ERA honours entertainment champions

04 September 2024 - Press release

Gennaro Castaldo

Sam Allison

Karen Emanuel

Marc Fayde' Herbe

Helena Gardiner

Neil Lander
Maddy Smith

From the kingpin of CD and vinyl distribution in the UK to a key figure in manufacturing to a renownedmusic industry PR, digital entertainment and retail association ERA is tonight honouring seven behind-the-scenes champions of the entertainment industry at its second annual summer party.

The event – described by ERA CEO Kim Bayley as "the antidote to music industry awards shows" – is taking place at record store-themed hostelry Eastcheap Records in the City of London.

ERA's Entertainment Champion Awards aim to recognise the backroom staff who play a direct, but often hidden, role in bringing entertainment to UK fans.

"The entertainment industry could not flourish without the hard work of these ambassadors, fixers and problem-solvers," says Bayley. "We are delighted to shine a spotlight on the vital contribution they make to ensuring that entertainment finds its audience."

This year's honorees are:

· Gennaro Castaldo – BPI Communications Director. The long-time PR wrangler for HMV, Castaldo has held the top PR job at UK record companies trade association the BPI for more than a decade. Known for his passionate love of music, his encyclopaedic knowledge and warmth, Gennaro has been a staunch advocate of Record Store Day and National Album Day;

· Sam Allison - Head of Events & Partnerships, Rough Trade. Nothing phases Sam Allison which is just as well since in the past year he has presided over the organisation of almost 1,000 different events at Rough Trade. Recognised by labels and partners for his warmth and can-do spirit, he played a key role in helping deliver the Miraval Record Store Day pop-up shop at London's Truman Brewery in April 2024 which raised thousands of pounds for charity;

· Karen Emanuel – CEO of Key Production Group. Karen has been at the forefront of physical music manufacture for a third of a century, with a keen appreciation of the importance of physical retail, a staunchly independent ethic and a commitment to sustainability which together have made her a role model for female entrepreneurs in entertainment;

· Helena Gardiner – UK Sales Manager at Beggars Group. Lauded for her close working relationship with indie record shops, Helena Gardiner is renowned for her responsive, helpful and supportive approach which leads many to say "Working with Helena feels like having an additional team member";

· Neil Lander - Business Development Director, EMEA – DP World. It's no exaggeration to say that without Neil Lander there might no longer be a UK distributor of physical music product. It was Neil who, following the demise of Cinram, persuaded logistics giant DP World that there was a viable business in physical music distribution. In the words of one client, "Neil is a completer-finisher with a can-do attitude who brings a huge amount of energy to the table. He deserves recognition."

· Marc Fayd'Herbe – Universal Music Sales Manager. "Passionate", "supportive", "energetic" are just three of the adjectives attached to Marc, who has proven himself one of the greatest champions and advocates of the independent sector. The decision to honour Marc was made before the recent announcement that he is to retire after 35 years in the music business. Said Kim Bayley, "Marc has been a huge asset to the retail business and a massive champion for ERA– we will miss him";

· Maddy Smith – Artist Relations Manager, YouTube Music. After a successful career at labels Polydor and Capitol, Maddy switched sides to become YouTube's go-to person for artists and labels. Her skills and can-do spirit are coupled with an impressive command of the bigger picture, which has seen her become a key supporter of ERA initiatives such as National Album Day and ERA's programme to help nurture the next generation of music industry professionals.

The winners of the ERA Entertainment Champion Awards were selected by ERA's Executive Board following a call for nominations from across the entertainment industry.

Kim Bayley said, "Digital services and retailers are the behind-the-scenes do-ers who drive the success of the entertainment industry, helping deliver literally billions of pounds of revenues which support the UK's creative economy. It's therefore entirely appropriate that ERA should honour the do-ers of the music industry more broadly."

Tonight's Champion Awards follows the success of last year's inaugural event which honoured:

· Jess Iszatt, BBC Radio London

· Graham Jones, Indie record store advocate

· Natasha Youngs, Resident Music, Brighton

· Ian Sims, Amazon

· Steve Roper, 369

· Rich Clarke, War Child

· Paul Quirk, legendary indie retailer

Submit news or a press release

Want to add your news or press release? Email Paul or Kevin

Two week FREE trial