Warner Music Group unifies its global synch across its record label and publishing departments, Ticketmaster leans in on AI and more music industry hires and promotions.
Barbara Cane during the Billboard Indie Live concert held at Blue Note on June 10, 2026 in New York, New York. Anna Downs/Billboard
Barbara Cane has announced her retirement from BMI after 50 years at the company. She most recently served as vp of worldwide creative at the publishing company, and agreed to continue serving in an advisory capacity working directly with CEO Mike O’Neill.
Cane began at BMI in 1970, where she worked part time while still in high school. She spent the entirety of her professional career at the company, starting in BMI’s Song Research department. She held roles including general manager of the Los Angeles office and as vp of create in New York, Los Angeles and London.
“After more than five decades, BMI is not simply where I have built my career — it is part of who I am,” Cane said in a statement. “It gave me the opportunity to grow, to discover, and, most importantly, to uncover the soul within the songwriter. Through every chapter of my journey, I have come to understand that creativity is not simply a profession it is the heart of who songwriters are and the force that moves our industry forward. What has made this journey so meaningful is that my own values remain deeply aligned with those of BMI — to believe in creators, to nurture their gifts, and to create an environment in which their careers can flourish. After 50 years, that purpose still lives in my heart — and it is why this work has never felt simply like a career, but like a calling.”
O’Neill added, “Barbara is one of the first people I met when I joined BMI almost 32 years ago, and her kindness, caring nature and warm welcome showed me exactly why she is so loved by so many in our industry. She has demonstrated that same care and attention time and again to the many songwriters she worked with, nurtured and supported, and it’s why her relationships in this industry have endured. While Barbara and I started out as colleagues, we’ve ended up as family, and I don’t know many who can say that about the people they work with. The beautiful thing for me is that Barbara has agreed to continue working with me as an advisor, allowing BMI and our writers to still have her insight and counsel, while also allowing her to enjoy some time away from us for the first time in fifty years.”
In 2019, Cane received the NMPA Lifetime Service Award, and she is a member of NARAS, CMA, ACM and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She was named one of Billboard’s Top Women in Music in 2011 and 2024.
“When it comes to inspiring and elevating songwriters, Barbara is in a league of her own,” Mike Steinberg, executive vp and chief revenue and creative officer at BMI, said in a statement. “Her innate gift for seeing in songwriters what they often could not yet see in themselves has left an indelible mark on the lives and careers of so many creators. She exemplifies what it means to be a mentor, advocate and champion for our creative community. I have been incredibly fortunate to call her one of my dearest friends, a treasured colleague and a once-in-a-lifetime teacher. I am just one of many people whose lives have been enriched by knowing and working alongside her. Barbara’s contributions to BMI, our affiliates and our creative community are quite simply immeasurable, and her enduring influence and legacy will continue to be felt through the songs, stories and songwriters whose journeys she has helped shape for generations to come.” — Ariel King
Read more executive hires and promotions below.
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Ron Broitman (Warner Music Group)
Image Credit: Courtesy WMG Warner Music Group has brought together its recorded music and publishing synch divisions by naming Ron Broitman as president, global sync. He will report to WMG COO Tom Corson with additional oversight from Guy Moot, chair and CEO of Warner Music Chappell.
Broitman will be based out of the Los Angeles office and will lead WMG’s synch teams across WCM, Atlantic Music Group, Warner Records Group and ADA.
“Unifying our teams makes us a stronger partner for our clients,” Broitman said in a statement. “We are making it easier and faster to license our entire global library, which means more and bigger wins for our artists and songwriters. I’m grateful to Tom and Guy for their trust and support, and I’m energized to lead this team into its next chapter.”
Corson added, “Ron operates at the highest level and has been a bedrock of our best-in-class synch operation over the years with his steady leadership, extensive network and deep expertise in the field. This change establishes one creative strategy, one commercial business conversation, one clearance and one admin path for all WMG synch rights globally, speeding our path to market, simplifying the client experience and expanding opportunities for our artists, songwriters and the creative community.”
Moot added, “Bringing music publishing and WMG’s recorded business together under one roof is an ambitious growth move that sets us apart from the competition and will unlock even more value for our songwriters. Our WCM team will remain embedded in our synch business to ensure our writers continue to receive the care, focus and creative pitching they deserve.” — Ariel King
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Ticketmaster Hires Three
Ticketmaster is expanding its AI strategy with the hirings of three new executives including Jim Freeman as chief technology officer, Rachel Smith as senior vp of data science and machine learning and Chuck Mortimore as senior vp of product. Along with the new hires, Ticketmaster is adding in the team behind Ragie.ai to help with the support and development of AI tools as the company continues expanding its AI investments.
