Anna van Nunen is Managing Director of Eurosonic Noorderslag (ESNS), Europe’s leading platform for emerging music talent. With experience across the cultural and startup sectors, she has worked on sustainability, innovation and music, including developing Innofest and serving as Commercial Director at Greener Power Solutions. At ESNS, she focuses on supporting new talent and fostering a more sustainable and connected music ecosystem.

Chris Hawkins is a broadcaster, DJ and music industry professional from the UK, best known for his work with BBC Radio 6 Music. With extensive experience in music broadcasting and artist development, he brings a deep knowledge of the contemporary music landscape and a strong connection to emerging and established artists.

Wiecher Troost is a programmer and cultural strategist, Head of Program at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) and part of the ADE management team. He shapes programmes across ADE Pro, its talent development platform and Arts & Culture programme, connecting music, ideas and communities. His work focuses on bridging grassroots culture with wider audiences through innovative programmes and collaborations.

Stephen Budd is a veteran British music industry executive, artist and manager based in London, with four decades of experience connecting music, culture, and people. He is Director of Stephen Budd Music Ltd, a director of OneFest Festival, and a long-standing collaborator with Damon Albarn’s Africa Express. He co-founded the NH7 Weekender Festival in India and DMZ Peace Train Festival in Korea, and has also worked extensively on international music and charitable projects. Stephen is a regular TV commentator on music industry issues and a former Co-Chairman of the Music Managers Forum.

Lena Obara is a music supervisor, musicologist, and publisher with over 20 years of international experience across film, TV, advertising, and radio. She works across both the creative and commercial sides of music, from music strategy and rights clearance to royalty tracking. With a focus on the audiovisual sector, Lena helps artists and rights holders identify and recover missing income, making sure music not only travels but pays.

Angela Dorgan is CEO of First Music Contact (FMC), Ireland’s national resource organisation for the popular music sector. She also serves on the board of the European Music Exporters Exchange (EMEE) and is a founder and board member of AIM Ireland. Angela has contributed to European music export strategy and played a key role in developing and advocating for Ireland’s Basic Income for Artists trial.

Rob van Dongen is a co-founder of Dikhoff Van Dongen Lawyers, where he leads the music and ICT practices. He advises and represents artists, managers, agencies, promoters, labels, and publishers, specialising in music copyright, neighbouring rights, royalties, digital distribution, AI, and music plagiarism. A sought-after litigator, Rob also has a background as a musician, having performed with Dutch bands including Lois Lane and co-produced their album *Precious* with Prince.

Jeroen van den Bogert is a booking agent and managing partner at EBB Music, an independent boutique agency with offices in Amsterdam and Brighton. He has worked in artist booking since 2006, representing adventurous acts across genres including tropicalia, live electronica, jazz and psychedelia. His current roster includes Altın Gün, YĪN YĪN, Islandman, ECHT!, Arp Frique & the Perpetual Singers and others.

MAKREE (makrē) is a Latvian electronic dance music producer and DJ with over 10 years of experience in the scene. His music has been released on labels including Ministry of Sound, Toolroom Records, and Altra Moda. Since 2022, MAKREE has also been part of the electronic dance music duo ELPO, producing and writing dance music in Latvian.

Kateryna Dmytrenko is the CEO of ENKO, Ukraine’s largest independent music label, where she has built its distribution, publishing, commercial, and marketing operations over the past five years. Since 2022, ENKO’s catalogue has surpassed 19 billion streams across more than 149 artists, including alyona alyona, KALUSH, YAKTAK, and FIЇNKA. Kateryna is also the showrunner of Urban Music Conf, Ukraine’s leading music industry conference, and currently focuses on expanding Ukrainian music internationally.

Ni Bing has over 30 years of experience promoting and touring international acts in China. His current work spans both emerging AI technologies and the revival of physical music culture, including vinyl pressing, turntable production, and customised hi-fi systems for listening bars. He continues to consult for SoundFact touring firm and represents Paradise Worldwide in Asia.

Aiga Leitholde is a Latvian music columnist, publicist, and cultural manager with over 15 years of experience in media, PR, and music industry projects. She has written for LSM.lv since 2018 and has worked in artist management, music award PR, and various cultural projects. Aiga holds a Master’s degree in Creative Industries & Growth Management from the Latvian Academy of Culture.

Gabija Liaugminaitė is a project manager at the Vilnius Night Office, working on projects supporting the city’s night-time culture and music ecosystem. She leads Dainyklos, a municipal support programme for independent live music and performing arts venues, currently supporting 23 venues across Vilnius. Gabija is also a board member of Music Cities Network and an active DJ, with a focus on cultural policy, grassroots music, and sustainable nightlife.

