AIM unveils final speakers for its flagship conference, AIM Connected

London, 27th March 2023

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed final speakers and panel topics for AIM Connected, its flagship conference and networking event that brings together business owners, strategists and senior execs across the independent music and technology industries.

Taking place in person at London’s iconic Barbican Centre on Wednesday 29th March, 09:30 – 19:00, AIM Connected is aimed at music leaders, covering advanced topics to support and promote the success of the independent music community, with key themes of Business, Technology and People.

Among the final speakers to be added to this year’s line-up are Ninja Tune Chair Peter Quicke (who was instrumental in establishing AIM’s Climate Action Group) and Co-founder Matt Black of Coldcut, who will lead a panel case study spotlighting the label’s leading sustainability business practices. They will be joined by Taelor Daniells (Climate & Environment Lead, Coutts) and Dinaz Stafford (Activism Coordinator, Ninja Tune) to discuss how the music and finance sectors work towards a sustainable future, and how labels can support their artists with climate activism.

Other speakers include Chris Goss (Managing Director, Hospital Records), Charisse Beaumont (Chief Executive, Black Lives In Music), Shannon Herber (Managing Director, A0KIVERSE), Max Shand (CEO, Serenade), Summer Kim (Music Label BD, Meta), and Sania Haq (Head Of Research, AudienceNet).

Highlights will include a panel on ‘Unpacking Streaming Models’, led by AIM CEO Silvia Montello, which will explore the practical impacts of applying user-centric, artist-centric, equitable remuneration and other emerging models to streaming. Representing a broad spectrum of stakeholder perspectives, she will be joined by Lucie Caswell (Music Rights and Business Consultant), Chris Carey (Chief Economist, LIVE), and artist/songwriter/session musician/rightsholder Eurielle.

Other panels include ‘Untangling Web3’, looking beyond the hype at practical case studies and avenues for independent music rightsholders to engage with NFTs and more, ‘Visibility & Representation in Music’, diving into systemic barriers in the industry and introducing Black Lives in Music’s new Anti-Racism Toolkit, ‘From Followers to Superfans: Unlocking the Power of Fan Loyalty’ on leveraging new digital platforms and social media to build audience engagement, as well as ‘Being a Parent in Music in 2023′, exploring innovative and pragmatic parental leave policies and supporting both staff members and the artists’ music businesses work with.

The event will feature TED-style ‘Strong Opinion’ sessions. Music Ally’s Head of Insights Stuart Dredge will tackle ‘The Double-Edged Sword: AI and Independent Music’ and AIM’s Head of Membership, Nina Radojewski, will discuss ‘The Art of Lifelong Learning’. Andreas Kohl (European Operations Manager, Key Production) will dive into ‘The Vinyl Supply Chain: What’s the Hold Up?’, shedding light on the current challenges and opportunities in the physical music market and what this means for artists, labels and fans.

With Masterclasses making their return for 2023, Vevo will host a ‘Music Video Masterclass’, PPL will lead ‘Get Played, Get Paid’ and Amazon Music will run ‘Your 24/7 Merch Table’.

One-on-one networking sessions will also run throughout the day, and the conference will conclude with an address from CEO Silvia Montello on the state of the independent sector in 2023.

The conference will also feature a marketplace where attendees can meet, see demos and get information from key partners in the landscape. Marketplace participants include ACS, Liverpool Sound City, Songsleuth and more.

Tickets are available now from https://www.aimconnected.com/

See below for the full list of sessions and panels.

09:30 – 19:00, Wednesday 29th March,  Barbican Centre

Strong Opinion Sessions:

• The Double-Edged Sword: AI and Independent Music

  • Stuart Dredge, Head of Insights – Music Ally

• The Vinyl Supply Chain: What’s the Hold Up?

  • Andreas Kohl, European Operations Manager – Key Production

• The Art of Lifelong Learning

  • Nina Radojewski, Head of Membership – AIM

Panel Sessions

• Unpacking Streaming Models

  • Chris Carey, Chief Economist – LIVE

  • Darren Hemmings, Managing Director – Motive Unknown

  • Eurielle, Artist – Lauren Walker

  • Lucie Caswell, Music Rights and Business Consultant

  • Silvia Montello, CEO – Association of Independent Music

• From Followers to Superfans: Unlocking the Power of Fan Loyalty

  • Christine Osazuwa, Chief Strategy Officer – Shoobs & Founder – Measure of Music

  • Ella Hartley, Head Of Artist Strategy – Planet

  • Jim Sanders, Director of Business Development – Ochre

  • Olivia Hobbs, Blackstar Social & BLCKSTR Management

  • Tom Gayner, CEO & Co-Founder – Levellr

• Visibility & Representation in Music

  • Sania Haq – Head Of Research – AudienceNet

  • Charisse Beaumont, Chief Executive – Black Lives in Music

• Being a Parent in Music in 2023

  • Chris Goss, Co-Founder & MD – Hospital Records

  • Chantal Epp, Founder & CEO – ClicknClear

  • Summer Kim, Music Label BD – Meta

  • Yasin El Ashrafi, Owner – HQ Recording LTD

• Beyond Beats: A Case Study on Ninja Tune’s Climate and Sustainability Work

  • Dinaz Stafford, Activism Coordinator – Ninja Tune

  • Matt Black, Artist – Coldcut, & Co-Founder – Ninja Tune

  • Peter Quicke, Chair – Ninja Tune

  • Taelor Daniels, Climate & Environment Lead – Coutts (Moderator)

• Untangling Web3

  • Camilla MacFarland, VP – Mojito

  • Max Shand, CEO – Serenade

  • Sam Cherry, Director – EY Parthenon

  • Shannon Herber, Managing Director – A0KIVERSE

Masterclasses

• Get Played, Get Paid presented by PPL

  • Terence Daniel, Relationship Manager – PPL

• Music Video Masterclass with Vevo

  • Carl Young, Head of Music & Talent, UK – VEVO

  • Jaqueline Lockinger, Manager of Programming & Editorial, UK & DE – VEVO

• Amazon Music: Your 24/7 Merch Table

  • Mitch Page, Senior Label Relations Manager – Amazon Music

  • Anna Fitzheslop, Amazon Music

AIM thanks its Annual Platinum Partners: Amazon Music, Meta, Merlin, Spotify, VEVO and YouTube Music, for their ongoing support.