Global Music Leaders Cohort Announced

26 July 2024 - Press release

Brighter Sound, producer of the WOMEX 24 legacy programme, and the British Council have revealed the successful applicants of ‘Global Music Leaders’, a leadership programme to upskill, profile and connect music industry change makers from across the world. 

Supporting 12 representatives from 8 countries, the Global Music Leaders programme will run from now until early 2025, kicking off with 10 online training sessions between July-October 2024. The cohort will come together for a residency in Manchester during WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) in October where they will attend WOMEX 24 as delegates, and take part in additional masterclasses, workshops and networking sessions. After WOMEX, the group will access further online support, including 1:1 coaching. 

Yaw Owusu, Programme and Industry Partnerships Lead at Brighter Sound said: "These 12 dynamic music industry professionals are delivering exceptional work in various sectors across the world. The diversity in discipline, approach and skillset of the cohort members really makes this a formidable network. We look forward to helping them grow their leadership skills and practice, and create connections on an international scale with other professionals working across the global industry.” 

The Global Music Leaders are:

• Aisha Fancy - General Manager at Ejoya (Nigeria)
• Andrew Ogun - Musician, poet and Agent For Change at Arts Council of Wales (UK)
• Blossom Maduafokwa - Culture journalist and event curator (Nigeria)
• Esta Rae - Events and production manager and neurodivergent advocate (UK)
• Kim Pham - Festival event manager for Bridge Fest in Hanoi (Vietnam)
• Krantinaari Hiremath - Multidisciplinary artist, rapper, and graphic designer (India)
• Latisha Pemberton - Expert in youth engagement and co-founder of NQ Legacy (UK)
• Maich De La Maria - Director of RANCHEAR Festival (Buenos Aires)
• Mohamed Ben Said - Founder of “TUNES”, promoting emerging Arab artists (Tunisia)
• Nicole Sarmiento  - Current Music Export Lead for SONIK (Philippines)
• Olha Bekenshtein - Music curator and festival producer (Ukraine)
• Ree Sewell  - Event and Tour Manager, presenter, A&R (UK) 

Joel Mills, Director of Music at British Council commented; “We’re thrilled that our Music team here at the British Council is working in partnership with Brighter Sound and Manchester Music City to support a Global Music Leaders residency programme for WOMEX 24. The programme will help build connections and forge new networks for a diverse cohort of international and UK music leaders and professionals. We anticipate that the exciting context of WOMEX 24 in Manchester will prove to be a rewarding experience all round.” 

Global Music Leaders is part of WE, THE LEADERS, Brighter Sound’s WOMEX 24 legacy programme which also includes commissions, roundtables and a youth-led music conference. With its overarching theme of ‘New Voices, New Work, Next Steps’, the programme will animate the city during WOMEX 24 and ensure a long-lasting impact beyond the event,  benefiting thousands of young people, music creators and professionals. 

WOMEX 24 will take place in Manchester between 23-27 October with 2,600 of the world’s music industry from 90 different countries expected to attend. Manchester Central will host the main daytime conference and trade fair, with live music showcases, club nights and films at Albert Hall, Aviva Studios, Manchester Central, O2 Ritz Manchester, The Bridgewater Hall and HOME. The evening showcases will be open to the public, with audiences able to experience a mix of musical genres and styles, including folk, roots, jazz and electronic, with artists representing diverse cultures and regions from around the globe. 

For more information about the Global Music Leaders visit the Brighter Sound website or Instagram. For public tickets to WOMEX 24 visit the WOMEX Festival website, or for more information about attending as a music industry delegate visit the main WOMEX website.