Silvia Montello
Senior Music Industry professional with over 30 years marketing, commercial, strategic and operational experience, including music product development, label management, multi-discipline marketing, brand campaigns, business development, and global supply chain management. I’ve worked for majors, indies and startups, including PolyGram/Universal, BMG, Kobalt/AWAL, AFEM and currently CEO at AIM.
Co-founder of new label #remarQabl with the mission to find, support and represent the under-represented new talent in electronic music – female producers/songwriters, people of colour and people from the LGBTQ community.
DJ, vocalist, songwriter, half of electronic duo Stormbabies.
Starting as record store assistant after graduating, I’ve run the gamut through buying management, product/label and marketing management, reaching Divisional Marketing Director and latterly SVP Global Operations. I stepped out of music for a few years, founding my own marketing consultancy Voicebox Ltd working in the charity sector, gaining valuable insight into how working cultures can differ outside media and entertainment.
A passionate people person, I’ve hired, developed and managed diverse colleagues, from junior assistant to SVP level, using coaching and mentoring to help promising talent fulfil their ambitions. I strongly believe in nurturing people and creating great team spirit, using enthusiasm, kindness and a healthy dose of humour — the world turns best when people have a happy environment, believe in what they do and are supported well. I co-chaired Kobalt UK’s Wellbeing Group which aimed to ensure a safe and nurturing environment where our employees physical and mental wellbeing is supported and where good work-life balance is actively promoted.
Panelist and speaker engagements include:
FastForward Conference 2017 – Wellbeing in the Music Industry panel; The Future of the Music Industry panel
The Great Escape Festival 2018 – The Future of Independence panel discussion
Berklee University Valencia 2018 – Digital and Streaming panel; Pivoting your career in the music industry label
Frank Turner panels at The Roundhouse 2018 and 2019 – Health and wellbeing in the music industry
Brit School 2019 – Workshop on the Music Industry
Amsterdam Dance Event 2019 – Finding Success in a Crowded Marketplace panel
Channel 5 Abba Documentary aired October 2019 – I was the record label talking head
London Music Conference 2020 – Get Played Get Paid panel
AIM Connected Conference 2020 – Distribution workshop
Electronic Music Conference 2020 Livestreaming panel – The Licensing System is Broken, How Do We Fix It?
Beats Bring Us Together Electronic Music Conference July 2020 – panelist on ‘Collectives and organisations pushing for change’ and ‘What is the future of the electronic music’
Sl!m
Senior Music Industry professional and Musician, as one or the other for over 40 years!
I’ve had management experience in Record Retail (Our Price) and at Record Companies, Island, Universal and BMG, where I am currently Senior Asset Origination Manager.
As a musician I have written and performed in Punk, Indie and Rock bands, playing electric guitar and singing. I am self taught including skills as a Producer, Remixer and Arranger.
I started my own Progressive House label in 1998 to release my own material under the Artist name Chiller Twist. Chiller Twist was played by such DJ’s as Oakenfold, Tiesto, Armin, Corsten, Tong, Digweed, Wisternoff.
My remix skills were employed by Perfecto, Positiva, Gatecrasher, Bonzai and Armada and my track “Stringz Ultd.” is thought of as a connoisseur’s Trance classic.
Having seen the Music Industry from both the outside and from within, I have long wished to start a record label to help the under-represented and hopefully help others to not make the same mistakes as I did!
My passion is for new music that has learned from the past but has its eyes set firmly in the future.