency, to launch later in the year, merges the promo, creative and design teams for the broadcaster’s television, radio and digital marketing. Diana Costantini, Head of ABC Creative said, “The birth of the in-house agency model is certainly on the rise with many large broadcasters finding greater efficiency and stronger creative results by keeping their design and production closer to home.”

Mahalm, who begins April 27 at her new post, was General Manager, Head of Production, and Client Relations Manager at Foxtel Creative; and Producer, Office Manager, General Manager at Tactic Creative Services. She was also a promo producer and worked for National Geographic Channel, MuchMusic (Canada), Channel [V], and XYZ Entertainment.

Two roles for Rachel McLarnon at NXFM

Rachel McLarnon is new Music Director at NX FM Newcastle, also pulling on air presentation duties for the morning show from May 18. She was also MD and presenter at 91.9 Sea FM Sunshine Coast since 2012.

Stuart Hendricks to run MTI’s new Melbourne office

Stuart Hendricks will run the new Australian office in Melbourne for New York-based Music Theatre International (MTI). It has a has a formidable library of musicals including Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Fiddler On The Roof, The Lion King, Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors and Mamma Mia! and is co-owned by Cameron Mackintosh. MTI has been represented in Australia by Hal Leonard Australia. Aside from his MTI role, Hendricks will also maintains his role as Director of Licensing and Hire at Hal Leonard.

Warner/Chappell secures Eric Mackay as Head Of Digital, Europe

Warner/Chappell Music appointed Eric Mackay as London-based Head of Digital, Europe. Sourcing new opportunities and revenue streams for developing talent, he reports to Jo Smith, Director of Legal and Business Affairs, UK and Clark Miller, EVP, North America operations. Mackay was at Vevo as VP, International Business Affairs and Business Development.

Coulter to front TV show

Gold Coast based singer and media presenter Ricki-Lee Coulter announced on Instagram she is the host of new show Life Changing Adventures which helps raise funds for charities. It goes to air later in 2015.

4BC’s new team

After the tornado swept through Brisbane’s talk back 4BC, its new team from April 27 is 2GB’s Alan Jones (syndicated for breakfast weekdays), Ray Hadley (ditto for mornings), Clare Blake (afternoons, as before), Ben Davis (drive, ditto), 2UE’s Mike Jefferys (evenings) with Ross Greenwood's 2GB Money News report from 6pm to 8pm weekdays. While the radio industry expects only a 1.5% growth over 2014/5 to $1.7 billion, it will be interesting to see how talk back radio is affected, if at all, with the current swing to streaming, and how long it takes 4BC to rise from its current eighth ranking.

Original FM jock Joe Miller retires …

One of Australia’s FM radio announcers, Joe Miller, has retired from radio after 49 years. After a stint at 3XY in Melbourne, he moved into FM territory with EON FM in the early 1980s and then 6PM Perth and Sea FM Gold Coast. Since 2006 he was with Territory FM Northern Territory hosting afternoons and producing Daryl Manzie’s show. Miller has no definite plans, stating “There’s not many of us left who were working in the ‘70s.”

… so does Don Dawkins …

Don Dawkins retires on June 30 after a 40 year run. His final job, in Canberra as Capital Radio Network Group Content Director, was for seven years. From Bega in 1974, it was 3KZ Melbourne, 2NM Hunter Valley (programmer) and 2NX Newcastle (Music Director, PD). Earlier this year he was inducted into Commercial Radio Association’s quarter century club to mark his first 25 years in the business. He retires to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria.

… and CBS Radio’s Dan Mason

One of American radio’s most powerful execs, Dan Mason, is retiring end of this month. As President and CEO for CBS Radio, the third most powerful US radio conglomerate, Billboard ranked him at #34 of its 2015 Power 100.

Iain Morris lands global role at Rdio

Iain Morris is new VP of Global Music Publishing at Rdio, based in London. He was at Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, as Head of Digital, EMEA.

Dave Howard leaves Adelaide for Tasmania

Dave Howard leaves Adelaide’s Fiveaa to become Program Manager in Tasmania, at 7AD, 7BU and Sea FM Devonport and Burnie from May 4.

Edge gets new Group ME

Content marketing agency Edge brought in as Group Managing Editor journalist Lulu Wilkinson who was seven years Head of Digital at Endemol, Editor of Chik Magazine and freelanced for Cosmopolitan, Frankie and Cleo.