WME Elevates Rob Markus; SoundCloud Welcomes New CTO Steve Abrams

WME has appointed Rob Markus as the Head of International for its contemporary music team, a move aimed at enhancing the agency’s global presence. This announcement was made by Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer, who serve as the Global Head and Global Co-Head of Contemporary Music and Touring, respectively. In his new role, Markus will oversee all international touring and strategic initiatives within the contemporary music sector, operating from WME’s Beverly Hills headquarters.

“Rob understands the international touring business and its increasing complexities and importance to an artist’s career better than anyone,” said Dickins and Sommer. His extensive experience, having lived and worked globally, equips him with a profound understanding of the live music landscape across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and South America, as well as emerging markets in the Middle East, Africa, and India. This expansion of Markus’s responsibilities is designed to fortify WME’s global music presence and enhance the elite services provided to clients and partners.

Markus has been a Senior Partner at WME for over 20 years and has played a pivotal role in establishing the agency’s influential Latin Music group. His impressive roster includes notable artists such as J Balvin, Juanes, Maluma, and Nathy Peluso. He has also worked with internationally renowned acts like A Perfect Circle, Avenged Sevenfold, and Depeche Mode.

SoundCloud Appoints Steve Abrams as CTO

In a separate yet significant development, SoundCloud has announced the appointment of Steve Abrams as its new Chief Technology Officer. Abrams brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously led engineering efforts for YouTube Music in the areas of knowledge and discovery. His tenure at Google involved building and scaling teams focused on artist tools, personalized recommendations, and AI-driven music understanding.

Before joining SoundCloud, Abrams played a crucial role in the launch of IBM Watson and led global data science initiatives at United Technologies. He has also built large-scale data and transparency platforms at Bridgewater Associates. As CTO, Abrams will spearhead SoundCloud’s global engineering organization. His focus will be on advancing technology and innovation, particularly in the realms of AI and machine learning, while enhancing engagement between artists and fans.

The strategic moves by both WME and SoundCloud underscore a growing emphasis on international presence and technological advancement in the music industry. With seasoned professionals like Markus and Abrams at the helm, both organizations are positioning themselves for future growth in an increasingly competitive market.