Sabine Brice is a music industry professional with over 10 years of experience in marketing, communications, and artist development. She previously established and led Universal Music Group’s operations in Latvia and now leads the international strategy, marketing, and PR for Latvian act Tautumeitas. She also advises music and cultural brands and serves as Head of Media for Latvia’s Eurovision delegation.

Kaspars Kondratjuks is Managing Partner and board member of Kaņepes Kultūras centrs (KKC), an independent cultural venue in Riga hosting 300–400 events annually. Active in Riga’s electronic music and nightlife scene since the late 1990s, he also DJs under the name Kaspar Kondrat. He has led projects including Festivāls Komēta, Sexism Free Nights, and NightSchool, while advocating for more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive nightlife across the Baltics.

Owner of Borówka Music, a Polish booking agency that has booked over 6,000 gigs across Poland and 20 other countries over the past 20 years. The agency focuses on promoting emerging artists, bringing international acts to Poland, and helping Polish artists perform abroad. Borówka Music’s artists have performed at major festivals across Poland.

A Lithuanian music journalist and radio and TV host with over 30 years of experience covering the local and international music scene. Since 2019, he has served as Head of Pop Music at LRT (Lithuanian Radio and Television), contributing to the development and promotion of pop music in Lithuania.

Pablo Cubeiro is the co-founder and director of Fanzine Project, an independent cultural platform based in A Coruña, Galicia, focused on electronic and experimental music. Since 2008, he has developed Fanzine into a multidisciplinary project spanning festivals, record labels, educational programmes, and international collaborations. He also works as a visual artist under the name The Panic Room, combining cultural production, music promotion, audiovisual art, and education.

Dylan Heneck is a digital strategist based in Amsterdam and SubmitHub’s first employee, helping grow the music marketing platform into a leading tool for digital promotion. Over the past decade, he has worked across product development, commercial strategy, user experience, and operations, helping build systems used by over a million users. His work focuses on creating useful, scalable systems that drive meaningful change in music and beyond.

Britt Randma is an award-winning music manager with over a decade of experience across Sony and Warner Music Baltics, Eesti Kontsert, and Music Estonia. She currently manages internationally rising dream-pop band Night Tapes and has worked with artists including Beach House, Weyes Blood, Tommy Cash, and Zebra Island. In 2025, she was named Manager of the Year and Music Exporter of the Year at the Estonian Music Business Awards. She is also the founder of Main Character Agency and DJs under the alias britiimpeerium.

Apolline Lelaure is the Partnerships Manager at Groover, leading collaborations with key players across the music industry to expand opportunities for independent artists. She spoke at Babel Music XP last year and regularly shares her perspective on the future of music promotion. She's built a fast-moving career at the crossroads of partnerships, marketing, and artist advocacy.

Ave Sophia Demelemester is a cultural sector leader specialising in international collaboration, music export and strategic development in the creative industries. She served as Director of Music Estonia and Executive Director of Jazz Estonia, and was General Secretary of the European Music Exporters Exchange (EMEE) from 2024 to 2026. Since 2026, she has been part-time Coordinator of IAMIC, while continuing to contribute to cultural policy, diversity and international cooperation.

Christopher has written about music for the BBC, Drowned in Sound and Metro as well as many other magazines and newspapers. He has written about travel, culture and cities for all major UK newspapers including the Telegraph, Guardian and Times. He is the author of 2 novels and 6 non fiction books, presents a podcast, performs stand up comedy and has appeared on major TV and radio networks.

Dominyka Motiejūnaitė is the owner of a Lithuanian music management agency called “Žiauru” (“cruel” in English). At the moment, the agency manages one comedian and three music artists: Free Finga, Katarsis, and Angelou. Founded in 2023, the company has already made its mark on the international stage, including Eurovision, organized two European tours, and currently has two more tours underway. And that’s not even mentioning all the local shows, an arena concert, and the Earth Day concert back in Lithuania.

Fernando has been active in the European cultural sector since 2015, with over 10 years of experience in live arts and cross-border collaboration. He joined Liveurope in 2020, leading communications and partnerships, and became General Coordinator in 2024. He holds degrees in International Communication Management from The Hague University and European Public Affairs from IHECS in Brussels.

Guillaume Warmerdam has over 15 years of experience in the recorded music and music tech industry. He founded LAB Music, co-founded Vokall Records and Make Waves, and has worked with leading independent artists and music companies across Europe. Guillaume also serves on the boards of STOMP, the Edisons Pop Committee and IMPALA, contributing to the development of the independent music sector.

