Musical Chairs: November 2

NEW CEO FOR JB HI FI

With JB Hi Fi’s sales increasing 12.4% and the acquisition of The Good Guys set to be finalised for November 27, the chain announced a major change in its executive rank. Current CEO Richard Murray is to become Group CEO. Cameron Trainer currently Merchandising Director will become the new CEO. JB Hi Fi expects total sales at $4.25 billion for the 2017 calendar year.

TEG APPOINTS TIM McGREGOR, MATT CUDWORTH

TEG, Australasian ticketing, live content and data analytics company, appointed former Dainty executive Tim McGregor as Managing Director of TEG Live.

McGregor has more than two decades’ experience in major event touring, music festivals, motorsport, theatre and film. He has held senior positions with Dainty Group, the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and the Falls Festival.

McGregor will continue to be TEG’s Chief Commercial Officer. He became part of TEG in July after the company bought out the Dainty Group and rebranded it TEG Dainty.

TEG also appointed Matt Cudworth as Chief Technology Officer. He joins from the multinational CSC, a global leader in providing technology enabled business solutions and services. Current CTO Greg Fahy moves into a new Europe-based international role with TEG as General Manager Softix and Head of Global Markets.

NEW CPO FOR VEVO

Former social video game firm Zynga exec Colleen McCreary is joining Vevo as Chief People Officer. In the role she is in charge of human resources/people operations around the globe, including Australia and New Zealand. Vevo CEO Erik Huggers said McCreary arrives “as we enter into the next phase of growth and transformation for our business.”

NEW PRESIDENT FOR COLUMBIA UK

The new President of Columbia Records UK, announced early this morning, is Ferdy Unger-Hamilton. He was previously seven years at Polydor Records. Unger-Hamilton replaces co-Presidents Alison Donald and Mark Terry and is now reunited with Sony Music UK chairman and CEO Jason Iley with whom he worked at Island Records.

Commenting on his new role, Unger Hamilton said: “I was about 13-years-old when I first heard Bob Dylan after my mum left a cassette of Biograph lying around. Columbia Records changed my life. It has always been the ultimate artists’ company.”

LEACH TO HEAD AHA

Scott Leach was elected the National President of the Australian Hotels Association, taking over from Peter Burnett, AM, from Victoria. Leach will continue in his position of President of AHA NSW.

HAMISH DODDS STEPS DOWN AT HARD ROCK CAFÉ

Hamish Dodds is stepping down as President and CEO of Hard Rock Café International – a role he has held since 2004. He is “pursuing new opportunities,” according to a statement from the company, which is owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Dodds says he’s leaving the company “well positioned with a strong brand footprint and an extensive pipeline of projects in all business units.” The brand has “a strong commitment to service and philanthropy. Hard Rock is a place where staff are empowered to deliver authentic guest experiences in a rock and roll environment.”

MUSIC EDITOR CHANGE AT BEAT

Furst Media’s weekly street imprint Beat went through a change in Music Editor this week. After two years, Cara Williams moved on to be replaced by Bel Ryan who has been at Furst Media for a year.

SABRA LANE TAKES OVER AM

Journalist Sabra Lane, who’s been covering Canberra politics since 2008, is the new presenter of ABC Radio’s flagship current affairs show AM, which broadcasts 8 am to 8.30 am weekdays. She replaces Michael Brissenden, who is moving to Four Corners after two years in the role.

NEW PRODUCER FOR KYLE & JACKIE O

Pedro Cuccovillo Vitola this week joined the production team at KIIS 1065 Sydney’s Kyle & Jackie O show. He got the job following their World’s Best Job competition. Surviving a number of challenges through the comp, Vitola sprung ahead of four finalists with getting Victoria’s Secret model Shanina Shaik on the phone and apparently finding a transgender prostitute Kyle hooked up with ages back.

Source:Mumbrella

BUCKS EXPANDS SYNC TEAM

Bucks Music Group has expanded its sync division with three new appointments. Holly Manners joins from music supervision agency Soho Music to take on a new bespoke composition role. Angus Fulton arrives as Senior Licensing Manager and Tom Frank joins from [PIAS] as sync executive responsible for placing music in TV and video games.

ANNE HOWARD HEADS PRIA

Anne Howard is the new CEO of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA).

AUSSIE SCORES SENIOR ROLE AT MALAYSIAN SVOD

Australian Marc Bennett is the new Chief of Staff at Malaysian SVOD service iFlix. Most recently at media agency Bohemia, his new appointment seems him re-join Mark Britt, head of iFlix. The two worked at Nine Entertainment’s digital arm Mi9 Britt.

FOUR ADDITIONS TO WA CHAMBER

Four additions have been made to The WA Chamber of Arts And Culture, which is the united voice to promote, advocate and represent the value of a vibrant and sustainable arts and cultural sector in Western Australia.

They are Fremantle Arts Centre Director Jim Cathcart, Wesfarmers Arts Manager Helen Carroll, Country Arts WA CEO Paul MacPhail and Michael Stanford, Group CEO of St John of God Health Care.

NEW MD FOR TWITTER AUSTRALIA

Twitter Australia has a new Managing Director, Suzy Nicoletti, who was its Head of Online Sales, joined the company three years ago. She replaces Karen Stocks who had the role for three years.

A statement from Twitter said of Stocks: “She built up a strong local team and grew our business in Australia into one of the top revenue markets in Asia Pacific today with many innovative, region-first digital advertising campaigns on Twitter with world-class brands.”

MILLER RESIGNS FROM SALAMANCA ARTS

Rosemary Miller, CEO and Artistic Director of Tasmania’s Salamanca Arts Centre for 17 years, has resigned. Will Hodgman, Premier of Tasmania, said she left an “exceptional legacy.”

He pointed out, “Originally founded in 1976 as a community and arts centre, Salamanca Arts Centre today includes artist studios and performance spaces and is home to many of Tasmania’s leading arts organisations and commercial galleries.

“From small beginnings, Salamanca Arts Centre has developed into an internationally recognised cultural and creative hub, and Ms Miller has been instrumental in making this happen.”