VERDE GUIDES SONY’S STARS — AND DEVELOPS NEW ONES

Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has had a year of explosive new Latin talent development combined with aggressive and flexible deal-making under chairman/CEO of Latin-Iberia Afo Verde.

Sony is home to Latin music’s biggest roster of stars: Maluma, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Carlos Vives, Romeo Santos and Marc Anthony, among others. All of them released new material, while a close partnership with Sony-owned distribution company The Orchard generated opportunities for creative marketing and exploitation of Latin repertoire. Sony and The Orchard combined had a 43.71% market share of the Latin market year to date in August.

“We worked closer [with

The Orchard] than ever before, and we were able to provide A-class services to the talented Latin artistic community,” says Verde, who not only negotiated hybrid deals but is also personally involved in The Orchard-distributed and Sonymarketed product of artists like Ozuna and Anuel AA. Sony also expanded its international clout with the acquisition of Som Livre, Brazil’s leading independent domestic label, a move that ensures Sony’s domination of Latin America’s largest music market.

“We maintained a great number of releases, in a totally different environment, and with the passion for what we do intact,” adds Alex Gallardo, president of Sony Music, U.S. Latin, which scored global hits with the likes of Rauw Alejandro, Maluma and Natti Natasha, while SME COO/ executive vp Latin-Iberia Maria Fernández worked on expanding Latin music’s footprint in international markets.

“During the last months, artists like Maluma, Camilo, Rauw Alejandro, Nathy Peluso and many others had significant growth outside the Latin region,” says Fernández.

Equally important, she adds, “The company has made a significant commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion. I am a member of task forces dedicated to these activities and completed a certification in this area from the University of South Florida to be better prepared to help create change.”

Despite the pandemic, says Verde, “we remained focused. We have such an amazing roster that produces mind-blowing music, and we’ve been able to help them develop their projects, release their music and position it globally for their fans to enjoy.”