Caldecott Music Group introduced as new company brand of BandLab Technologies, NME Networks, and Vista Musical Instruments 30 Nov 2021
With a history of growing a broad range of music-focused businesses, BandLab Technologies announces an organisational transformation with the introduction of new company brand, Caldecott Music Group (CMG). CMG will oversee the long-term planning, investment, and development of three newly-formed divisions: BandLab Technologies, Vista Musical Instruments, and NME Networks.
Digital division BandLab Technologies will double down on designing and developing innovative tools and services for the next generation of music creators, with a vision for a future where there are no boundaries to making and sharing music. The group unites digital audio workstation Cakewalk, and flagship social music creation platform BandLab, which hosts a user base of 40 million creators globally and the recently announced acquisition of artist services platform ReverbNation.
Manufacturing and retail division Vista Musical Instruments groups musical instrument brands MONO, Harmony, Heritage Guitars, Teisco, and omni-channel, multi-brand retailer, Swee Lee. With a purpose to inspire and enable musical expression, the formation of Vista Musical Instruments will combine decades of global supply chain knowledge and experience in the music industry, from product design and marketing to e-commerce and distribution.
Media division NME Networks, announced earlier in the month, unites the group’s journalism titles to inform musically-curious audiences, from those researching their first guitar via Guitar.com and discovering new artists and pop culture news through NME, to those staying updated on creator tools and technologies with MusicTech and unpacking decades of rock history in Uncut. NME Networks also facilitates consumer events such as Guitar.com Live and the NME Awards shows, the latter of which will return to London on March 2, 2022 to celebrate music and entertainment from around the globe.
The formation of Caldecott Music Group and organisation of three distinct divisions enables the organisation to more effectively support growth and increase value for their people, partners, brands, and stakeholders. The group fosters competitive sector-specific strategies, systems, and policies whilst still connecting the dots between the divisions for artists and partners.
“From our unique vantage point here in Singapore, our brands have seen massive growth globally in terms of community, traffic, and sales across the board. I truly could not be prouder of our team,” says Meng Ru Kuok, Group CEO & Founder of Caldecott Music Group. “Now is the time to build on the foundation we have formed for over nearly a decade.” Appointments within the newly-formed Caldecott Music Group include: Ivan Chen as Group Chief Operating Officer, Grace Chong as Group Chief Financial Officer, Krystle Hall as Group Chief Brand Officer, and Laurent Le Graverend as Group Chief Technology Officer.
“I cannot wait to watch as our people and brands flourish within this new structure, supporting and fueling creativity to uphold our singular vision of connecting the world of music and providing more opportunities for creators, fans, and the music industry at large,” Kuok notes. “The best part is that we're still just getting started.”
The group operates throughout the USA, UK, and APAC and is hiring aggressively across the organisation to bolster resources in response to the transformation.
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THE HEADLINES
Spotify talks growth, bundle royalties and short-video plans (see Digital)
BPI CEO calls on music industry and government to unite around 5 key priorities to support human artistry and sustainably promote British music (see News)
Hipgnosis Song Management fires back at Songs Fund board (see Business)
Blackstone bid for Hipgnosis receives backing from board (see Business)
Taylor Swift’s new album breaks Spotify records (see News)
Independence - what’s up with that BPI press release about 2023 music consumption? (see Comment)
Creator Remuneration Working Group meet for the first time (see News)
Concord's takeover of Hipgnosis (see Analysis)
Concord set to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund (see Business)
Is the music industry gaslighting artists? (see Comment)
BPI’s new Yearbook highlights an independent sector growing for a sixth consecutive year (see Reports)
Can’t cross the moat? Walk around it. (see Comment)
The conversation around Fandom needs to change (see Opinion)
Viagogo: Carrying on ticketing, despite the controversy (see News)
Taylor Swift songs return to TikTok (see Digital)
Spotify plans new remixing tools for the TikTok generation (see Digital)
Is Spotify plotting a largescale push into short-form video? (see Digital)