Universal‘s in-house label services company Caroline International has appointed Thomas Lorain to head up its French unit.
A veteran of both independent and major labels in France, Lorain will manage Caroline’s roster in France as well as forging relationships between Caroline and the French independent artist and label community.
Lorain reports jointly to Caroline International Managing Director Michael Roe and Joint MD and Head of Music Jim Chancellor.
Roe and Chancellor said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Thomas to Caroline International. He has such an impressive track record of success with independent artists and labels both in France and internationally that he is the ideal person to launch our French company and build it into something very special for our partners.”
Lorain said: “I’m really excited to be joining Michael and Jim and all the team at Caroline. It is a real global music company, with strong expertise, resources and ambition. I feel very lucky to be a part of this superb team.”
Lorain joins Caroline International from one of France’s leading independent labels, Wagram Music, where he was International Label Director. In this role he set up the company’s international network of partners and licensees and launched a new label for the company, wSphere. He developed international releases for Wagram associated labels, including Tôt ou Tard’s Shaka Ponk and Cats on Trees, and signed Team Ghost and Miss Kittin to wSphere.
From 2006 to 2012 Lorain worked at one of France’s other top indie labels, Naïve, where he was in charge of developing the company’s pop and classical business internationally.
He created and built Naïve’s global network for both physical and digital distribution and oversaw international A&R, working with artists including Cyndi Lauper, M83, Carla Bruni and Marianne Faithful.
From 2001 to 2005 he worked at EMI Music/Virgin Records France where he oversaw the international campaigns of the Labels France division, coordinating the global releases of projects from artists including Daft Punk, Air, Interpol and Asian Dub Foundation.
He has also worked at Sony Music France and began his career at Wagram Music in 1994 as an Export Sales Representative.Music Business Worldwide
