Musical Chairs: February 8

Image: Flourish PR

NEW HIRES AS FLOURISH PR REBRANDS

Melbourne-based independent creative communications agency, Flourish PR, has announced a number of hires after a rebrand and a redesign by Yoke agency. This comes in the wake of the company, which was set up seven years ago by one-time National PR Manager at Sony Music Entertainment Australia, Angela Ceberano, widening its range of services.

Rather than just its original traditional PR, it now includes social media, community management, business strategy, creative services, communication workshops and personal branding.

Musician Phil Ceberano, her husband, becomes Flourish’s fist full-time Creative Director. Jackie Smiles, a former communications adviser at Australia Post, is Senior Account Manager. One time Gold Coast magazine journalist Madeleine Gleeson is Social Media and Content Manager.

NEW SENIOR A&R ADD TO VIRGIN EMI

Jordan Jay has returned to Universal Music, hired as Senior A&R for Virgin EMI. Between 2006-2012, Jay was at Geffen and Polydor/Fascination. He was instrumental in 40 global hits, four UK number ones and the success of Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and The Wanted.

He then set up his own management company for songwriters and producers Karma Artists Management, during which time he consulted with Virgin EMI on breaking The Vamps.

CHANGES AT TRIPLE M

While Jane Gazzo is on maternity leave, Triple M is beaming Ugly Phil’s Sydney-produced Generation 90’s show to Melbourne from 12:00pm and 1:00pm.

Dave Higgins, who was hosting afternoons on a temporary basis, has moved on.

Triple M Hobart has renamed its breakfast show The Dave Noonan Show. Noonan has a new co-host, Brisbane’s Alison Plath, after Kylie Baxter returned to the station newsroom.

SPOTIFY EXEC JOINS APPLE MUSIC

Steve Savoca, formerly VP of Content at Spotify, has joined Apple Music. He is heading its new office in New York which is described as “a label-relations role. Before Spotify, the one-time musician worked in senior digital and/or marketing roles at Zomba Group, London/Sire and Domino Records.

MARK POWELL NEW FACE AT JB HI-FI

Music retail veteran Mark Powell has been brought into JB Hi-Fi as a non-executive Director, effective March 13. He’ll be looking at the relaunch of the Good Guys stand-alone operations which JB bought for $870 million. Powell, who held senior positions in retail in the UK, Spain and New Zealand, was an adviser to Good Guys before the sale.

NEW FRESH BREKKIE TEAM BEGINS

Adelaide dance radio station Fresh 92.7 this week launched its new breakfast team Cam & Alex. Cameron Doyle previously hosted the mid-dawn shift and helped the Ben & Liam breakfast team with digital content. Doyle replaces Dally Nijjar who has returned to country SA.

DEPUTY EDITOR FOR MUSIC WEEK

George Garner is the new Deputy Editor for Brit trade weekly Music Week. He was formerly in a number of senior editorial roles with hard rock magazine Kerrang!, which he joined as a freelancer in 2008, and also had his by-line in Q and Mojo.

NEW GM FOR SYDNEY’S X STUDIO

With X Studio Sydney founder Ron Creevey spending more time abroad expanding the concept, Sydney businessman Iggy Damiani is appointed to run the studio, Noise 11 reported.

Creevey, who is working on one of two Michael Hutchence documentaries, acquired a 4500-capacity venue in Gothenburg, from which to broadcast European gigs. An important announcement is coming for the entertainment industry “around” March 30, Noise 11 said.

ATLANTIC RECORDS PROMOTES RICHMAN

Atlantic Records Group promoted Sheila Richman from SVP of Publicity to Executive Vice President for Press & Media. In the New York based role, she will oversee a 16-strong team around the country to work on Atlantic Records acts as well as those on affiliated labels Big Beat, Elektra, Fueled By Ramen and Roadrunner.

MTV’S ALOUETE STEPS DOWN

MTV’s Senior VP of Music and Talent Relations, Sandy Alouette, has stepped down after just over a year at the role, to spend more time with family.

She previously was 15 years with sister network VH1 where she headed up the music and talent teams and curated much of its artist-focused programming.

NEW GM FOR 4ZZZ

The new GM for influential Brisbane community station 4ZZZ is Claire Whiting. A musician who began writing songs at 15, she was part of the 10-piece harmony outfit Inland Sea who toured Europe, and currently records as her solo character Miss Pompeii. She replaces Innez Tulloch who took over the role in 2015.

TICKETMASTER HIRES HEAD OF MUSIC

Ticketmaster’s newly formed division in North America is headed by veteran David Marcus, who has the title of EVP, Head of Music. The new division integrates artist service On Tour (which Marcus set up when he was with the company in 2005), its ticketing division and the ticketing system designed just for clubs, TicketWeb.

The idea is for the company to guide an act from its start in clubs to a build up to arenas and festivals. Ticketmaster turns over 530 million ticket transactions a year.

NEW INTERIM CEO FOR MTC

Promoter, educator and arts administrator and arts consultant Amelia Bartak has taken over as interim CEO of Melbourne Theatre Company after the departure of Nic Clark.

One of her previous roles was as inaugural Program Manager for Victoria for AFL SportsReady, during which she set up ArtsReady as a national youth employment and training initiative for the arts.

THREE EXEC DEPARTURES AT SHARP AUSTRALIA

After the buyout of Sharp Australia by Taiwan’s Foxconn last year, in what seems to be a restructure and a move to North Ryde, Channel News reports the departures of Deputy MD Joe Costantino, GM Administration Sandra Woods and GM Operations and Technical Services Ross McLennan.

FOXTEL EXEC JOINS ABC

Foxtel’s Head of Production and Development, Josie Mason-Campbell, moves over to the ABC as its Head of Non-Scripted Production.

At Foxtel, Mason-Campbell oversaw the production of numerous shows including Gogglebox, The Great Australian Bake Off and Coast Australia.