Epidemic Sound Strengthens Board With Former Docusign, Dropbox and Shazam Executives

Rhea-AI Summary

Epidemic Sound announces the appointment of Andrew Fisher, former CEO of Shazam, as the new Chairperson of the Board, succeeding Vania Schlogel, who will remain a board director. Fisher's extensive experience in the music technology sector and leadership roles at companies like Rightmove and Marks and Spencer are seen as assets for the company's growth. The recent board expansion, including new directors Kirsten Wolberg and Adrienne Gormley, aims to strengthen the company's position in the creator economy and foster further development.

Positive

• Andrew Fisher, with a strong background in music technology, appointed as Chairperson.
• Company valuation has increased from approximately $100 million to over $1.4 billion.
• Recent board appointments enhance expertise in SaaS and digital transformation.

Negative

• None.

• Former Shazam CEO and Chairman, Andrew Fisher, to become Chairperson of the Board; Andrew succeeds Vania Schlogel who will remain on the board as a director

• Former Salesforce.com and Docusign executive Kirsten Wolberg and former Google and Dropbox executive Adrienne Gormley appointed to the board in November 2021

• Bolstering board gears company for next chapter of growth, comments Epidemic Sound’s CEO and founder, Oscar Hoglund

STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Epidemic Sound today announces the appointment of Andrew Fisher, former CEO and Chairman of Shazam, as Chairperson of the Epidemic Sound board with immediate effect. He will succeed Vania Schlogel who will remain on the board as a director.

Andrew brings a breadth of experience and a proven track record from the musictech industry during his time as CEO and Chairman of Shazam, as well as extensive board experience. Andrew currently serves as chairperson of Rightmove plc, an FTSE 100 company, since January 2020 and has been on the Marks and Spencer plc board since 2015.

Vania Schlogel, founder and managing partner of Atwater Capital, a media and entertainment sector-focused investment firm, and former Epidemic Sound Chairperson, says: “Andrew’s relevant experience and deep understanding of digital economy and the music industry make him an incredible asset for Epidemic Sound and its board. I’m thrilled to be handing the Chairperson baton over to him and I look forward to working with him as a board member.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Epidemic Sound leadership and its people for their hard work over the past four years. The company has gone from strength to strength, and it has been a privilege to be part of this exciting journey. From a company worth approximately $100 million when I first became Chairperson, Epidemic Sound has now grown into a valuation of over $1.4 billion. With our recent board appointments, strong growth and a world class leadership team, I’m confident we are on the right track to write the next chapter for Epidemic Sound.”

Andrew Fisher, Chairperson at Epidemic Sound, comments: “I am delighted to be joining the Epidemic team and look forward to contributing to the continued development of such a fantastic business. I would like to thank Vania for her outstanding contribution over the past four years and am excited to have the opportunity to work with her on the board.”

The chairperson appointment follows the recent appointments of two non-executive directors, Kirsten Wolberg and Adrienne Gormley.

Kirsten and Adrienne bring a wealth of experience from their software as a service (SaaS) and digital transformation backgrounds, distinguished track records as leaders in their respective fields and extensive board experience.

Kirsten is a former Salesforce and Docusign executive who has spent her career supporting rapidly growing companies leading everything from product development to talent management. She serves on multiple boards including Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM), Dynatrace (NYSE: DT) and Pie Insurance and is also committed to supporting organizations that help underserved groups find jobs.

Adrienne is a former Google and Dropbox executive who is known for putting people and customers at the heart of business as they scale globally. Adrienne is a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and an active member across Diversity, Equity and Inclusion networks and organizations, as well as a mentor to female entrepreneurs in EMEA and beyond.

“We’re proud of how far we’ve come as a company over the past 12 years,” comments Oscar Hoglund, founder and CEO at Epidemic Sound. “And with the expertise and experience from these impressive executives from software as a service (SaaS) and musictech sectors, we’re confident that we’ve strengthened the board in the right areas to help us continue to serve the creator economy and navigate our next chapter in our journey.”

Epidemic Sound was co-founded in 2009, has offices in six major cities across the globe; Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Hamburg and Amsterdam and is backed by EQT, Blackstone Growth, Creandum, Atwater Capital.

About Epidemic Sound
Epidemic Sound, the market-leading platform for restriction-free music, is headquartered in Stockholm, heard around the globe and on a mission to soundtrack the world.

The company has democratized access to music for storytellers. Its innovative digital rights model paves the way for creators - everyone from YouTubers to small businesses to the world’s largest brands - to use restriction-free music to take their content to the next level, whilst simultaneously supporting the musicians it works with both financially and creatively.

The company was co-founded in 2009 and has offices in six major cities across the globe: Stockholm, New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Hamburg and Amsterdam. Epidemic is backed by EQT, Blackstone Growth, Creandum, Atwater Capital.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211223005341/en/

Gemma Griffiths

+44 (0) 7545 768602

Source: Epidemic Sound

FAQ

Who is the new Chairperson of Epidemic Sound?

Andrew Fisher, former CEO of Shazam, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Epidemic Sound.

What is the current valuation of Epidemic Sound?

Epidemic Sound's valuation has increased from about $100 million to over $1.4 billion.

Who succeeded Vania Schlogel at Epidemic Sound?

Vania Schlogel was succeeded by Andrew Fisher as Chairperson, but she remains on the board as a director.

Which companies do the new board members of Epidemic Sound come from?

Kirsten Wolberg and Adrienne Gormley have experience from Salesforce, Docusign, Google, and Dropbox.

When did Andrew Fisher take over as Chairperson of Epidemic Sound?

Andrew Fisher took over as Chairperson of the Epidemic Sound board immediately.