Monday, March 27
2:35 PM – 3:45 PM
Session A:
Mobile Music – Business Models – Downloads, Subscriptions & Ringtunes
Mobile and music are the two most complementary sectors to emerge out of the integration of the entertainment and technology industries. Now that the iPod has broken all the barriers in delivering the perfect consumer experience, an even greater embrace of mobile and music combination is on the way. In the yet to be fully understood marketplace of mobile devices, services and content forms, the upside of this explosion in entertainment is unlimited. From ringtunes and ringtones to downloads and subscription services, music and mobile is a truly revolutionary combination.
Richard Conlon, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Media Licensing, BMI
KamranV, Marketing, Universal Music Mobile
Ted Cohen, Senior Vice President, D3 – Digital Development & Distribution, EMI Music
Adrian McAloon, Senior Director of Content and Licensing, WiderThan
Nicolas Pelletier, Chief Executive Officer, Musiwave
Bill Valenti, CEO, Melodeo
Scott Campbell, US Media & Communications Industry Advisor, British Consulate-General, Moderator
Additional speaker to be announced
Richard Conlon is the Vice President of Marketing and Business Develop
ment, Media Licensing for BMI. Conlon leads the new media licensing group at BMI which is responsible for generating royalty revenue from digital media platforms on behalf of BMI represented songwriters, composers and music publishers. He also supervises BMI's marketing and communications outreach to BMI's traditional media customers including radio, television and cable. Under his direction, BMI's digital licensing group has negotiated agreements for a wide variety of leading digital media properties including Yahoo, MSN, MP3.com, AOL, pressplay, and others. In addition, the team has negotiated royalty agreements with leading mobile entertainment providers for ringtones and other entertainment and information services delivered to cell phones . Conlon's team also spearheaded the first music industry online licensing utility, The Digital Licensing Center, offering totally electronic click - through copyright licensing agreements. He is often cited as an industry source on digital media rights issues in leading trade and consumer publications including The New York Times, Forbes, USA Today, Reuters, The Associated Press, Wired, The Financial Times, The Industry Standard, Billboard, KPFK-AM , The Chicago Tribune, C-Net and many others. Prior to joining BMI, Conlon was a television marketing consultant to SET, Viacom's Pay Per View production and marketing arm where he managed trade and consumer marketing and promotion for live music and sporting Pay Per View events. He also served as Vice President Affiliate Sales and Marketing for The Learning Channel cable network. He holds a Masters Degree in Communications Management from The Annenberg School of Communications at The University of Southern California and B.A. in English from Boston College.Adrian McAloon, Senior Director of Content and Licensing, WiderThan: As Senior Director of Content and Licensing at WiderThan Americas, Adrian McAloon is responsible for content strategy, and all music label and general content provider relationships for WiderThan. One of the first U.S. employees, Adrian joined Ztango (now WiderThan) in late 1999. During this time, he became instrumental in defining the U.S. wireless multimedia business and spearheaded ringtone content licensing and wireless content distribution in the U.S in 2000 and 2001. Prior to WiderThan, McAloon was a Product Manager with Iridium LLC’s Cellular Roaming Group, where he was responsible for carrier relationships for both satellite/cellular roaming and inter-standard roaming product offerings. Adrian has also held positions with American Personal Communications (Sprint Spectrum), the USA’s first GSM network, where he helped launch the first North American international roaming solutions. Adrian lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Susan and their sons Conor and Eamonn.
