Respected British executive Mike Walsh has joined NFT marketplace Serenade as the company’s UK Head of Strategic Partnerships.
Founded by Australian tech entrepreneur Max Shand, and launched in August, Serenade says it is a fan-centric marketplace that “aims to break down the barriers to entry surrounding Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)”.
Artists offering exclusive and limited digital collectibles to fans on the platform include Jungle, ArrDee, Kaiser Chiefs, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, The Game, Strawberries & Creem festival, Young MA, Ride, Scouting For Girls, Ladyhawke, State Champs, Super Furry Animals, Ash, S1mba, Muki and more.
Walsh began his career in the mid-1990’s as a radio promotions executive at Parlophone Records.
He later became Head of Music at XFM (now Radio X), a position he held until 2019, and most recently joined Manchester, UK-based promoter From the Fields as its Development Director.
Walsh is a long serving Mercury Prize judge, a member of the War Child UK music committee, sits on the Liverpool City Region Music board and is on the Founding Committee of Brian Eno’s music-meets-climate-change charity EarthPercent.
Reporting to Serenade Founder and CEO Max Shand and Head of Strategic Partnerships, Clare Smith, Walsh will be based in the UK.
He will focus on managing existing UK industry relationships, alongside new artist acquisition, by further developing key stakeholder relationships with artists/managers, labels, publishers, merch companies, ticketing companies and other key industry players.
He will also establish partnerships with brands across all relevant industries and will oversee brand activations, collaborations, events and festivals, and will be the company’s spokesperson in the UK.
“NFT’s will not be an overnight revolution but it is increasingly clear that blockchain technology will have an enormous positive impact on artists.”
MIKE Walsh
Mike Walsh, said: “From doing some work with Max late last year, I knew he was an exceptional entrepreneur who would use his deep passion for music to create something truly meaningful, future focused, and of very high value, for artists and fans.
“This is exactly what he is doing now with the eco-friendly platform that is Serenade.
“NFT’s will not be an overnight revolution but it is increasingly clear that blockchain technology will have an enormous positive impact on artists, and everyone in the music eco system, over the coming years.
“Making this nascent space as user friendly for artists and fans, as it is exciting, is what Serenade is all about.
“I am thrilled to be working with Max, and his incredible team in Sydney, to help move forward this whole new and growing sector of opportunity in digital collectables.”
“we definitely have the right man to lead us forward in this important market.”
Max Shand, Serenade
Max Shand, Founder and CEO of Serenade, said, “It was absolutely crucial that we made the right appointment for our first senior UK hire and in Mike Walsh, who is universally respected throughout the music industry, we definitely have the right man to lead us forward in this important market.
“His passion for music and enthusiasm for innovative technology, alongside his deep knowledge of the NFT sector gives us enormous confidence that Serenade is in safe hands in the UK.”Music Business Worldwide
