SONY MUSIC'S PICKEN WISELY FOR TOP OZ JOB

Vanessa Picken, most recently Managing Director of [PIAS], will take on the role of Chair and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand beginning in September.

Based in Sydney, Picken will oversee operations, artist signings, marketing and business partnerships for the company. She will also forge new partnerships for artists with other Sony companies and identify opportunities for artists in music, TV, film, podcasting, gaming and more. She will report to Sony Music Group Chairman Rob Stringer.

“After a careful and thorough recruitment process, we are delighted to have Vanessa join our company in such a key role,” Stringer said. “Her impressive background covers so many areas of the modern music business in Australia and New Zealand, and her recent leadership experience in the United States adds a global understanding to those skills. We believe Vanessa will be a trailblazing executive leading Sony Music Australia to an exciting future.”

Picken brings to the role more than 15 years of leadership and experience in artist and label management as well as marketing and the digital entertainment business.

At [PIAS] in Los Angeles, she oversaw the restructuring of the company’s label group and distribution business. She focused on repertoire and campaign development and was instrumental in achieving recognition for Arlo Parks, Röyskopp, Lykke Li and others. Previously, she ran the company’s digital strategy for North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Picken is also the founder of digital agency and label-services company Comes With Fries. She started her career in the music industry at EMI Music Australia in 2006.

Picken looks forward to being welcomed into an office with the soothing sounds of the didgeridoo.