Ted Cohen, Vice President, Digital Development & Distribution, EM
I Music: As Vice President of Digital Development & Distribution for EMI Music, Ted Cohen oversees worldwide digital business development for this "big five" record company, which includes labels such as Capitol, Virgin, Angel/Blue Note, Parlophone and Chrysalis. Under Cohen’s guidance, EMI has led the industry with its initiatives in new technologies and business models such as digital downloads, online music subscriptions, custom compilations, wireless services, high-definition audio and Internet radio. In addition to seeking out, evaluating and executing business opportunities for the company, Cohen serves as both a strategist and key decision-maker for EMI’s global new media and anti-piracy efforts. He has worked to establish company-wide policies, which have allowed EMI’s artists and labels a substantial advantage in the digital music arena. Cohen served previously as the Executive Vice President of Digital Music Network Inc., where he co-founded and served as Chairman of the Webnoize ’98 & ’99 conferences. He currently chairs MidemNet, an international music/technology conference convened in Cannes each year. Cohen also held senior management positions at both Warner Bros. Records and Philips Media. Additionally, Cohen lead two highly successful new media consulting operations, DMN Consulting and Consulting Adults, attracting clients such as Amazon.com, Microsoft, Universal Studios New Media, DreamWorks Records, Liquid Audio, Wherehouse Records/Checkout.com and several other entertainment, computer and new media organizations. A 25-year industry veteran, Cohen serves on the NARAS (Grammy) Los Angeles chapter Board of Governors, the Board of Directors for the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund, Co-chairs the new media arm of the T.J. Martell Foundation, and lends his time and talents to the Grammy In The Schools Program.Scott Campbell, US Media & Communications Industry Advisor: Scott is a
New York City based Sector Specialist for the UK government’s Overseas Economic Development network, UK Trade & Investment. His role involves facilitating Business, Policy and Technology developments in both UK and North American markets for the Media & Communications sectors. Scott’s international business experience enables him to offer guidance to companies seeking to form strategic alliances, joint ventures and/or licensing agreements in the UK or North America. Prior to working for UKTI, Scott successfully managed a variety of Digital Media ventures over a period of 12 years between the UK & US. Projects included launching Liquid Audio in Europe, the world’s first secure music delivery platform on the Internet. Walmart now uses Liquid Audio’s technology exclusively for their online music service. Scott also worked on major projects with the BBC, George Michael, Duran Duran, Virgin Radio, Abbey Road Studios and many other clients before relocating to the US to manage a venture for Lucent Technologies Bell Labs Innovations in 1998. Scott began his career as a recording engineer in the UK and worked with various artists including Annie Lennox and Simple Minds. He designed and managed a recording studio complex in Glasgow, Scotland that is now called The Brill Building.Nicolas Pelletier, Chief Executive Officer, Musiwave: Nicolas Pelletier join
ed the company in June 2000, shortly after its creation, as Director of Strategy and Finance and later became Chief Strategy Officer. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in October 2004. During his time with Musiwave, Nicolas has played a key role in the company’s development and international expansion. His responsibilities as Chief Strategy Officer included securing distribution deals with major record labels. Now, in his capacity as CEO, he is responsible for defining and implementing Musiwave’s development strategy and has overall responsibility for sales and for securing and upgrading licenses with the record industry. Prior to joining Musiwave, Nicolas gained valuable expertise in the fields of international finance and telecommunications during more than ten years spent as a corporate banker with French investment bank Paribas (now BNP-Paribas). His achievements there included the successful negotiation of major telecommunication agreements such as France Télécom’s acquisition of Telefónica Argentina in 1993 and privatization deals such as that of France Télécom in 1997-98. Nicolas holds a degree from one of France’s top business schools, the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris.Bill Valenti, CEO, Melodeo: Bill Valenti is a seasoned entrepreneur and global-business executive, combining more than 20 years of experience in international investment banking and successful technology start-ups. Valenti spent 17 years in Asia developing commercial and investment banking business for Chemical Bank/Riggs Bank. Returning to the U.S., he launched New Pacific Partners, an investment banking partnership focused on Asian-market strategies. He later served as CEO of Tegic Communications, a software development/licensing firm that was later acquired by AOL. Valenti also has founded and/or headed a number of innovative companies including World2Market, Hutchison Mediator and HEEDworks, Inc. Valenti received a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Temple University and a Master’s in International Management from the American Graduate School of International Management. He remains active on the boards of a number of start-up companies and served as a Trustee of the International Snow Leopard Trust.
KamranV, Artist Manager, CyKiK: A top graduate of
the University of Southern California's prestigious Music Industry program in 2000, KamranV quickly made the jump from intern to Head of Production in the New Media division of Interscope Geffen A&M. His expertise set the standard for research-driven artist marketing for the entire roster. With the role of New Media rapidly expanding beyond the Internet, KamranV blazed new trails as IGA’s point person for new technology business development incorporating mobile phones, Video on Demand, and new physical formats such as DVD-Audio and Dual-Disc for which he served as producer of many releases including grammy nominated albums from Keane, Nine Inch Nail, and the ground-breaking release of Beck's "Guero." After developing Universal’s explosive mobile music strategy in his role at Interscope, KamranV inevitably joined Universal’s mobile division at its inception. In mobile, KamranV shaped the music business of the future with progressive campaigns such as the first-ever mobile exclusive in the D12/Virgin First Dibs program, Black Eyed Peas/Motorola Global VIPea program, events such as the recent Cingular Sounds Live event with the Pussycat Dolls and Daddy Yankee, and mobile marketing campaigns for Universal’s entire roster including Gwen Stefani, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, The Game, Eminem, Young Jeezy, The Killers, Fall Out Boy and Ne-Yo. Through KamranV’s corporate achievements, his holistic approach to the music business of the future never lost sight of the music and artists themselves. CyKiK, KamranV’s artist management, production, and entertainment consulting firm is preparing for the upcoming release the Nervous return’s "144 Hours" on Travis Barker’s La Salle Records. Recorded at legendary Sound City Studios in Los Angeles with noted rock producer Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, Tomahawk) the band’s innovative rock combined with KamranV’s innovative approach is sure to inspire.