The previously reported and, in the context of the AIM/IMPALA/Warner/Ministry dispute, slightly controversial, new global digital rights agency for the independent sector, Merlin, which was officially launched at Midem earlier this year, has announced details of its interim board, which will include key players in the indie label sector from around the world. Though no one from Ministry Of Sound, we note.
The board has been nominated by the three indie label trade bodies involved in the new organisation's creation, the World Independent Network (WIN), the American Association Of Independent Music (A2IM) and pan-European body IMPALA, and was unveiled by Merlin CEO Charles Caldas this weekend.
Board members include, from the US, Tommy Boy Records boss and A2IM board member Tom Silverman and Concord Music CEO Glen A Barros; from Europe Beggars Group chief and IMPALA chairman Martin Mills, PIAS co-president Michael Lambot, !K7 CEO and IMPALA VP Horst Weidenmueller; and for the rest of the world Japan based MZ Entertainment's Takashi Kamide and New Zealand based Tardus Music's Mark Kneebone.
The board will be completed by Caldas himself, who will relocate to London shortly to head up the new operation, and Alison Wenham, who heads up both the UK's Association Of Independent Music and the World Independent Network.
Confirming the interim board, Caldas told reporters: "We have here a great group of experienced professionals from a broad range of territories, whose collective dedication will ensure Merlin is incorporated and fully operational in the shortest time possible. This heralds a new chapter for independents around the world. We are on a unique journey to license collectively the individually unlicensable - and together we are bigger than the largest major".