NEWS ALERT: BEAT THE DRUM for Gender Equality in the Music Boardroom this International Women’s Day #IWD2020

Two women who have reached the ‘top of the charts’ in the music industry boardroom have clubbed together for International Women’s Day 2020 to urge others in the music business to turn up the volume on improving gender balance! At present, just 30% of senior executives in the music industry are women.
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Karen Emanuel, CEO of Key Production Group attended a conference recently for distributors and manufacturers of music. She counted up the women attendees, and they made up just 5% of the total! So now Karen is keen to “fight for the women that come after us.”

Following last month’s outrage at the gender inequality of BRIT Awards where only one female artist was been nominated out of 25 opportunities in mixed-gender categories, the ‘WOMEN WHO ROCK’ are attempting to unpick the Gender Imbalance, in music by asking:

• Positive discrimination: is this the answer?
• Just Not Hearing? Are white, middle class A&R men unconsciously blocking female talent?
• Access All Areas? Why aren’t women joining ALL areas of the music business?

The WOMEN WHO ROCK – and want to help other women do the same:

• Karen Emanuel, CEO of Key Production Group
• Silvia Montello, Senior Vice President of AWAL

ABOUT KAREN EMANUEL

Karen started in the music business in the late 80s, climbing the ladder in an overwhelmingly male-dominated sector by asking the right questions, and learning the numbers side of the business. In 1990, she used £2,000 from a redundancy pay-out to start Key Production which still specialises in the production and manufacture of CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, as well as the beautifully art-worked packaging for both music and other industries. In 2007, having grown her team, the music sector was hit by the biggest storm experienced in a century when music sales went from physical units to digital downloads. This seismic shift meant Karen faced tough decisions. However, by cleverly diversifying into new areas, she successfully steered her ship to safety, at a time when many around her sank. Today, Key Production Group comprises six companies employing 54 people at four offices in England, and turns over around £14m a year.

ABOUT SILVIA MONTELLO

Silvia Montello has worked for companies big and small, from major corporations to small independent owned companies – Our Price Music, Gramophone Publications, PolyGram/Universal, the new BMG and now Kobalt Music/AWAL whose mission is to support and nurture independent artists and labels. She is now a seasoned music industry executive, with nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, commercial and operational experience. After graduating, Silvia started out as a record store assistant. Here she had a range of roles – Varying from buying management to product/label and marketing management. Eventually Silvia reached the position of Divisional Marketing Director and latterly Senior Vice President (SVP) of Global Operations. In her time in the industry, Silvia has hired, developed and managed a diverse range of colleagues from junior assistant to SVP level. She currently co-chairs Kobalt UK’s Wellbeing Group which aims to ensure a safe environment.