LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — Indie label digital rights agency Merlin announced that they have elected Epitaph’s SVP of Business Development Dave Hansen as Chairman of the Board. Hansen will assume the role of Chairman from Beggars Group founder Martin Mills, who is stepping down by rotation.
Martin served as Chairman since 2011, Merlin’s second following the tenure of Bob Frank, and will continue as a board member of the organization.
“It is an immense honour to be elected to serve as the new chairman of Merlin. I will continue to work closely with Martin Mills, Charles Caldas and the entire Merlin board and staff to deliver big results for our members around the world,” Hansen said in a statement.
The organization’s biennial board elections also saw the addition of five new members to the 15-strong board that oversees Merlin’s strategy until 2019 – with Bob Roback (Isolation Network, USA), Nando Luaces (Altafonte Network, Spain), Bruno Guez (Revelator, Israel), Chris Maund (Mushroom Group, Australia) and Masahiro “Jack” Oishi (Maverick D.C., Japan) all joining the board.
The 2017 elections saw the highest number of candidates standing for election to the board in Merlin’s history, as well as the highest-ever percentage of Merlin members casting votes, the organization said.
The successful candidates for the period 2017-2019 are, in first name alphabetical order:
North America:
Bob Roback, Isolation Network (US)
Darius Van Arman, Secretly Group (US)
Dave Hansen, Epitaph Records (US) & Merlin Chairman
Justin West Secret City Records (Canada)
Tom Silverman Tommy Boy (US)
Europe:
Emmanuel De Buretel, Because Music (France)
Horst Weidenmueller, !K7 Records (Germany)
Martin Mills Beggars, Group (UK)
Michel Lambot, PIAS Group (Belgium)
Nando Luaces, Altafonte Network (Spain)
R.O.W. :
Bruno Guez, Revelator Ltd (Israel)
Chris Maund, Mushroom Group (Australia)
Luciana Pegorer, Delira Musica (Brazil)
Masahiro “Jack” Oishi, Maverick D.C. (Japan)
Yoel Kenan, Africori (South Africa)
The newly elected board will also have the option of appointing up to six non-voting observers.
