Earlier this week AWAL’s UK team were discussing their blockbuster CMAT campaign in Music Week, and now the company has revealed a run of promotions.
Matt Riley (above, centre) moves up from MD to become president, while SVPs Victoria Needs (left) and Sam Potts (right) will move into new roles as co-managing directors.
As well as CMAT’s campaign, the trio have led the way on landmark successes for James Marriott, who topped the albums chart earlier this year, and Little Simz, who achieved her best week one sales figure and highest chart placing to date with Lotus.
AWAL's UK team has never been in better shape
Paul Hitchman
Other recent AWAL success stories include Laufey and Jungle, among others, while the company took home the Label/Artist Services trophy at the Music Week Awards last year.
Music Week profiled the trio last year, which subscribers can read here.
AWAL COO Paul Hitchmansaid: “These promotions for Matt, Vic and Sam are very well deserved after a sustained period of success for AWAL in the UK. Their collective leadership has been transformative for AWAL’s UK business over the last few years, and we are seeing the fruits of that work now with new artists breaking through to global success, and established artists achieving career highs. AWAL's UK team has never been in better shape and the UK leadership team have all the skills and experience to drive continued growth and success for AWAL and its artists into the future.”
AWAL CEO Lonny Olinickcommented: “It is a privilege to recognize the amazing work of our UK leadership team. Matt, Sam and Vic work selflessly as a leadership team, always putting aside any ego to do what's best for each other, our artists and our AWAL team. They are music lovers who care deeply about our artists and the art that they create. They are the unique team that is constantly pushing the envelope, making sure that our artists realise every ounce of their potential. Their results speak for themselves and we are fortunate to have such a strong team in a market so central to AWAL's past, present and future.”
Matt, Sam and Vic work selflessly, always putting aside any ego to do what's best for each other, our artists and our team
Lonny Olinick
Matt Riley joined AWAL in 2014, serving in various A&R roles before taking on the UK AWAL Recordings business from 2023 alongside Potts and Needs.
Riley said: “It is immensely rewarding to have been part of AWAL's story for the past decade and most of all a huge privilege to work with such a special bunch of people and artists. Thank you to Lonny and Paul for their leadership and experience and of course Sam and Vic, with whom I feel we have created a formidable team. We go into every single day working hard to make AWAL the most culturally exciting, successful and forward thinking home for artists and executives it can be.”
It is immensely rewarding to have been part of AWAL's story for the past decade
Matt Riley
Victoria Needs had previously worked at EMI, Warner and Sony before joining the business in 2020, and said that “AWAL has always stood for doing things differently, whether that’s empowering artists, being deeply committed to artist development, or standing at the forefront of industry change.”
“It’s incredibly energising to lead a label full of team members that are as ambitious and committed as the unique artists that we build global careers with,” Needs added. “Thanks as always, to Lonny and Paul for their backing.”
It’s incredibly energising to lead a team that is as ambitious and committed as the unique artists we build careers with
Vic Needs
Former Warner Bros and Columbia executive Potts joined AWAL in 2019 and his role in promotions has evolved into leading a team covering creator relationships and global commercial and digital partnerships.
Potts said: “Being part of AWAL’s growth and developing uncompromising independent artists on the global stage has been exhilarating. There is an entrepreneurial spirit that runs through everything we do and it puts us in the best possible place to navigate the dynamic music ecosystem we operate in. We’re just getting started.”
There is an entrepreneurial spirit that runs through everything we do
Sam Potts
Our full CMAT cover story is published in the latest issue of Music Week – subscribers can read it here.
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