Spotlight on Europe - Germany the Gateway Market

Germany is the third most valuable music market in the world: 84 million inhabitants, Europe's largest population and wealthiest economy. Existing within the 420 million population Schengen Zone which permits friction-less visa free travel with eighteen other Euro currency based countries;

Where once Beatlemania paved a music socio-economic bridge from North America through London to Europe, extensive air networks now allow direct interaction. Germany, like the US, is a federal market, and the Schengen and Eurozones extend that. Berlin is closer to Poznan, Poland than it is to Cologne; and Poland is Europe's growth music market. Hamburg is the key industrial port city, an entertainment hub, famous for its music scene.

Pre-pandemic the German live industry was worth $3 Billion per year; lockdown federal aid was remarkably strong, and with record demand for tickets in 2022 the Live sector is set for a record year. The German Recording sector generated $1 Billion revenue in the first 6 months of this year.

The Beatles started their conquest of the world in Hamburg for a reason. Join us for a spotlight on the music giant: Germany and discover how it is the gateway market for Europe.

Featured Speakers:

Evelyn Sieber, Reeperbahn Festival

Evelyn Sieber represents the Reeperbahn Festival, one of the most important meeting places for the music industry worldwide and Europe's largest club festival. The annual event in Hamburg, Germany presents some 600 concerts by international artists to an audience of over 50,000 fans and 5,900 music industry professionals from 55 countries (numbers pre-covid). As Head of Cooperations & Brands, Evelyn and her team are responsible for elements such as showcases, networking meetings and partnerships with national and international organizations.

Fabian Bassenhoff, Hamburg Music

Fabian joined Hamburg Music in 2018. He is responsible for internationalization processes and cross-border collaboration at Hamburg Music and supports the managing director and the board in public affairs and lobby work. He has extensive knowledge in the development and coordination of international application and fundraising processes and is responsible for the Hamburg Music Business Covid Relief Program. Fabian holds an M.Sc. in Geography with specialization in economic geography.

Jan Clausen, FACTORY 92

Jan is Managing Partner and co-founder of FACTORY 92, a Hamburg-based agency, which offers PR, marketing, consulting and management services targeting the international music industry. FACTORY 92 sees itself as an entirely European company. They are working for European festivals like Roskilde or Sziget Festival, bands like Kraftwerk or Robbie Williams and labels like Secretly Candian, Sub Pop or Secret City.

Jake Beaumont-Nesbitt, IMMF

Jake is an artist manager from London, UK, he also advises artists and technology companies on business strategies.

Jake has worked with self-releasing, and signed artists in Asia, Europe, and the USA. He has taken self-funded, self-releasing artists to #2 album chart success in the Netherlands, major label deals in the UK, and leading indie label deals in the USA. With a background in financial markets, he consults for rights technology companies, and rights holders: clients have included Beyonce, Rihanna, and The Clash. Jake has been part of music industry stakeholder dialogues with WIPO, EU, UK, US policy makers; and regularly speaks on artist management, and music industry innovation topics around the world. Jake is Director of Innovation & Education at the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) connecting artists and managers from 60+ countries.

As part of Project Zero, supporting Ocean conservation projects, Jake was involved in the first ever launch of a social token by a registered charity, using Web3 to organise communities, including artist’s fanbases.

Sharon Tapper, Executive Director of the Music Managers Forum-US

Sharon Tapper is the Executive Director of the Music Managers Forum-US, the leading trade association for artist managers and self-managed artists in the United States. We serve the needs of our community through providing them with educational resources, networking opportunities and advocacy efforts on behalf of managers, self-managed artists and the community that supports them. The MMF-US is part of a larger global network, the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF). This organization connects more than sixty Music Manager Forums around the world (inc. Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa) enabling connectivity with artist managers across various business opportunities globally.

 Tapper started her career in the music industry in London in 1989 as Assistant Manager at Sarm West Studios, a studio owned and operated by Trevor Horn (Seal, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys, Michael Kamen and Sir Paul McCartney). After relocating to the U.S. in 1993 she worked in artist management. In Los Angeles she was Assistant Manager at Left Bank Management (The Cranberries, Meat Loaf and Richard Marx) and Assistant Manager at Gallin Morey Management (Lisa Stansfield, Neneh Cherry and Eagle-Eye Cherry). Upon relocating to New York she became Artist Manager at The Umbrella Group (CAKE, Bebel Gilberto, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Neneh Cherry and Grant-Lee Phillips).

 In 2003 she transitioned into music publishing. As VP Creative at Kobalt Music Publishing she was responsible for signing artists such as Slash, G. Love, The Dresden Dolls, Gomez and Harry Connick Jr. as well as publishers Arthouse, TVT, Red Bull Media, House of Hassle (now Rough Trade), Reservoir and Razor & Tie. In 2011 as SVP Music Publishing at Razor & Tie Music Publishing she and her team were responsible for many hit singles including four Country #1's, five times platinum certified "Home" performed by American Idol Winner Phillip Phillips, singles with Mary J Blige and Jessie J. In 2016 she founded Pivot Music Group, providing Business Development and Creative Services to Independent Music Publishers, both domestically and internationally.

 In 2008 elected to and served on the NY Chapter of the Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards), multiple terms as Governor & Secretary over a period of fourteen years. During this time, she served six consecutive terms as Chair or Co-Chair of the NY Chapter Advocacy Committee and continues to serve as active member of this Committee. In 2012, she Co-Founded the New York City Creative Community (NYC3) where for a decade music business professionals worked together to support and strengthen the NYC music community. Elected in 2018 she served four years on the NY Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP).