• Welcome by Kim Beauchamp, DDEX Chair and SVP Process Innovation & Advanced Operations, Universal Music Group (US); and
• Introductory remarks by Susan Butler, Executive Editor/Publisher, Music Confidential (US)

At the first BIG Summit in 2015, audience members all promised to share more data to improve the industry’s collective efficiency for money to flow to the true rights holders, creators and performers and not be stuck in the muck. Seven years later, some essential data is still not being shared or not being shared quickly and effectively. “Enough!” say many company executives. They are therefore involved with for-profit companies using machine learning, AI and sophisticated algorithms to try and figure out the “best of” data to use. But this actually scares some other executives. We will hear the “whys” and “why nots”.

Featuring:
Mark Douglas, Chief Information Officer, PPL
Harmen Hemminga, Head of Partnerships and Strategic Projects, FUGA

Despite the fact that technology and royalty administration touch nearly every aspect of our businesses in the music ecosystem, seasoned IT and admin executives are still missing from the highest levels of company leadership. Why? What are the perceived and the real barriers? More importantly, what strategies can we develop and implement to change this leadership dynamic? Susan Butler has been researching and gathering information to brainstorm with you how to make these kinds of changes for a new style of leadership that can push a more effective digital flow of information, cost effectively.

Susan Butler kicks off this discussion in which everyone is invited to participate.

Empowerment comes when an individual has been able to communicate critical issues so effectively inside an organization and outside the organization that some of the most challenging hurdles to doing business in the digital music ecosystem can truly be overcome. How is this achieved?

Featuring:
Cecile Rap-Veber, CEO, SACEM

Informing targeted groups in the industry about rights and data to keep everyone working together effectively and up to date on changes is so incredibly challenging! The US Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is required by government regulation to get messages out to the industry, educate everyone on mechanical licensing, and keep targeted groups up to date. The MLC has been doing just that. The two executives leading that charge share their expertise and experiences to assist others in the industry in achieving effective external communication.

Featuring:
Kris Ahrend, Chief Executive Officer, The Mechanical Licensing Collective
Ellen Truley, Chief Marketing Officer, The Mechanical Licensing Collective

Is it time to shake up the ways in which DSPs and authors’ societies/publishers communicate music usage, rights claims and amounts due? Is all the back-and-forth and back-and-forth about usage, claims, discrepancies, amounts due and money withheld because of over-claiming really the best that can be done in the 21st Century? These executives argue it’s time to change!

Featuring:
Victoria Campoamor, Senior Director, Content Operations & Services, Spotify (US)
Greg Quillard, Director of Music Publishing and Label Operations, YouTube (Spain)
Amy Thomson, Chief Catalog Officer, Hipgnosis Songs (UK)

A time to bring up what’s on your mind on related areas of the business and propose possible solutions to challenges. Bring it up on your own or go through Susan to bring it up anonymously (speak with Susan before the summit or slip that idea on a note into Susan’s pocket the day of the summit).

Synchtank is a B2B SaaS company that provides asset and rights management and royalty accounting solutions for the music, media and production industries. Its mission is to improve efficiencies across digital entertainment with highly configurable and interoperable software that solves complex rights, data, and licensing challenges for music rights holders and music rights users. With its powerful suite of solutions, Synchtank’s technology is the backbone for any modern media company.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) was designated by the U.S. Register of Copyrights in July 2019 pursuant to the Music Modernization Act of 2018. The MLC is responsible for administering the new blanket compulsory license for the use of musical works by digital music services. As of January 2021, mechanical royalties from streaming in the U.S. will be processed and paid out by The MLC at no cost to songwriters or music publishers.

Cocktails will take place in the lounge of University of Miami School of Law, across Miller Drive from the Gusman Concert Hall.