WIN Unveils New Board Members — Five New Regional Blocs Announced

WIN unveils its newest board members and announces five new regional blocs in its international restructuring.

Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), the organization uniting independent music trade associations worldwide, has announced five new board members and the reappointment of its Chair and Treasurer.

The WIN board is renewed annually, made up of indie music company trade association representatives from across the globe who are appointed geographically by WIN members.

To reflect the diversity of languages, genres, and cultures that make up its membership, WIN has also announced a new international structure based on five regional blocs: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

The WIN board’s newest members are Dario Draštata (Dallas Records, Croatia), Fran Sandoval (IMICHILE, Chile), and Marty Ro (Sound Republica, South Korea) as directors, alongside Alejandro Varela (S-Music, Argentina), and Sridhar Swaminathan (SIMCA, India) as observers.

Further, the board commended the work of Zena White and Maria Amato, who were reappointed as Chair and Treasurer, respectively. Outgoing members Francesca Trainini (PMI, Italy), Jeffrey Chiang (Fluxus, South Korea), and Oliver Knust (IMICHILE, Chile) were thanked 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,” said 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,” White continues.

Alongside WIN CEO Noemí Planas and representatives from member associations in other Latin American countries, White will travel to Guadalajara in Mexico in late February through early March to attend the FIM GDL conference and to host an independent labels summit and WINHUB networking event. The event will connect music professionals from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, and the US with members of WIN and other international delegates.

“I’m excited to welcome these outstanding professionals to our board from new territories like Croatia, India, and Argentina, as well as new faces from South Korea and Chile,” said Planas. “The revamped board structure builds on our priority to empower and unite independents in all parts of the world. As WIN continues to grow its membership, we look forward to soon adding members in countries like Mexico, and our visit to Guadalajara later this month will contribute to that end.”

The 20 members of the WIN board for 2024 are:

• North America — Garry West (Compass Records, USA), Gord Dimitrieff (Aporia Records, Canada), Jason Peterson (GoDigital Media Group, USA), Richard Burgess (A2IM, USA), Zena White (Partisan Records, USA), and observer Tony Kiewel (Sub Pop, USA)
• Latin America — Francisca Sandoval (IMICHILE, Chile), Sandra Rodrigues (ABMI, Brazil), and observer Alejandro Varela (S-Music, Argentina)
• Europe — Dario Draštata (Dallas Records, Croatia), Gee Davy (AIM, UK), Geert De Blaere (N.E.W.S., Belgium), Jörg Heidemann (VUT, Germany), Mark Kitcatt (Everlasting Records, Spain), and observer Helen Smith (IMPALA, Europe)
• Asia — Marty Ro (Sound Republica, South Korea), Takuya Yamazaki (IMCJ, Japan), and observer Sridhar Swaminathan (SIMCA, India)
• Australasia — Maria Amato (AIR, Australia) and observer Dylan Pellett (IMNZ, New Zealand)