MBW understands Alex Branson, the respected British exec who built INgrooves Music Group’s international presence, has left the company.
Branson (pictured inset) joined INgrooves in 2008 under co-founder and former CEO Robb McDaniels.
Responsible for the development of the company outside North America, he has built the distribution and services business through deals in markets such as the UK, Europe and Asia, including China – where Branson inked an agreement with R2G last year.
Rumours will now begin to circulate about Branson’s next move.
The shortest odds will be some kind of reunion with Robb McDaniels, who left INgrooves in December last year to form his own ‘management services’ company, Faction Entertainment.
Los Angeles-based Faction’s family includes management partners such as Kino Childrey (Royce 5’9, Slaughterhouse), Paul Stepanek (Sick Puppies, Trevor Hall), Marc Friedenberg (Jamestown Revival), Anna Axster (Ryan Bingham) and Brian Ross (Thievery Corporation, Blackalicious).
“Alex is a top notch music/tech executive. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again in the future and hope to have the opportunity to hire him before you do…”
Robb McDaniels, Faction
Interestingly, McDaniels has recently written a testimonial on Branson’s LinkedIn which reads:
“I hired Alex at INgrooves and worked with him for more than six years. Simply put, Alex is a top notch music/tech executive and human being… Alex always conducted himself with the utmost integrity and class. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again in the future and hope to have the opportunity to hire him before you do…”
Other options on the table for Branson might include reconnecting with his co-founder in startup alexlee music, Lee Morrison – who went on to become GM of Believe Digital before leaving earlier this year.
His other key contacts include Ghazi Sharmi – former INgrooves consultant now owner of Empire Distribution – and Gary MacKenzie, also a former INgrooves consultant who had been helping Branson in Australia and Asia earlier in the year.
Prior to joining INgrooves in 2008, Branson was with RoyaltyShare Inc., where he served as a consultant during the transition period after they acquired the assets of Broad Street Digital, where Branson served as Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
He was part of the original management team of Rightsrouter, the previous incarnation of Flowphonics (later Broad Street Digital), during the period when they ran the Musicindie project for the UK record label trade body, AIM. Earlier on, Branson managed the licensing operations for the Nokia music service “Music Recommenders” as part of the team at UK agency Frukt Music.
His early career took in co-founding alexlee Music with Lee Morrison, running his own label In Music as well as stints at record and publishing company Media Records, and Sony Music UK.Music Business Worldwide
