BEN LOVETT (MUMFORD AND SONS/COMMUNION MUSIC) & MORE CONFIRMED FOR INDIE-CON 2017

14 December 2016 - Press release

Independent music conference to take place 1st February 2017, Glaziers Hall, London  - Afterparty at Omeara

Rhodri Evans (Levi Strauss & Co), Caroline Simionescu-Marin (XL Recordings), Austin Daboh (Spotify), Hattie Collins (i-D), Stephen King (Believe Digital), Michelle Kambasha (Secretly Group) + more added to speakers list
www.musicindie.com/event/indie-con-2017

AIM is pleased to reveal additional speakers and sessions for Indie-Con 2017, the 1-day conference covering all areas of independent label business taking place at London’s Glaziers Hall on 1st February 2017. The event will take an in-depth look at all the key areas essential for running a successful independent music business, offering unrivalled networking and learning opportunities.

Amongst the new additions to the event line-up is a special keynote interview with Ben Lovett of Mumford and Sons. 2016 was a huge year for Lovett; Mumford & Sons made groundbreaking moves with their sold-out tour of South Africa coupled with the release of the acclaimed 'Johannesburg' mini-album.  Sold out shows across the globe preceded the band's return home to sell-out Hyde Park in the Summer to 65,000 fans. Ben also found the time to celebrate ten glorious years of his independent label and live promotions company Communion, and most crucially of all, he bravely bucked the trend for venue closure with the successful launch of a brand new grassroots venue and bar in London with Omeara. Lovett will be in conversation, discussing all three exclusively for Indie-Con.

An official Indie-Con afterparty will take place at Omeara from 5.30-7.30pm on the day, with all delegates receiving a complimentary drink at the bar.

Joining an already stellar list of speakers at Indie-Con 2017 is:

Stephen King, UK MD, Believe Digital
Zoe Stainsby, Head of Fuse, Fuse
Alison Wenham, Chairman & CEO, WIN
Austin Daboh, Senior Editor, Spotify UK
Hattie Collins, Features Director,  i-D, author ‘This Is Grime’
Kevin Douch, Founder, Big Scary Monsters
Michelle Kambasha, UK Publicist, Secretly Group
Paul Pacifico, CEO, AIM
Caroline Simionescu-Marin, A&R Manager, XL Recordings / Editor, GRM Daily
Rachel Campbell, Founder, Wired PR
Rhodri Evans, Brand Marketing Manager, Levi Strauss & Co.
Merida Sussex, Stolen Recordings
Mark Kitcatt, Everlasting Records
Anna Neville, Senior Business Affairs Manager, Beggars Group
Oliver Restucci, IMI Chile /Discos Rio Bueno
Claire Southwick, Manager - Spring King, Primitive Management
Mike Hemsley, Campaign Manager, PledgeMusic
Sofia Genders, Co-founder End of the Road Festival and Bookshop Records
Chris Bye, Relationship Manager, Music, Arts Council England
Emily Scoggins, Head of Marketing, The O2
David Riley, Founder, Plan In Music
Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive, MMF


Indie-Con 2017 sessions will include:

Cooking Vinyl Present: How To Achieve a Number One Album
UK Grime Explosion: Ripping Up The Rule Book
I’m With The Brand: Successful Brand and Music Partnerships
Live Recordings Are Great Promotion, Right?
How Do You Break an Act in 2017?
Monetising the Booming Latin Markets
In Conversation With…Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons / Communion Music / Omeara)
Going Global: How to Internationalise a Great Small label
Merchandise: The Touring Artist’s Bread & Butter
Show Me The Money! Successful Funding Applications
Plus more TBA

Final sessions and speakers will be announced in January. The current line-up of speakers is:

Alex Hoffman (Global Executive Producer, Vice), Alison Wenham (Chairman & CEO, WIN), Anna Neville (Senior Business Affairs Manager, Beggars Group), Annabella Coldrick (Chief Executive, MMF), Austin Daboh (Senior Editor, Spotify UK), Ben Challis (General Counsel, Glastonbury Festival),  Ben Lovett (Communion Music / Mumford and Sons), Bronya Francis (Product Manager, Warp Records), Caroline Simionescu-Marin (A&R Manager, XL Recordings / Editor, GRM Daily),  Carlos Mills (Founder, Mills Records, Brazil), Catrina Dear (The7Stars), Charlie Phillips (Head of Legal & Commercial Affairs, WIN), Chris Bye (Relationship Manager, Music, Arts Council England), Chris Farrow (Head of Marketing & Product Management, Cooking Vinyl), Claire Southwick (Manager - Spring King, Primitive Management), David Riley (Founder, Plan It Music), Emily Scoggins (Head of Marketing, The O2), Hattie Collins (Features Director,  i-D, author ‘This Is Grime’), Ineke Daans (Live Strategy Manager, [PIAS]), Jason Reed (Head of Digital, Domino Recording Co), Jeffrey Chiang (International Relations & Marketing, Fluxus Music, South Korea), Justin West (Founder, Secret City Records, Canada),  Kevin Douch (Founder, Big Scary Monsters), Luciana Pegorer (Founder, Delira Musica, Brazil), Mark Kitcatt (Everlasting Records), Matthew Rogers (General Manager, Unified, Australia), Merida Sussex (Stolen Recordings), Michelle Kambasha (UK Publicist, Secretly Group), Mike Hemsley (Campaign Manager, PledgeMusic), MistaJam (DJ, BBC Radio 1), Oliver Restucci (IMI Chile /Discos Rio Bueno), Paul Pacifico (CEO, AIM), Phil Kemish (Founder, Disrupt Media), Posty (Co-Founder, GRM Daily), Rachel Campbell (Founder, Wired PR), Rachel Stoewer (Digital Marketing, Cooking Vinyl), Rhodri Evans ( Brand Marketing Manager, Levi Strauss & Co.), Ruth Barlow (Director of Live, Beggars Group), Sophia Genders (Co-founder End of the Road Festival and Bookshop Records), Stephen King (UK MD, Believe Digital), Tom Lodge (International PR, Sonos), Zena White (Managing Director, The Other Hand), Zoe Stainsby (Head of Fuse, Fuse).

Open to both AIM members and non-members, Indie-Con will run all day on Wednesday 1st February 2017, with lunch and refreshments provided to delegates.

Tickets are now available from the AIM website at www.musicindie.com/event/indie-con-2017 - priced at £60+VAT for AIM members, £140+VAT for non-members, including lunch, refreshments and a drink at the Omeara afterparty. An exclusive earlybird rate of just £50+VAT for AIM members & Friends of AIM, and £100+VAT for non-members applies until 16th December 2016.  Discounts for students, start-ups and members of affiliated industry organisations.

Book now: www.musicindie.com/event/indie-con-2017