MBW’s Inspiring Women series profiles female executives who have risen through the ranks of the business, highlighting their career journey – from their professional breakthrough to the senior responsibilities they now fulfill. Inspiring Women is supported by Virgin Music Group.
Nitsa Kalispera has played a pivotal role in a number of major transitions during her 20+ year career in the music industry.
As EVP of Global Supply Chain at BMG, a role she was promoted to last year, she’s been responsible for bringing the company’s digital operations in-house and managing shifting its physical distribution from ADA to Universal.
In her early career, she worked at Virgin Records and EMI in the UK during the evolution of the digital consumption of music from the early 2000s onwards.
Later, after relocating from London to New York, Kalispera was hired to work on overseas release operations for EMI North America. There, she worked under the Terra Firma era when the label being was acquired by Universal and helped aid that integration process in the US.
It was while navigating those two huge business changes that Kalispera says she learned some of her most important lessons. “For those businesses, it was a really challenging time but those experiences pivoted my career in a positive direction and gave me a unique perspective on how to navigate major shifts in the business and the industry,” she says.
“I learned how to stay grounded and focused on what you can control, while continuing to bring the best version of myself to the table, even in those moments of high uncertainty. That’s a challenge because I’m a control freak, in a way. It helped me realize that you can’t always control everything but you can control your approach.”
After studying business management at university in the UK, Kalispera followed her passion for music and landed a job at Virgin in London.
She started off in an A&R admin role and then moved into supply chain. After Virgin merged with EMI, Kalispera moved into the bigger label, where she worked on projects for artists such as N.E.R.D., Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones and Radiohead.
Following her move to New York, Kalispera initially led the effort to integrate digital and physical operations under a single operational unit for Blue Note Records under EMI. There, she says she deepened her understanding of distribution and operations, how they vary across different regions and how to think globally.
After EMI, Capitol Music Group was the next stop, as VP of Operations, before Kalispera joined BMG in 2015. Shortly after her recent promotion, she was added to BMG parent Bertelsmann’s Supervisory Board, where she represents the concerns and perspectives of employees.
Here, we chat to Kalispera about the changes she’s overseen at BMG, what the future holds for the company, her approach to work, the biggest challenges she’s facing in her role, and much more besides…
What are the biggest lessons that you’ve learned across your career in the various different roles that you’ve had?
Adaptability is key. The music industry is constantly evolving and being open to that change and ready to pivot has been crucial for me. Learning to navigate the transitions with agility has helped me stay ahead of the curve and given me the tools I’ve needed to manage through changes and stay grounded.
Another one is collaboration and teamwork. Success in the business is not achieved alone. Cross-functional teamwork, whether it be between creative and operational teams or between labels and distribution platforms, has been a game changer for me. I believe that strong partnerships are essential to achieving long-term goals.
“No matter how much anybody achieves, you have to maintain humility. It allows you to stay open to learning and growth. I always try to keep my ego in check.”
Another lesson I’ve learned is the importance of staying humble. No matter how far I come in my career and how much anybody achieves, you have to maintain humility. It allows you to stay open to learning and growth. I always try to keep my ego in check.
Credit: Sir. David/ShutterstockOne big recent change at BMG that you played a key role in was taking your digital business direct with DSPs. Why was that decision made?
Taking control of our relationships with streaming partners like Apple and Spotify was a significant step for BMG. It aligned with our vision to offer artists the most effective and efficient service. By managing those relationships directly, we’re able to better market, advocate, service and advise our artists, while strengthening our partnerships with both digital and physical platforms.
We have more direct insight into our streaming data, which has been a massive game changer for us. It allows us to provide deeper marketing insights, more timely campaign management and advanced tools to support artists and fan bases. This move supports a more sustainable business model, making us more competitive in the marketplace. It also means artists benefit from faster payouts and more favorable terms. We’ve become far more agile, responsive and quicker in delivering our services and making decisions which directly benefit our artists and that’s our focus.
The impact of this change is clear in our financial performance. We generated €459 million in revenue in the first half of 2024, an 11.1% increase from the previous year. That was driven largely by digital growth. Our digital revenue, which now makes up nearly 70% of our total revenue, rose by 20.3% in the first half of 2024, compared to 2023. That was a direct result of bringing our digital distribution in-house.
BMG’s physical business has also changed from WarnerTO UNIVERSAL under your tenure. Where do you see growth coming from in that space in future?
As the industry continues to evolve, we’re seeing more artists leveraging data, insights and engaging with audiences in innovative ways, opening up new revenue streams. We’re still very much focused on physical and the different ways we can exploit it.
The resurgence of vinyl and other formats is not only a nod to nostalgia but also a reflection of the increasing desire for tangible music. I think that need is partly coming from the overwhelming nature of the digital world and it’s reshaping how music is consumed and monetized. For us, it gives us a new opportunity to engage with our audiences in a different way.
In terms of growth, there’s a strong physical market in Europe, the UK and the US. We also have a strong presence on D2C and Japan has a strong physical market. That’s where we’re really focused on right now as it relates to physical.
You’re a big part of BMG’s Next strategy. What does that iteration of the company look like?
We’re hoping the partnership with Universal for our physical recording business will really strengthen our global reach and capabilities. Our recording catalog is extensive. We have half a million tracks, including works by iconic artists like Kylie, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, AJR, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Mötley Crüe. This catalog represents a significant part of our future strategy.
On the distribution side, we expect the full transition of our physical distribution by the end of 2024. Coupled with our digital transition, this really reflects our broader openness to change and collaboration. That tone was set by our CEO, Thomas Coesfeld.