Dr. Ieva Zemite is Associate Professor and Senior Researcher at the Latvian Academy of Culture, where she also directs the Master’s programme in Creative Industries and Growth Management. Her research focuses on cultural and creative industries, cultural economics, creative entrepreneurship and cultural policy. She has led and contributed to numerous national and European research projects, including Horizon Europe initiatives.

Jeroen Slutter is co-founder and A&R at Vokall Records, an independent Amsterdam-based label and curator focused on soulful, funky and groove-driven music. He is also a DJ, producer and keyboardist with Keys & Copper. In his A&R role, he scouts emerging talent and works closely with artists on music selection and development.

Jess is Executive Director of the European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA) and part of the core team of the European Music Exporters Exchange (EMEE), focusing on export, talent development, funding and equality in music. She founded and developed the European Keychange project and has created programmes for organisations including the British Council, Wide Days and Brighter Sound. She is also the founder of London in Stereo, championing new music, international collaboration and sustainable careers.

Jon Beckley is Managing Director of F-10 Artistes, an independent UK-based agency representing DJs and artists across a wide range of genres. With extensive experience in artist representation and the live music industry, Jon works with internationally touring artists and has also led F-10’s efforts towards more sustainable practices within the music industry.

Juliana Voloz has worked in the music industry for 20 years, since booking her first concert in 2005. She currently works with 12 internationally touring bands and has booked artists in over 40 countries. Her experience includes international music projects, showcase festivals, curated showcases, panels and mentoring programmes. At Riga Music Week, she represents Estonian artist SADU.

Rory leads PR and strategic projects at IMPALA, supporting the visibility and advocacy of Europe’s independent music label community. His work spans communications, industry relations, network development and policy across areas including digital, AI, copyright, funding, diversity and climate action. He also coordinates IMPALA’s European network, flagship programmes and awards, fostering collaboration across the independent music sector.

Jesper Skibsby is a music tech entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of WARM (World Airplay Radio Monitor), a global radio airplay analytics platform tracking over 21,000 stations across 150 countries. He is also Co-founder of Lisbon Dance Summit, an international electronic music conference and festival. Based in Lisbon, Jesper combines expertise in music, technology and data with a strong focus on the global dance music industry.

Sophia Blume is the Head of A&R for the GSA territory at Bosworth Music, which is part of Wise Music. Sophia has been working in the field of A&R since 2019, supporting composers developing their careers. She works closely with artists across different fields, including theatre, stage productions, film, TV, advertising and talent development. As part of her role in the publishing company, she is travelling to festivals and conferences, representing her roster as well as looking for new exciting composers to work with.

Tanya Korenika is the founder of Tallinn-based UCE Agency and co-owner of the queer-friendly venue HUNGR, with over 15 years of experience in the alternative music sector. Working across booking, artist management, tour development and concert production, she connects Baltic underground artists with audiences across Europe. She holds an MA in Cultural Management and is pursuing doctoral research on gender equality in the Baltic music industry.

Tanya Stadnyk is Director of Operations at Music Export Ukraine, a non-profit supporting Ukrainian artists in building international connections. Previously, she served as Project Manager, where she developed initiatives including the Eastern European Music Academy, a 12-week music business training programme that has trained 350 professionals from 15 countries and partnered with international organisations and industry experts.

Thea is an artist and producer manager, sync agent and publisher with extensive experience in music publishing, export and songwriting camps. She also lectures and consults for local and international music industry professionals and leads the Music Estonia Managers branch in Estonia. In 2022, she was named Manager of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year at the Estonian Entrepreneurship Awards.

Toomas Olljum is founder of Made in Baltics, an artist management company, agency, and label. Formerly a lawyer at Estonia’s Ministry of Culture, he has worked with Sony Music, Universal, Warner, EMI, BMG, and Live Nation. A founding member of Music Estonia and board member of the Estonian Phonogram Producers Association, he has earned 18 Estonian Music Awards and managed Ewert and The Two Dragons.

Vaidas Stackevičius is CEO of Lithuania-based M.P.3, a music group spanning a record label, booking agency and concert agency. With over two decades of experience in the music industry, he has worked on more than 2,000 events and promoted artists including Scorpions, The World of Hans Zimmer, Sparks and Nothing But Thieves. He is also co-founder and director of the Lithuanian Music Business Association and the annual Murmurs music conference and showcase festival in Vilnius.

Paul Vroonhof is a Senior Project Manager at Panteia, a Dutch research company specialising in independent policy research. He has extensive experience in cultural and creative sector research and has managed the European Expert Network on Culture (EENC), bringing together over 100 experts from across Europe. His work covers topics including AI and creative industries, music sector development, European music policy, funding and the future of the cultural sector.