Yasmin Lajoie (Empire Management)

Yasmin Lajoie is a music manager and freelance consultant based in London. Her career began in the a&r department at EMI, working on artists as diverse as Beirut, Lana Del Rey and Kate Bush; she has since been employed by Sony/ATV and Warner/Chappell. She has worked at Empire for over two years, where she is responsible for the careers of several platinum selling songwriters and producers. She also consults for Giant Artist Management whose roster includes Mount Kimbie, Crystal Fighters and Neneh Cherry. As well as her work in music, Yasmin is a published author and activist. In her spare time she volunteers for Centrepoint and runs a book club called It’s Lit.

Marco Giuliani (PPL)

Marco Giuliani is a Performer Relations Manager for PPL, the UK’s collective management organisation (CMO) for over one hundred thousand performers and recording rights holders (record companies).  At PPL, he account manages a number of international artists ensuring that their royalties are accurately paid when their music is broadcast or played in public. Marco has a background in music production having released records on the likes of Sony, Southern Fried Records and Coyote Records and working with artists such as AJ Tracey, Trim, Jam Baxter and D Double E. As a DJ he has toured the UK, Europe, Asia and the United States. 

Nathan Barley Phillips (TuneCore)

Appointed by Believe Music as the UK Manager for TuneCore distribution, A&R specialist Nathan Barley Phillips is responsible for all relationships with self-releasing artists, managers and industry partners working with TuneCore in the UK. 

Prior to this role, Nathan formed Basick Records in 2005 and set about the task of developing a forward-thinking record label for heavy music. Releasing early material from emerging UK bands such as Enter Shikari and Monuments, the Basick label soon became synonymous with the cutting edge of heavy genres, going on to release music from Misery Signals, Bury Tomorrow, SikTh, Skyharbor, Devil Sold His Soul and Napoleon among many others. Now a fully-fledged international record label nominated three times in a row for a Metal Hammer Golden God ‘Best Indie Label’ Award, Basick continues to be one of the forerunners in its field. 

Nathan also recently served 4 years on the board of directors at the Association Of Independent Music (AIM); a trade body organisation based in the UK that represents over 800 music companies, from some of the largest and most respected independent record labels in the world, to small start-ups and individual artists releasing their own music for the very first time. 

Calum Cunneen (Futuresound Events)

Calum is an experienced concert promoter, talent buyer and programmer working with international touring artists in the Yorkshire region with Futuresound Events, having previously worked in a similar role in Scotland. Over this time, he has also been involved with programming several venues and festivals such as Live at Leeds, Gold Sounds, Electric Fields Festival, Stag & Dagger Glasgow, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Celtic Connections and more.

Joe Kenway (Hyde Park Book Club / Brudenell Social Club)

I’m based in Leeds itself, at two venues – The Brudenell Social Club and Hyde Park Book Club. At both places I have a hand in a wide range of aspects of event management, from promoting and marketing, to technical and production. There’s diversity across the two from a programming perspective also – the focus is on music, but both act as home for the wider arts community as a whole, and the variety and cultural cross-contamination is really exciting to be a part of.  

Ben Cleverly (Business & IP Centre Leeds)

Manager of Business and IP Centre Leeds, at Leeds Central Library, for 4 years. Experience in supporting local businesses and dealing with enquiries on all aspects of business information and intellectual property (copyright, trade marks, designs and patents).

Business and IP Centre Leeds, based in Leeds Central Library, is a one-stop source for all your business information and intellectual property (copyright, trade marks, designs and patents) needs. We can help you if you’re taking your first steps in setting up in business or wanting to target new customers or research your market, and we can guide you through the procedures required to help you protect your intellectual property.

Alan Raw (Creative & Cultural Company, BBC Introducing)

Currently in his 18th year as an award-winning BBC Radio DJ/Presenter, Alan also does production, live session engineering & music photography for BBC Music Introducing in West Yorkshire & Humberside. Alan has been hosting the BBC Introducing Stage at Leeds Festival since starting it over a decade ago.  

He is also CEO & Curator of The Creative & Cultural Company, running arts festivals & developing Arts Centres, studios and galleries. Alan a multidisciplinary artist known for sculpting outdoor interactive sound insulations and playing electro-percussion in Endoflevelbadie & Celtarabia, supported by Rhythm Tech & Regal Tip. Alan also Chairs the World Drumming Network, specialising in electronic drums & beat making. He is a promoter of new music and DJ's at #360RAW in Lending Room Leeds supported by Denon-DJ. The #360RAW project offers not-for-profit support to new bands and artists in the North, with free advice, promotion and performance opportunities. 

Claire Rose (PRS For Music)

Claire Rose is the Outreach Manager for PRS for Music in the West of England. In her role, she works with music creators and music industry organisations and representatives to advise on PRS for Music, how to get the most from membership and where the organisation fits into the wider music landscape. She also organises events across her region addressing topics such as the DIY approach to music and issues surrounding diversity and inclusion.

As a membership society, PRS for Music represents more than 130,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK and beyond, championing their rights and ensuring that they are paid whenever their music is performed or played in public.

Richard Brown (Arts Council England)

Richard is part of the Music team in the North at Arts Council England. 

Before joining Arts Council England, Richard served as Manager of the Hebden Bridge Picture House, Managing Director of Arts & Business Yorkshire and previously spent 12 years leading Scotland’s independent record company and publisher Soma Recordings. He also served as Board and Council member of the Association of Independent Music (AIM). Richard’s commercial and artistic experience at senior levels make him expert at understanding the objectives and challenges of music and creative companies alike. 

Maxie Gedge (PRS Foundation)

Maxie has a wealth of musical experience in many different roles – she works in communications at PRS Foundation, runs a musical collective called Gravy, has a MMus in Sonic Arts, and currently plays drums in Graceland and Current Bond. She has worked for festivals, venues and talent development organisations in a range of genres, programmed hundreds of new music shows, and also promotes and DJs at queer dance parties.

Simon Benger (Arts Council England)

Simon is a Music Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts. He works across Yorkshire and the Humber, helping musicians to access funding and advice for a range of activity including creating new music, recordings, collaborations, performing, touring and making creative digital content. Before first starting with Arts Council England in 2013 Simon worked for a range of music and music education organisations across Yorkshire and the North West. He is passionate about supporting musicians across the North of England.

Richard Watson (360 Club)

A lot of my time is dedicated to helping and advising musicians, my most well-known proteges being alt-J. I’ve been promoting music for 25+ years, underground, grass roots and internationally known artists throughout the UK & Ibiza, including live broadcasts with Radio 1 and MTV. I’m a passionate supporter of live music and offer all acts I work with meetings to give advice, help and support in various areas of the music industry.