ASCAP boosts its technology team with the hiring of former New York Times digital executive Tristan Boutros as its chief technology officer. In his new role based in New York, Boutros will work with the Digital Product, Data Strategy and Operations teams and work to scale the global IT systems and infrastructure that support the performing rights company's cloud strategy, including elastic computing and API roadmap.
Prior to joining New York Times, where he worked as chief of operations, Boutros served as senior vp of technology and business process at Warner Music Group, and has also held senior technology roles at Blackberry and IAC.
More moves in the biz:
‣ Roger Lynch wraps up at Sling TV to take on the new roles of CEO and president at Pandora, where he also joins the board of directors. The company also brings on Michael Lynton, current chairman of Snap Inc. and former CEO and chairman of Sony Entertainment, to the board.
‣ Canada's Paquin Artists Agency snags three former employees at the recently-closed United Talent Agency Canada. Agents Adam Kreeft and Rob Thornton join Paquin's Toronto office, along with Sarah Litt, who takes on the role of assistant.
‣ Rights-management firm Downtown Music Publishing elevates Bea Koramblyum to vice president of business affairs from her previous role as senior director of business affairs.
‣ Trevor Eld is set to work on both the agency and editorial sides of The Fader and Cornerstone in the newly-created inter-departmental position of chief creative officer. Plus, the creative department takes on three new hires: Steve Caputo as executive creative director, Grace Gordon as vp of strategy and Louis-Philippe Riel, the new creative director.
‣ Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment (BSE), which operates venues including the Barclays Center and Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, makes several hiring moves in anticipation of the June 2018 retirement of Charlie Mierswa, chief financial officer. Eu-Gene Sung joins the company as CFO from advertising agency McCann New York, while Chris Magee, who currently serves as senior vp of human resources at BSE, fills the newly created role of chief administrative officer. Until his retirement, Mierswa will take on the role of evp of acquisitions and strategic advisor to the CEO, focusing on the acquisitions of Webster Hall and LIU Brooklyn Paramount Theatre.
‣ APA hires Ralph James and Jack Ross to run a new Canada office for the company. Also joining APA are former United Talent Agency music agents Stefanie Purificati and Mike Graham.
‣ In another hiring move that follows the shuttering of UTA's Canada office, Paradigm appoints former UTA Canada senior vp Rob Zifarelli to run Paradigm's new Toronto office. Zifarelli will be joined by newly-hired agents Adam Countryman and André Guérette.
‣ Former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde joins Syracuse University as director of the Bandier Program for Music Business and the Entertainment Industries. During his more than eight years at Billboard, Werde helped transition the company to a digital consumer brand, leading the 2010 relaunch of Billboard.com, creating a video department and expanding across social platforms. For the past year and a half, Werde has served as a strategic adviser to top media and music industry companies and non-profit organizations.
‣ Def Jam Recordings taps industry veteran Scott Greer for the role of executive vp of marketing & commerce. Over his extensive career, Greer has served at Columbia Records and Capitol Music Group and overseen campaigns for artists like Adele, Beyoncé, Katy Perry and Lil Yachty.
‣ Steven Greener takes on a new role as head of music talent management at Primary Wave Music, the independent publisher home to artists like Cee Lo Green and Melissa Etheridge. Greener began his career managing Will Smith before transitioning into film, with involvement in projects like The Bernie Mac Show and, as a consultant of Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films, Kevin Hart's Let Me Explain.