Executive Turntable: Ticketmaster Promotes Andrew Parsons, Plus Outback Hires Jackie Naparlo

Your weekly roundup of promotions, hires, exits and openings across music.

Ticketmaster

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The music industry’s executive ranks are on the move again, with a fresh wave of strategic hires, promotions and openings reshaping leadership across live entertainment, publishing, distribution and tech. From global ticketing giants to boutique indie labels, companies are doubling down on talent to navigate a fast-evolving landscape shaped by artificial intelligence, creator-first business models and touring demand.

Ticketmaster announced a major leadership refresh across Europe and beyond, promoting longtime UK managing director Andrew Parsons to regional vice president of EMEA, with Sarah Slater stepping in for his old job. In the U.S., Outback Presents named Jackie Naparlo as senior vice president of entertainment strategy and development. Meanwhile, Warner Chappell Music Nashville elevated Kayce Russell to manager of creative services and A&R operations.

Other notable moves include leadership transitions at legendary guitar maker C.F. Martin & Co., where two longtime executives are retiring; Audioboom’s appointment of Craig Eastwood to lead international growth; and the launch of Superglue Records by Ella Vos and Tommy English, signaling a new artist-first approach to indie label culture.

From legal to distribution: Gutt Law welcomed Lauren Davis, formerly of Big Machine Label Group, while Green Tea Distribution launched with a mission to support independent artists beyond just streaming.
Trodding the boards, there’s news from Tencent Music and UC San Diego.

Check out a full rundown of this week’s staffing news below.

Andrew Parsons (Ticketmaster)

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Ticketmaster announced key leadership promotions across Europe and beyond. Andrew Parsons, longtime UK managing director, has been named regional vice president of EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia), a role he’s held since June. Sarah Slater, previously senior vp of music and festivals, steps up as UK managing director, while Barry de Ruiter becomes MD of Ticketmaster Netherlands, promoted from sales director. Parsons, who joined the company in 2007, emphasized the strength of live entertainment across the region — and his team. “As I step up to oversee the region, we’re further strengthening our leadership team with Sarah Slater taking on the Managing Director role in the UK and Barry Ruiter in the Netherlands,” he said. “With both having more than a decade of experience at the company, Sarah and Barry are perfectly placed to lead their markets into the future.”

Kayce Russell (Warner Chappell Music)

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Warner Chappell Music Nashville elevated Kayce Russell to manager of creative services and A&R operations. In her new role, she will lead digital initiatives and focus on artist development, reporting to president Austen Adams. Russell began her WCM career in 2018 as an administrative assistant and steadily advanced, becoming executive assistant in 2021 and taking on key responsibilities in events and A&R operations. She earned her degree in strategic marketing from Western Kentucky University while interning at Sandbox Management and the Country Music Association. Russell expressed gratitude for mentors including the late Ben Vaughn, saying he “taught me that songwriters are the heart and soul of this community.” Adams added: “It doesn’t take long to see how highly regarded Kayce is by the entire team and the songwriting community. She’s already made a tremendous impact through her creativity and dedication, and this new role will give her even more opportunity to shape how we support our writers.”

Linda M. Fonner (C.F. Martin & Co.)

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C.F. Martin & Co., renowned for its gold-standard acoustic instruments, announced the retirement of two longtime executives: CFO Nathan Eckhart and vp of sales Mitchell Nollman, effective year-end. Linda M. Fonner, CPA, will succeed Eckhart as vp and CFO, bringing 25-plus years of experience in global finance and manufacturing. Dennis Webster, a seasoned sales leader with nearly 30 years in the guitar industry, will take over as vp of sales and customer engagement. Eckhart, who led the Nazareth, Pa.-based company through some of its most profitable years since 2010, expressed pride in the brand and confidence in his successor. “I want to thank and congratulate Nathan for 15 years and Mitchell for 9 years of dedicated service as officers of my family business,” said owner and chairman Chris Martin IV. “I’m looking forward to working with Dennis and Linda to help keep our business profitable as we continue to grow.”

Craig Eastwood (Audioboom)

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Audioboom hired Craig Eastwood as vice president of international, following its acquisition of UK podcast network Adelicious. Formerly commercial operations director at Adelicious, Eastwood will now lead Audioboom’s global expansion strategy, focusing on commercial partnerships, new markets and M&A opportunities. His role is central to the company’s five-year global growth strategy, following its integration of Adelicious and expansion into multi-format podcasting with over 8,000 creators and 40 million unique listeners. CEO Stuart Last praised Eastwood’s leadership and “deep understanding of both the operational and commercial sides of podcasting,” while Eastwood said “my focus will be on making sure Audioboom remains the best platform for creators to build sustainable businesses and for advertisers to connect with audiences in the most impactful way.”

Jackie Naparlo (Outback Presents)

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Outback Presents appointed Jackie Naparlo as senior vice president of entertainment strategy and development. A 2025 Billboard Women in Music honoree, the Richmond, Va-based Naparlo brings two decades of experience in live entertainment, including leadership roles at Live Nation, WME, Red Light Management and Legends | ASM Global. In her new role at Outback, she’ll lead growth, revenue and operational strategy across comedy, music and festivals. Credited with elevating Richmond venues like the Carpenter Theatre and Altria Theater into national tour destinations, Naparlo also founded Nightowl Promotions, where she partnered with major brands and led tour routing for Louis C.K. Outback Co-CEO Mike Smardak praised her as a “dynamic leader whose vision will play a vital role in shaping our future,” adding, “It is an exciting time at Outback and I am thrilled to have Jackie joining us!”

