Maria Amato Reappointed as Treasurer of WIN

Maria Amato is Australia’s representative on the board of Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) for 2024.

Announced late Thursday (Feb. 8), Amato, CEO of Australian Independent Record Labels Association, is a director on the new-look, 20-strong WIN board, and is reappointed as treasurer.

Amato blazed a trail when, in 2022, she was appointed as WIN’s first female chair and its first from the southern hemisphere.

Renewed annually, the board is made up of independent music company and trade association representatives from around the world, appointed by WIN members on a geographical basis.

This time, in a move to reflect the diversity of languages, genres and cultures that make up its membership, WIN forms a new international structure based on the five regional blocs of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australasia.

Joining Amato as Australasia’s second rep on the board is Dylan Pellett, general manager of Independent Music NZ (IMNZ), as observer.

Meanwhile, Zena White, COO at Partisan Records, is reappointed as chair of the WIN board.

WIN is the global coordinator and support body for the independent sector, bringing together independent music trade associations around the globe with a focus on the sector’s long-term development and sustainability.

The WIN board features five new members in directors Dario Draštata (Dallas Records, Croatia), Fran Sandoval (IMICHILE, Chile) and Marty Ro (Sound Republica, South Korea) and observers Alejandro Varela (S-Music, Argentina) and Sridhar Swaminathan (SIMCA, India).

Outgoing members are Francesca Trainini (PMI, Italy), Jeffrey Chiang (Fluxus, South Korea) and Oliver Knust (IMICHILE, Chile), with WIN paying thanks “for their continued commitment.”

“I am grateful to be given the opportunity to continue as Chair of WIN and my congratulations go to our five new board members,” comments WIN chair Zena White.

“Our North Star is to strengthen the sector by having an independent music trade association in all countries where there is a commercial music business. The new regional bloc structure reflects our purpose to connect as many territories as we can. I am particularly proud of WIN’s work with groups in Latin America and Asia-Pacific on their specific agendas, as well as adding associations in India, Paraguay and Bulgaria to our membership.”

Established in 1996, AIR is the non-profit, non-government trade association that represents Australian-owned record labels and independent artists based in Australia. The Melbourne-based association also organises the annual Indie-Con and AIR Awards.