“Reliable, secure and personalized experiences depend on how effectively we use technology and data,” Saumil Mehta, global president of Ticketmaster, said in a statement. “Jim, Rachel, Chuck and the Ragie.ai team will help us move faster, build better tools and deliver better outcomes for fans, artists, venues and clients.”
Freeman joins Ticketmaster from Amazon, where helped build and launch Prime Video. He also served as chief technology officer at Zalando. Smith joins from Block, where she helped with data science across Square, Cash App and TIDAL; while Mortimore previously held roles at Disney, Stripe, Visa and Salesforce. — Ariel King
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Pete Robinson (Position Music)
Pete Robinson has been appointed as general manager of Position Music, the company announced. He will report to founder and CEO Tyler Bacon and president Mark Chipello.
“We have a real vision for what we are building in Nashville, and Pete is the right person to help lead us into this next chapter,” Bacon said in a statement. “Country music is at the center of our Nashville plans, but there is also such an incredible depth of songwriting and creative talent that we want to partner with. Pete is well equipped, both creatively and relationally, to work across Nashville’s music community as a whole, which is so important to us. He also has a strong track record of hiring great creative executives and I’m confident he will build a strong team in Nashville to support our songwriters and artists.”
Chipello added, “Pete has an exceptional pedigree as both an A&R executive and a publisher, and his relationships throughout Nashville are second to none. Pete brings exactly the kind of experience, passion and perspective that we need and I’m excited about the creative synergy that he will build together with the rest of our Publishing and Label teams.”
Robinson said, “I’m thrilled to join Tyler, Mark, and the Position Music team at such an exciting time for the company. I’ve spent my career working with talented artists, songwriters, and producers, and I’ve always believed that the best businesses in music are built on great creative relationships and a genuine commitment to the people behind the music. Position Music has built an impressive platform and a culture that puts creators first. I’m looking forward to building on that foundation in Nashville and helping create new opportunities for the incredible talent in this community.” — Ariel King
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Tony Berg Announces Joint Venture With Warner Records
Tony Berg has created a joint venture with Warner Records to create Crime & Punishment Records, with the label’s first singing Elle Bramball.
“Crime & Punishment Records is intended to champion young, ambitious artists. Right now, I’m seeing a return to lyric content, harmonic ambition, and musical curiosity,” Berg said in a statement. “It’s as exciting a time as I can remember, and I hope we can be at the forefront of discovering the best new music. I’ve been lucky enough in the past 8 years to work with Aaron Bay-Schuck, Tom Corson, and Chris Morris at Warners, much as I did when I produced records in the label’s previous heyday for Mo Ostin, Lenny Waronker, and Michael Ostin. When the new crew expressed interest in a joint venture, I leapt to it. How could I not? And I’m thrilled that Elle Bramhall is our debut signing. She is an extraordinary young artist with a point of view that is at once fresh and timeless.”
Aaron Bay-Schuck, chairman and CEO of Warner Records Group, “Tony Berg is in rarified air as an elite producer. Not only does he have incredible taste, but he also possesses a real gift for bringing out what makes an artist special. What he’s accomplished with Warner Records’ star SOMBR has been pure magic. Not so much by putting his fingerprints all over it, but by showing restraint and knowing exactly what pieces needed to be put around SOMBR to help him fully realize his vision. Bringing Tony’s JV to Warner Records was an easy decision. He’s already signed an incredibly promising young singer-songwriter, Elle Bramhall, and we’re so excited about what he’s building and what’s to come.” — Ariel King
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Diane Neville (Oak View Group)
Oak View Group has appointed Diane Neville as chief human resources officer at the company. Based in Denver, she will report to CEO Chris Granger.
“We are very excited to welcome Diane to OVG and tap into her vast experience leading high-performing teams with a focus on collaboration and culture building,” Granger said in a statement. “There is nothing more important to the success of our organization than nurturing a strong foundation with clear values and a robust, people-first culture. As our number of services, markets and employees continues to expand, Diane and her team will help bolster the critical parts of our organization that allows OVG’s people to grow and thrive.” — Ariel King
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ONErpm Launches Hubs
ONErpm has unified its marketing and promotion teams with Iasmine Amazonas anmed CMO and Isaac Miranda serving as global marketing director. Amazonas previously served as chief of staff, Brazil, while Miranda was director of Asia.
“We’ve proven our ability to disrupt local markets around the globe,” Miranda said in a statement. “Now, we’re taking aim at the legacy mindset that limits independent artists to regional success. Our global and regional hubs democratize access to top-tier international marketing expertise, giving our partners the backing of central knowledge and best-in-class execution. It allows culture to flow globally from anywhere on earth, without losing the local engine that knows them best.” — Ariel King
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