Sony Music reveals four new hires, including former Nova, UMA execs

Sony Music Australia is ending the year on a high note, adding four new executives.

In a memo to all staff, shared with TMN, the major’s chief Denis Handlin announced new arrivals Therese Ryan, Claire Marshall, Ben Hock and Tom Gilmore have all joined the business.

Reporting to Handlin, Ryan is now Sony Music’s senior director of business development for Australia and New Zealand. She first joined the publicity department in 2009 after completing an internship, and now returns to the company after a stint in the Hong Kong office.

Ryan will have “a multi-faceted role” that includes cross-marketing and developing local ANZ artists, working closely with Kim Boshier and Wayne Ringrow.

The widely respected Claire Marshall has joined Sony Music as senior director of catalogue streaming & strategic partnerships, reporting to Sophie McArthur.

Marshall was most recently NOVA Entertainment’s music marketing director and a casualty of the broadcaster’s recent round of redundancies amid a weak advertising market.

She will be responsible for growing the major’s digital market share for priority catalogue artists through digital marketing and DSP artist activations.

Per the memo, Marshall will also work closely with Dan Nitschke on fostering and expanding the business’s relationships with brands and commercial partners.

Former Universal Music Australia marketer Tom Gilmore has also landed at Sony Music.

Gilmore will manage data and analytics for the label, reporting to McArthur. He will analyse internal and third-party data sources to deliver insights and identify opportunities.

Prior to UMA, from 2010 to 2013, Gilmore was the charts & music manager at TMN.

Joining as senior manager of social media & content, from insurance company IAG, is Ben Hock. He will report to Sophie Paterson, who joined the label from Spotify in May.

Hock will work on social media and content strategy for domestic and international acts, and will also be involved with the ideation and execution of initiatives on Sony Music’s own channels.

Prior to IAG, he held roles at agencies We Are Social and Adhesive PR.

As reported by TMN, the major also announced new hires in July with Alexander Franco, Annette Gevert and Jessica Barlow joining its A&R, licensing and promotions departments.