Virgin Music Australia Expands Team Following ‘Significant Growth’
Following a period of “significant growth,” and with more forecast in the years ahead, Virgin Music Australia reshapes its team with several key promotions and hires.
Announced today (Feb. 7), Jodie Grinsted is promoted to senior manager – media and promotions, while Sam Cross rises to senior manager – artists and labels.
The changes continue with Claire Tate shifting into the label manager role, Lachlan Duthie is named streaming & label manager, and a triumvirate of new hires are welcomed to the team — Louvel Yapali (media and promotions manager), Luke Thomas (audience and marketing manager) and Alivia Cozzi (label coordinator).
The Label Services side of the Virgin Music Australia business “is experiencing significant growth and it’s exciting to be a part of it,” comments Cross.
“Our 11 nominations at ARIAs in November are testament to the fact we work with an incredible local roster on top of our impressive international label partner network and I’m proud of what we’ve achieving”.
Locally, Virgin Music’s artists include Amyl and The Sniffers, Chillinit, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Youngn Lipz, Parcels, Marlon Williams, Sampa The Great, Harvey Sutherland, The Murlocs, Floodlights, Skegss, MO’JU, Triple One, Mallgrab and others.
Formerly known as Caroline, the Label Services Arm of Universal Music was established in 2013, as a operation primarily to partner with independent artists and labels globally.
Led by managing director Tim Janes, Virgin Music Australia’s international partner labels including Fiction, Loma Vista, 10K Projects, Fader, LG105, Concord, Fearless, Fools Gold, Fader, French indie powerhouse Because Music, German heavy stalwart Nuclear Blast and local labels BIORDI Music and Spunk.
The expanded team in these parts follows the appointment of mtheory founders JT Myers and Nat Pastor as co-CEOs of the new Virgin Music Group, which units Virgin Music Label & Artist Services and Ingrooves Music Group, as well as mtheory’s label division, mtheory Artist Partnerships, which UMG in 2022.
Virgin Music was founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson in the early 1970s as Virgin Records.
Universal Music Australia (UMA) announced the launch of Virgin Music Label And Artist Services in these parts in March 2021, led by Janes, who had steered Caroline Australia from its foundation.