In a significant move within the music publishing sector, Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has announced the promotion of Michael Riggs to Senior Vice President of Licensing & Income Tracking, effective immediately. Based in Nashville, Riggs will continue to report directly to Dale Esworthy, the Executive Vice President of Worldwide Administration at SMP.
In his expanded role, Riggs will oversee the Licensing, Sync Administration, Global Income Tracking, and Client Audit teams. His primary focus will be on enhancing tracking operations and refining matching capabilities for digital licensing agreements, both in the United States and on an international scale. This strategic shift aims to bolster the efficiency of royalty collections and ensure timely payments to songwriters and publishing clients.
Michael Riggs has been a part of the SMP family for nearly 30 years, starting his career as an Income Tracking Analyst. Throughout his tenure, he has played a crucial role in various functions related to digital royalty tracking, collections, and licensing. His collaborative efforts with global teams have significantly streamlined payment processes, benefiting songwriters and clients alike.
Expressing his gratitude upon receiving the promotion, Riggs stated, “I’m honored to work alongside such exceptional leaders and colleagues at SMP, who care deeply about our people and songwriters. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I look forward to advancing our support for our incredible songwriters and clients in this new role.”
Dale Esworthy commended Riggs for his dedication, saying, “Michael’s unwavering persistence in the digital space has strengthened our ability to collect more, collect faster, and ensure timely payments to our songwriters. His relentless pursuit of unpaid royalties and leadership in licensing emerging revenue streams have been invaluable to our mission, and I am thrilled to recognize him with this promotion.”
This promotion comes on the heels of several leadership changes at Sony Music Publishing, including the recent appointments of Greg Prata as Chief Financial Officer and Roslyn Pineda as President for Asia. Additionally, the company has been actively expanding its operations, including the opening of a new flagship office in the Philippines and entering into a global partnership with Animaj.
