Sony and V2 veteran Richard Sanders has been named President of Kobalt Music Group.
Sanders, who boasts a 30-year career in the recorded music industry, will oversee Kobalt’s global front office operations to include artist relations, business development, synch licensing and creative services across Kobalt’s multiple rights divisions.
Sanders was previously Sony Music‘s Chairman of International & President of Global Marketing where he oversaw the global company’s 43 operating units outside the US. He additionally headed up Sony Music Live, which produced over 5,000 live events per year. Prior to his tenure at Sony, he held executive positions at RCA Records, Sir Richard Branson’s V2 Records and Arista Records.
Willard Ahdritz, Founder and CEO of Kobalt Music Group said: “As Kobalt enters this new phase of global expansion and rolls out next generation client services for our artists, labels and content owners I am very pleased to welcome Richard, an executive who shares my vision and can work alongside me, providing a recording rights DNA to our proven publishing service model.
“Richard is a dynamic entrepreneurial leader with vast international experience, relationships and a uniquely successful track record of delivering both operational and creative results as well as managing both creative and executive talent.”
Added Sanders: “I’m thrilled to be joining the entire Kobalt team and supporting Willard’s vision for the continued expansion of the company and the development of artist and label services. Throughout my career supporting the needs of the artist has always been my passion and focus, thus I am particularly excited to join Kobalt which continues to set new standards in transparency and carries a solid reputation as a client-friendly company designed to serve that same objective.”
Music Business Worldwide