Looking ahead, I see consolidation in the industry, advancements in streaming and new technology shifts. But I think the real challenges go beyond simple divisions of catalogs versus frontline or majors versus indies. The future will require more collaboration across the board.
We’re also looking at emerging markets like LATAM, which offer huge growth potential for us. We’re looking at leveraging data for strategic planning, helping us to capture new fans and better serve our artists. We’re also looking at the strong move to artist independence, artist empowerment, and we want to offer our infrastructure as a service.
We can help artists achieve greater independence while still benefiting from our established expertise. I really see us being part of this global connectivity as a platform and more collaboration, innovation and growth in the next few years.
Do you have any habits or rituals that ensure you bring your best self to work?
I am very regimented with my day. I wake up at 5am. I try to work out every day, and I use that time before my kids wake up to get them ready for the day. I do their breakfasts and lunches, go through their schedule, make sure they’re prepared. That’s also my time to make sure I’m prepared.
Being in a global role at BMG, with the head office being in Berlin, and teams in Berlin, London and the US, when I wake up, I’m already behind on emails. So I use those couple of hours before anybody’s up in my house to go through emails and messages, make phone calls, and connect with my teams and colleagues in Europe.
I really try to get ahead of the day. I generally hate to feel unprepared, so it helps me feel grounded and up to speed with the events of the morning in Europe.
When my children wake up, I try to be fully-focused on them for the next couple of hours. The pandemic kind of helped me because it gave greater flexibility in my work days and provided a bit of balance. I had the opportunity, and I still have, to get my kids to school and spend those valuable moments with them, which is great.
Once I’ve done my morning routine, I’ll head off to the train, put my earpods in and listen to music, a podcast or a book. That’s the time where I switch to work mode and I do emails on the train. Once I get off the train, I’m in the city and walking across Midtown, and I’m typically using that as a moment to do calls again with Europe.
What’s the best career-related advice that you’ve been given?
To say yes to any opportunity that scares you. It came from my boss I worked for at Virgin, Ross McFarlane. That philosophy has shaped my approach to my personal life and career.
I really believe that stepping outside of my comfort zone has led to personal and professional growth. I try to embrace risk often. It opens up unexpected paths and connections that you wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. Saying yes to something scary and daunting has taught me that discomfort can lead to significant achievements and transformations. By accepting those challenges that push me, I allow myself to be vulnerable and open to new experiences. That mindset is what brought me to New York, which was a crucial turning point in my life and career.
What are the biggest challenges that you’re facing in your work RIGHT NOW?
Managing physical and digital and, really, the digital evolution. Keeping up with the latest technologies and trends across platforms and how people consume music presents a constant challenge. It involves optimizing our content on streaming platforms and ensuring we’re leveraging data effectively to connect with our audiences.
Specifically for me, managing a global, physical and digital supply chain network, the requirements of both are very different and complex in their own ways. It’s about ensuring timely production and distribution while maintaining quality and ensuring our artists are happy, satisfied and their content is delivered on time. That’s a daily challenge.
“We need to create pathways for emerging professionals and ensure the people we’re getting in the industry create positivity and inclusivity.”
Balancing creativity and operations is also a challenge. My role requires me to balance operational efficiency with fostering creativity within the team and ultimately fulfilling the needs and expectations of our artists and the creative part of the organization. Finding that equilibrium can be tough, especially when deadlines are tight and unexpected issues come up.
Also, identifying and nurturing talent within our organization is essential and sometimes cultivating that talent can be hard. We need to create pathways for emerging professionals and ensure the people we’re getting in the industry create positivity and inclusivity.
What’s the most exciting development happening in the music business right now?
There are a lot more artists leveraging data and insights, and different revenue streams are coming up. We have conversations constantly and different opportunities come through, merchandising, brand partnerships.
One of the most exciting developments in the industry right now is the increasing role of technology and AI data-driven approaches. AI is revolutionizing how music is created, marketed, and distributed. It gives us, as a label, an opportunity to streamline our production and offer personalized music experiences. It allows a label like BMG to be more efficient and provides artists with tools to expand their creative boundaries.
If you could, what would you change about the music industry and why?
To enhance opportunities for individuals pursuing non-artist roles, such as A&R, production or management. The industry remains a bit competitive and somewhat of an exclusive kind of environment for people to break into if you don’t have a specific opportunity.
At BMG, we’re big advocates of change in this area. We’re dedicated to establishing more mentorship programs, apprenticeships and entry level positions with specific focus on individuals with diverse backgrounds.
Our goal is to cultivate a more inclusive and accessible industry that truly reflects the wealth of talent available. We recognize our unique responsibility and opportunity to take the lead in investing in the next generation.
It’s not just about building our talent pipeline, it’s also about ensuring that the industry benefits from fresh perspectives and innovative ideas. By providing emerging professionals with the skills, experience, and networks they need, we can nurture a thriving community that enriches everyone involved.
What can you tell us about your future plans and ambitions?
I’m focused on making a positive impact and adding value to everything I do, whether it’s a task, meeting or conversation. I’m just striving to always be the best version of myself. Even though my job can be busy and stressful, and crazy at times, I really enjoy it and it gives me a lot of joy, both professionally and personally. I love my team and colleagues, so I’m really just focused on that.
In 2023, I was honored to be elected to the Supervisory Board of Bertelsmann to enhance the representation of the group’s employees on the board. This role allows me to contribute in a meaningful way beyond my regular responsibilities at BMG, which is very satisfying. In the imminent future, I’m committed to engaging in the board activities and adding value there, hopefully for the foreseeable future.
Virgin Music Group is the global independent music division of Universal Music Group, which brings together UMG’s label and artist service businesses including Virgin and Ingrooves.
