• Junior Foster (Because), Leah Ellis (Warp), Matt Bristow (Cherry Red) and Rachel Buswell (Domino) join board
• Panel on ‘Independent Influence’ featured Black Music Research Unit’s Mykaell Riley, untitled (recs)/fashion consultant Alex Putman and Restore the Music UK’s Polly Stepan Moore
• Partnership unveiled with music venue and award-winning music hub Bristol Beacon
• Beatdapp named official streaming fraud detection partner 
• Amplify apprenticeship programme to continue for second year in 2025

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has appointed Gee Davy as Chief Executive at its 2024 annual general meeting at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. 

A long-standing member of the AIM leadership team, Gee joined AIM as Head of Legal and Business Affairs in 2017. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2020, before stepping up as interim CEO in April this year. Her appointment will see her continue to lead AIM’s work championing the UK’s broad and growing independent music community. 

As CEO, Gee will continue to oversee AIM’s policy work, advocating for independent labels and artists in discussions ranging from funding for creative businesses to streaming reform and the interaction of music with AI. 

Ruth Barlow, AIM Chair and Director of Live Licensing at Beggars, said: “Over the past eight months, Gee has demonstrated outstanding leadership under enormous pressure. She has successfully rallied the team and focused on numerous internal priorities while re-establishing and expanding the organisation’s membership and external presence with key stakeholders. The board feels that there’s no one better suited to offering the stability and vision needed to keep us moving forward. We wish her well in this role and look forward to the beginning of a new phase for AIM.”

She continued: “I think it is fair to say we find ourselves in complicated times. We’re witnessing a vast mission creep by the majors, whose market share, year by year is diminishing – prompting them to seek control and influence over the market and the very businesses that offer artists an alternative. True independence remains a vital counterbalance to the consolidation of power that major corporations wield. It’s never been more important for the independent community to stand together for integrity and values that genuinely support and respect artists and rightsholders.”

Following AIM’s elections, where members receive an equal vote regardless of size, Junior Foster (Head of Digital Partnerships UK at Because Music), Leah Ellis (UK Campaigns and Special Projects Manager at Warp), Matt Bristow (Director of Business Affairs & Licensing at Cherry Red Records) and Rachel Buswell (Head of Digital Partnerships & Analytics at Domino Recording Co) were elected to join the board. The new appointees bring a wealth and variety of experience, adding visible and hidden diversity to AIM’s leadership. They replace outgoing board members Alice Whittington (General Manager at Soundway Records), Clare McKinney (Director at Domino), Jason Rackham (Managing Director at [PIAS] , and Sarah Cole (COO at AEI Music).

The first music trade body to introduce a key theme for discussion at its AGM, AIM this year explored “Independent Influence”, delving into the impact independent music has and can have on the wider world. Led by author, performer, and DJ Kirsty Allison, the panel included the head of the University of Westminster’s Black Music Research Unit Mykaell Riley, untitled (recs) founder and fashion brand consultant Alex Putman, and Restore the Music UK’s CEO Polly Stepan Moore. 

Newly confirmed AIM CEO Gee Davy said: “I’m honoured that the board has asked me to take on the role of CEO on a permanent basis. With AIM’s incredibly dedicated team and the trust of the board behind me, I look forward to continuing to deliver on AIM’s commitments to support and champion its members in building dynamic and successful artist-first businesses and communities across all regions and nations of the UK. 

“It is particularly exciting not just to have delivered a full array of member support and events including a star-studded Independent Music Awards, but also to mark this next phase with a host of both new and renewed initiatives which will create opportunities and tackle challenges head-on on a number of fronts to ensure continued growth and a more equitable and open market for all.”

As one of AIM’s priorities for the year ahead, Gee unveiled plans for AIM to help its members in their efforts to combat the industry-wide issue of streaming fraud. This included the announcement of a pioneering new collaboration with Beatdapp, a global leader in streaming fraud detection services. Co-founders and Co-CEOs Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk will work with AIM to provide expert data-driven knowledge, meeting regularly with AIM’s newly-formed distributor-led Streaming Fraud Working Group to provide hands-on support and guidance. 

Said Batey and Hayduk: “Through this partnership we can use our expertise to assist AIM and its members in achieving our shared goal: to drive criminals from the music streaming ecosystem.”

Another key announcement relates to AIM’s ongoing commitment to better support and develop independent music communities outside London, as part of its Regions and Nations strategy. In the past year this has seen AIM support a number of programmes and events around the UK, including strengthening its ties with creative communities in Yorkshire by partnering with Tileyard North. This played host to one of AIM’s regional roundtables in May, with other sessions previously taking place in Leeds and Leicester as well as a follow-up to the roundtable held alongside AIM’s 2022 AGM in Manchester. 

The next phase will see a new partnership between AIM and award-winning venue and music education hub, Bristol Beacon. AIM will collaborate with Bristol Beacon on programming for the venue’s upcoming 2025 conference, and will set up a base on site for its work with the thriving independent community in Bristol and the South West of England. 

The partnership will be overseen by Bristol Beacon’s Creative Producer Owen Parry and Chief Executive Simon Wales alongside AIM’s Ben Wynter. AIM team members including Bristol-based Simon Metcalfe will spend time at the venue to engage with the local music community. This partnership underscores AIM’s dedication to creating an inclusive and accessible music industry. 

Ben Wynter, Director of Business Development & Partnerships at AIM, commented: “Our partnership with Bristol Beacon will support the engagement of the South West’s vibrant independent music community. Working alongside Bristol Beacon’s exceptional community for talented creatives and industry professionals will open up new opportunities for our members outside the capital, as well as further our aims for the development of sustainable economies and ecosystems throughout the UK. Thanks to Owen and the team at Bristol Beacon for seeing the vision and working hard to make this partnership a reality.”

Further plans for the coming year include a second year for the groundbreaking Amplify Apprenticeship programme, which enables apprenticeships at selected independent music businesses across the UK with the objective of championing and growing representation of women and non-binary talent on rosters. First launched in 2022, the programme is a partnership between AIM, Amazon Music and Women In CTRL, with support from All Things People & Talent. 

The scheme is led by AIM’s Head of Membership, Nina Radojewski, who added: “The first year of the Amplify Apprenticeship Scheme has been really rewarding, especially seeing real world results for releases the apprentices have worked on, which directly relate to the wider objectives of the scheme. As the first cohort completes their apprenticeships, we’re taking the learnings from Year 1 and are looking forward to running it again in 2025 to amplify more women and gender minority artists on rosters.”