Kobalt’s recording company AWAL has hired Pete Giberga (pictured) as Head of A&R, North America.
Based in Kobalt’s New York office, Giberga will be responsible for leading the North America A&R team in developing opportunities for AWAL’s current roster of artists, labels and catalogs as well as developing, nurturing and signing new talent.
Pete Giberga is an A&R executive with over 25 years in the music business.
He joins AWAL from 300 Entertainment, having been there since its inception where he was EVP and Head of A&R for six years.
He began his career as a concert promoter and booking agent before starting his record company career at Time Bomb Recordings, where he worked in promotion and artist development until transitioning into A&R.
He worked at Sony for many years, and was Head of A&R for Epic Records for part of his tenure there.
“Pete is a seasoned A&R executive and the perfect person to help further build AWAL’s A&R team to ensure we provide the best creative support to our clients.”
AWAL CEO, Lonny Olinick, said: “As we continue to invest heavily in our artist marketing, digital accounts, radio and sync departments, we’ve also been working to establish a strong foundation for A&R in North America.
“Pete is a seasoned A&R executive and the perfect person to help further build AWAL’s A&R team to ensure we provide the best creative support to our clients.
“His experience across independent and major labels will help us in redefining what an A&R department should look like for today’s industry.
“He will also work closely with the Kobalt publishing team to take advantage of the amazing access we have to the world’s leading writers and producers.”
“Pete not only has a track record of finding true talent, and managing a team, but also has the marketing experience to help artists identify the optimal lane to their fanbase.”
Ron Cerrito, AWAL
Ron Cerrito, AWAL President, North America, added: “Pete exemplifies the future of A&R – everything from his deep experience in the traditional model to his ability to build a roster from scratch in the current consumption age.
“He will lead our team in North America to find the best artists, and be a resource for creative support across our existing roster.
“Pete not only has a track record of finding true talent, and managing a team, but also has the marketing experience to help artists identify the optimal lane to their fanbase.
“We are proud to add an executive of Pete’s caliber to our experienced team.”
“I look forward to joining Lonny, Ron and the entire global team to help achieve the mission they have been paving the way for these last few years.”
Pete Giberga
Giberga added: “I couldn’t be more excited about joining AWAL. What they are building is a novel concept for our evolving record business, and I believe one that will be the blueprint for the next chapter of our industry.
“I look forward to joining Lonny, Ron and the entire global team to help achieve the mission they have been paving the way for these last few years.”Music Business Worldwide
