ERA HONOURS ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPIONS

With tears, joy and laughter aplenty, digital entertainment and retail association ERA last night honoured seven behind-the-scenes Entertainment Champions at its second annual summer party.

The event – described by ERA CEO Kim Bayley as “the antidote to music industry awards shows” – took place at record store-themed hostelry Eastcheap Records in the City of London.

ERA’s Entertainment Champion Awards aim to recognise the backroom staff who play a direct, but often hidden, role in bringing entertainment to UK fans.

“The entertainment industry could not flourish without the hard work of these ambassadors, fixers and problem-solvers,“ said Bayley. “We are delighted to shine a spotlight on the vital contribution they make to ensuring that entertainment finds its audience.”

This year’s honorees were:

·        Gennaro Castaldo – BPI Communications Director. The long-time PR wrangler for HMV, Castaldo has held the top PR job at UK record companies trade association the BPI for more than a decade. Known for his passionate love of music, his encyclopaedic knowledge and warmth, Gennaro has been a staunch advocate of Record Store Day and National Album Day. Accepting the award Gennaro reflected on a 40 year career and said, “I really can’t believe this. I think it’s the first award I’ve ever won. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.”

·        Sam Allison - Head of Events & Partnerships, Rough Trade. Nothing phases Sam Allison which is just as well since in the past year he has presided over the organisation of almost 1,000 different events at Rough Trade. Recognised by labels and partners for his warmth and can-do spirit, he played a key role in helping deliver the Miraval Record Store Day pop-up shop at London’s Truman Brewery in April 2024 which raised thousands of pounds for charity. “Thank you for this award. It’s all about the fans and the artists and creating memories. Long live indie record shops and long live Record Store Day,” he said.
 

·        Karen Emanuel – CEO of Key Production Group. Karen has been at the forefront of physical music manufacture for a third of a century, with a keen appreciation of the importance of physical retail, a staunchly independent ethic and a commitment to sustainability which together have made her a role model for female entrepreneurs in entertainment.  “I am very teary at this moment,” she said. “Thank you for this award.”
 

·        Helena Gardiner – UK Sales Manager at Beggars Group. Lauded for her close working relationship with indie record shops, Helena Gardiner is renowned for her responsive, helpful and supportive approach which led many to say “Working with Helena feels like having an additional team member”. Accepting her award, Helena said, “In the words of the great Kate Bush, ‘Wow!’ I walked through the doors of Our Price Bromley at the age of 19 and realised that I could combine my love of music and record shops and nothing has really changed since then. Thank you.”
 
·        Neil Lander - Business Development Director, EMEA – DP World. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Neil Lander there might no longer be a UK distributor of physical music product. It was Neil who, following the demise of Cinram, persuaded logistics giant DP World that there was a viable business in physical music distribution. In the words of one client, “Neil is a completer-finisher with a can-do attitude who brings a huge amount of energy to the table. He deserves recognition.”
 

·        Marc Fayd'Herbe – Universal Music Sales Manager. “Passionate”, “supportive”, “energetic” are just three of the adjectives attached to Marc, who has proven himself one of the greatest champions and advocates of the independent sector. The decision to honour Marc was made before the recent announcement that he is to retire after 35 years in the music business. Presenting Marc award, Phil Barton of London’s Sister Ray Record said, “This is a bittersweet moment since we don’t want to lose you. To be successful in this business you need to be passionate about music and after 40 years this guy is still passionate about music, and you also have to be a great person and this person is one of the greatest people in this business.”
 
·        Maddy Smith – Artist Relations Manager, YouTube Music. After a successful career at labels Polydor and Capitol, Maddy switched sides to become YouTube’s go-to person for artists and labels. Her skills and can-do spirit are coupled with an impressive command of the bigger picture, which has seen her become a key supporter of ERA initiatives such as National Album Day and ERA’s programme to help nurture the next generation of music industry professionals. Presenting her award, YouTube's Head of Music for Europe, Middle East and Africa Dan Chalmers noted, “Maddy delivers and she passionately fights for artist’s rights to ensure they are paid. She’s brilliant and I’m so pleased she is being recognised tonight.”

The winners of the ERA Entertainment Champion Awards were selected by ERA’s Executive Board following a call for nominations from across the entertainment industry.

Kim Bayley said, “Digital services and retailers are the behind-the-scenes doers who drive the success of the entertainment industry, helping deliver literally billions of pounds of revenues which support the UK’s creative economy. It’s therefore entirely appropriate that ERA should honour the do-ers of the music industry more broadly.”

Last night’s Entertainment Champion Awards follows the success of last year’s inaugural event which honoured:

·        Jess Iszatt, BBC Radio London

·        Graham Jones, Indie record store advocate

·        Natasha Youngs, Resident Music, Brighton

·        Ian Sims, Amazon

·        Steve Roper, 369

·        Rich Clarke, War Child

·        Paul Quirk, legendary indie retailer