The Merlin Board
Strategic
and Dynamic
The Merlin Board*:
- Informs the Merlin team with a diversity of voices and innovative perspectives from across our global membership.
- Ensures that our organizational objectives equally benefit all members, regardless of size, region, or catalog.
- Elected by and from Merlin’s global membership.
Responsibilities of the Merlin Board
The Merlin Board is responsible for:
- Governance, oversight and approvals including the admin fee percentage, Merlin’s annual budget, equity holdings, the Merlin membership agreement, and the Merlin membership criteria.
- Providing perspective into independent activity and local music industries in countries around the world.
- Participating in strategic conversations and ensuring that what’s important to independents is being heard by the Merlin Team.
Structure of the Merlin Board
- The Merlin Board has a total of 16 board seats, with nominations and elections held every two years for all seats.
- The Merlin Board is divided regionally to ensure geographic and cultural diversity, as follows:
– 5 Board Members from the US & Canada
– 5 Board Members from the UK & Europe
– 5 Board Members from all other regions
– 1 rotating Board Member seat - Every Merlin Member is eligible to nominate a candidate (provided that member joined Merlin at least one year prior to the election process) and every member has an equal vote to elect the Merlin Board.
Meet Our Board
(2022-2024)
Darius van Arman
Chairperson
Co-Owner, Secretly
USA
Pascal Bittard Owner, IDOL France
Marie Clausen Managing Director North America, Ninja Tune USA
Tom Deakin Head of EMEA, AudioSalad UK
Michel Lambot Co-Founder, [PIAS] Belgium
Chris Maund COO, Mushroom Labels Australia
Martin Mills Founder & CEO, Beggars Group UK
Carlos Mills Founder & CEO, Mills Records Brazil
Sandra Ortega Director of Global Partnerships, Altafonte Mexico
Louis Posen President & Executive Director, Hopeless Records USA
Jason Taylor Director of Sales & Label Relations, Redeye USA
Michael Ugwu CEO, Freeme Digital Nigeria
Horst Weidenmueller CEO, !K7 Germany
Pieter van Rijn CEO, FUGA The Netherlands
Justin West President, Secret City Records Canada
Yushi Yamashita President, RightsScale Japan
Katie Alberts
Advisory Board Member
COO, Reach Records
USA
Glen Barros
Advisory Board Member
Managing Partner, Exceleration Music
USA
Rachel Buswell
Advisory Board Member
Head of Digital Partnerships & Analytics, Domino Recording Co.
UK
Megan Jasper
Advisory Board Member
CEO, Sub Pop Records
USA
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