Executive Turntable: Warner Music APAC Taps New President, Plus Duolingo ‘Acquires’ Team for Music Course

Lo Ting-Fai (known as “Lofai”) was named president of Warner Music APAC, effective Aug. 11. All of the company’s recorded music territory heads will report to the Hong Kong-based executive, while Lofai will report to Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl. Lofai joins Warner from telecoms company PCCW, where he was most recently CEO of its subsidiary, MaKerVille — centered around content creation, artist management and live events — and COO of its regional OTT streaming platform Viu. He is also a songwriter who pens music under the pseudonym “Yu Ri.” – Chris Eggertsen

Learning platform Duolingo “acquired” the team behind London-based music gaming startup NextBeat in an effort to ramp up the Duolingo app’s music course. The deal brings to the company 23 of NextBeat’s experts in areas including game design, music licensing and user retention and monetization. “Their expertise will power the next chapter of Duolingo’s gamified learning experiences, with a focus on building upon Duolingo’s Music course,” the company said a press release. NextBeat is known best for the hit mobile rhythm games Beatstar and Country Star. – Chris Eggertsen

Range Music Publishing promoted Sam Drake to senior vp of A&R. According to a press release, Drake has helped lead the division in charting seven songs in multiple genres and formats, including country, pop, rhythmic and dance radio, by Range clients including Sean Cook (Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”), Geoff Warburton (Tyler Hubbard’s “Back Then Right Now”), Tyler Dopps (Loud Luxury’s “Young & Foolish” feat. charlieonnafriday) and James Maddocks (Morgan Wallen’s “Cowgirls”). – Chris Eggertsen

MCA added two to its digital marketing team. Sarah D’Hilly has joined as senior vp of digital marketing and strategy, while Brad Krause has been named senior director of digital strategy. D’Hilly previously worked at Apple Music, Monument Records and Borman Entertainment. D’Hilly is a 2025 Billboard Country Power Players honoree and a 2026 Leadership Music class member. Krause previously worked at Warner Records, Interscope and The Trenches. – Jessica Nicholson

Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) promoted Nicole Flammia to senior vp of creative photo-video production. In the new role, Flammia will continue leading the label’s creative process for visual assets for more than 35 artists across BMLG imprints. Flammia has spent over a decade at BMLG, and has played a key role in videos including Thomas Rhett’s “Remember You Young,” Midland and Jon Pardi’s “Longneck Way to Go” and Riley Green’s “Worst Way.” – Jessica Nicholson

Symphonic Distribution hired Ed Poston as head of A&R. Based in New York, Poston has more than 15 years of A&R experience in the U.S., U.K. and Europe. He’ll report to chief creative officer Randall Foster, with whom he’ll work, alongside senior vp of sales operations Tim Bruno, to expand Symphonic’s artist relationships and propel the firm’s global growth. Poston has held leadership roles at Concord Music Publishing, Glassnote Records, BMI and, most recently, Creative Titans, where he served as head of A&R. At BMI, he worked with songwriter Caroline Ailin, who has written for Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez and Katy Perry; and at Glassnote, he led A&R for Aurora’s breakthrough album All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend. – Chris Eggertsen

Music industry veterans Jeremy Gifford and Hannah Gifford have launched Open Hand Management, with a roster that includes Dwan Hill, Franni Cash, Hopeful., Relient K and The Choir Room. Jeremy Gifford previously worked with artists including The Head and the Heart and Black Pumas, and toured/performed with We The Kingdom, before taking on a full-time management role. Hannah Gifford first worked in touring with artists including Kacey Musgraves, Tenth Avenue North and Plumb, before serving in roles at Street Talk Media and Round Table Management. – Jessica Nicholson

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has revealed a round of promotions and hirings. Marie Bradshaw has been promoted to director of institutional giving, while Crystal Mann has been promoted to associate director of revenue marketing. Bradshaw joined the museum in 2021 and most recently served as senior manager of corporate partnerships. Mann joined the museum in 2024 as marketing manager. Among the hires were Erin Osmon as a writer-editor in the museum services department and Heather Reed as director of facilities. Osmon has authored books on John Prine and Jason Molina, while her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, No Depression, Rolling Stone and Spin, among other publications. She was previously faculty at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Journalism. Reed most recently served as director of manufacturing at Aero Build and spent two decades in Chicago at McMaster-Carr. – Jessica Nicholson

The Neal Agency promoted Kelly Littlefield to president of operations for TNA and Sticks Management. Littlefield has been with TNA since 2022 and previously served in roles at WME and ONErpm. Three additional staffers were promoted, with Clark Wilson rising from agent assistant to agent, fairs & festivals; Simone Chretien rising from booking coordinator to agent, Southeast territory; and Juliette Edwards rising from booking coordinator to agent, West Coast territory. – Jessica Nicholson

Entertainment merchandising company Futureshirts promoted Matt Pih to partner/president. Pih joined Futureshirts in 2019 and previously served in roles at Live Nation Entertainment, Bravado International Group, Manhead and more. The Nashville-based Futureshirts offers a wide range of services, including product development, touring, on-site support, ecommerce and fulfillment, brand licensing, and retail strategy. The company recently teamed with entertainers including country singer Cody Johnson, comedian Nikki Glaser and singer Josh Groban; it has also worked with Riley Green, Carly Pearce, TobyMac, Laufey and more. – Jessica Nicholson

Full-service entertainment agency Dynamic Talent International appointed Eileen Mercolino as senior vp of brand partnerships. In the role, Meroloino will lead brand strategy and partnership development across the Dynamic roster, focusing on collaborations that align artists with brands. She has held senior leadership roles at Danny Wimmer Presents, Gibson Brands, SPIN, Disney, Good Things Agency, Live Nation, 20th Century Fox Films and the Vans Warped Tour. – Chris Eggertsen

New Music USA, a national nonprofit “dedicated to advancing new music in all its forms,” appointed Vanessa Rose as president/CEO. Rose, who starts in the role on Oct. 15, succeeds Vanessa Reed, who was president/CEO from 2019 to 2025. She joins New Music USA from the American Composers Forum, which she led since 2019. She has also held leadership roles at the International Contemporary Ensemble, The Knights orchestral collective, the Lark Play Development Center and American Composers Orchestra; she additionally served as board chair of the Performing Arts Alliance. New Music USA provides more than $1 million in annual grant funding and partners with community-based organizations across the U.S. – Chris Eggertsen