Jerome Riera (left), Gerardo Martinez (center), Marcus Hammer (right)
Believe has announced a global leadership restructure for rock and metal label Nuclear Blast Records.
Believe acquired a majority stake in the 34-year-old label in October 2018, for what MBW understands was an eight-figure sum.
Nuclear Blast has offices in Los Angeles, London, Hamburg and Paris as well as talent scouts in Australia, Brazil, Finland, Italy, Sweden, amongst others
Jerome Riera, a former major label-signed metal artist and digital marketing entrepreneur, has been appointed as Nuclear Blast Records European Label Manager.
In this role, Riera, who is also Nuclear Blast’s former Head of European label strategy, is tasked with ensuring that all European-based artists and managers have a direct line of communication to the label’s management.
Riera’s expanded area of responsibility will include managing creative teams and structuring a new global marketing team.
Rounding off the new management team in Europe is the addition of Gerardo Martinez, Nuclear Blast’s General Manager for the entire American continent, who expands his role and global responsibilities by joining Jerome Riera and German Managing Director Marcus Hammer.
A near two-decade Nuclear Blast vet, Martinez signed the legendary metal band Slayer to the label and has worked closely with the roster’s preeminent artists including Meshuggah, Testament, and Exodus.
Meanwhile, German Managing Director Marcus Hammer will focus on “the proper financial structure” of the label’s “artist deals and the optimization of their contracts”, according to a release announcing the leadership shakeup.
Nuclear Blast has also revealed that Leonard Loers will partner with the label as a creative consultant in the areas of A&R, communication, and business development.
In addition to his affiliation with Nuclear Blast, Loers is the Director of Talent & Management at the German festival promoter ICS group (Wacken Open Air).
As part of Nuclear Blast’s global expansion in the marketing arena, the label has also announced the addition of Tiffany Cantegrel, who will head up the newly formed Global Label Marketing division.
Cantegrel will oversee and implement new and creative global campaigns, as well as strategizing new media opportunities for the label and its roster.
Cantegrel joins the label with a background in digital and traditional marketing, having spent more than seven years working with L’Oréal, Amazon, and most recently Amazon Music.
“Nuclear Blast’s tremendous success and growth over the years is the true essence of a company that understands the need to evolve and is not afraid to embrace the future.”
Thorsten Freese, Believe
Thorsten Freese, Managing Director of Believe Germany, said: “Nuclear Blast’s tremendous success and growth over the years is the true essence of a company that understands the need to evolve and is not afraid to embrace the future.
“I truly believe that the new management team is the right one for Nuclear Blast to achieve a greater level of success as it sets out to establish itself as a one, true global powerhouse, and as Managing Director of Believe in Germany, it is with abundant pleasure to say that I’m thrilled to contribute to this journey together with all the resources Nuclear Blast currently enjoyed by Believe.”
“Nuclear Blast is one of the most iconic brands in the metal, and for more than 30 years, the home of classic albums and incredible acts.”
Jerome Riera
Riera added: “Nuclear Blast is one of the most iconic brands in the metal, and for more than 30 years, the home of classic albums and incredible acts.
“It’s a real honor to be able now to contribute to building this new era with an amazing team, to keep the true spirit for the metal fans, and to push a modern digital approach to give the artists the worldwide support they deserve in this ever- evolving market.”
“I’m thrilled to expand my abilities beyond the Americas and share my experience with the team in Europe as we continue to set our goals and targets for many years to come.”
Gerardo Martinez
Gerardo Martinez said: “I’m thrilled to expand my abilities beyond the Americas and share my experience with the team in Europe as we continue to set our goals and targets for many years to come.”
“This is truly a turning point for the company in terms of adapting and embracing many of the new technology available to us while continuing the dominance of acquiring new talent for the label.”
Marcus Hammer
Marcus Hammer added: “In the six years that I’ve been at Nuclear Blast, I think that this is truly a turning point for the company in terms of adapting and embracing many of the new technology available to us while continuing the dominance of acquiring new talent for the label.”
“I am thrilled to join Nuclear Blast Records!”
Tiffany Cantegrel
Said Cantegrel: “I am thrilled to join Nuclear Blast Records! Metal has been a key part of my life since I was a teen. I actually started my metalhead journey with a number of NB bands and am still in love with this amazing roster.
“My time at Amazon Music convinced me that the music x tech environment was the right one for me, as my digital expertise and love for the music will best serve our artists worldwide, so joining Nuclear Blast was an obvious choice.”
“we want to lead the Metal genre into the digital world.”
Leonard Loers
Loers said: “We see ourselves, like Nuclear Blast, as the “Home of Metal” and we pursue the same goals to not only keep this genre relevant but to set new standards.
“Together we want to lead the Metal genre, into the digital world. We are convinced that Metal has the potential to also set new impulses in the digital business.”