Donna Duncan (CMT)

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Sept. 26 is CMT vp of music & talent Donna Duncan’s final day with the company, according to Country Aircheck. Duncan joined CMT as an executive assistant in 2006 and rose through the ranks, taking on the vice president role in 2024. She has worked on CMT programming including Hot 20 Countdown, CMT Music Awards and CMT Crossroads.

Tommy English and Ella Vos (Superglue Records)

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Singer-songwriter Ella Vos and Grammy-nominated producer Tommy English launched Superglue Records, a boutique label focused on artist-first support. Their debut signing is Dutch indie-pop artist Mia Nicolai, known for her dreamy/nostalgic sound. Vos, a classically trained pianist and acclaimed solo artist, and English, whose platinum credits include work with Børns and Kacey Musgraves, bring complementary skills to the label. They executive produced Nicolai’s upcoming EP Sharing Space Among The Stars, featuring production by Vetle Junker. The first single, “chasing lullabies,” is out now, with “spend the night” arriving Oct. 3. “We want to create the kind of label experience we wished we had coming up,” said Vos. “One that’s deeply supportive, but also equipped with the power and know-how to make real moves.”

Sam Hendel (Yale Schwarzman Center)

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Yale Schwarzman Center appointed music catalog investor Sam Hendel to its advisory board. A Yale College alumnus (Class of 2003), Hendel is co-founder and managing partner of Chord Music Partners — a joint venture with Universal Music Group and Dundee Partners, the investment office of the Hendel family. He previously co-founded Dataminr, a leading AI company, and spent two decades in investment management. Hendel also co-founded Accelerate Yale, a global alumni network focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. Schwarzman Center co-chair Stephen A. Schwarzman praised Hendel’s “expertise in music, technology, and finance” as a “valuable addition to the board, which also includes Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and stage legend Audra McDonald.

David Dann (Green Tea Distribution)

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Green Tea Distribution, founded by Mind of a Genius label founder David Dann, along with Barry Rosenblum and Joni Myllari, launched as a platform combining music distribution with career development for independent artists. Unlike traditional distributors, GTD offers mentorship, A&R feedback, sync pitching and a private artist network to foster sustainable careers. Backed by the Mind of a Genius team and already supporting nearly 1,000 artists, including Jalen Chords, the invite-only service aims to reach 20,000 globally within five years. “In today’s industry, labels chase already running superstars and distributors chase volume,” said Dann. “We’re here for the middle class of artists – the serious independents who deserve real careers.”

Matthew Blakemore (Monarrch)

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Nashville-based Monarrch, described as an AI royalty operating system, appointed Matthew Blakemore as European regional director to lead its expansion across Europe. Blakemore will oversee partnerships with rights holders, estates, AI firms and regulators to implement licensing and royalty tracking for AI-generated content, and he’ll also host preview programs and support regulatory engagement. Monarrch’s AIR-OS platform uses “stylometric analysis” to ensure creators are paid when AI uses their work. Founder Ken Gay praised Blakemore’s ability to bridge tech and culture, saying he will help rally stakeholders “around a practical framework that’s pro-AI, anti-theft—with real-time licensing and royalties at the core.”

Jason Moll (ARC Business Management)

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ARC Business Management, co-founded by Tate Henshaw and Lorne Clark, has partnered with Jason Moll CPA, a Nashville-based tax advisor serving entertainment and a wide range of business clients. This strategic move expands ARC’s presence in Music City and brings tax services in-house to complement its business and asset management offerings. Moll, with over 15 years of experience, joins ARC as a senior leader overseeing tax operations and client development. The partnership strengthens ARC’s commitment to tailored advisory services for creative professionals. Clients across both firms include Ne-Yo, Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Griffin and others. Henshaw and Moll both emphasized the natural evolution of their collaboration and the opportunity to grow ARC’s impact in Nashville. “Bringing him onto the team not only strengthens our tax offering, but strategically positions us in Nashville — where our presence continues to grow,” said Henshaw.

Lauren Davis (Gutt Law, PLLC)

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Lauren Davis joined Gutt Law, PLLC, as an attorney. Most recently, Davis served as an in-house attorney at Big Machine Label Group, working in both recorded music and publishing divisions. Prior to her work with Big Machine, she worked as part of Concord Music Publishing’s legal team, focusing on songwriter agreements and managing aspects of the company’s publishing assets.. Davis launched her career at boutique publishing/artist development company MV2 Entertainment. Gutt Law was founded by entertainment attorney Rachel Guttmann. –Jessica Nicholson

Board Shorts: TME, UC San Diego

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Tencent Music Entertainment Group appointed Jeanette Kim Yum Chan, an independent board director since 2022, to its audit committee, effective this week. Chan currently serves as chief legal, compliance and risk officer at global payments firm Airwallex, and previously led the China practice at international law firm Paul, Weiss … King Britt, a DJ and producer who has worked with Disable Planets, De La Soul and others, has been appointed the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation endowed chair in digital media and learning at UC San Diego. With over 30 years of global experience, Britt now teaches in the department of music, inspiring students to innovate in computer music. The five-year endowed position supports his teaching and creative projects, including a collaborative album featuring faculty and students.

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