Various Artists Management (VAM) has appointed Arwen Hunt to the position of head of Australia/New Zealand as the company expands with the opening of an office in Sydney.
In her new role, Hunt will oversee the Australia/New Zealand division of VAM and report directly to VAM CEO David Bianchi.
David Bianchi said: “It took one meeting with Arwen to know that she was the person to run Various in Australia/New Zealand. Her management background with Catfish And The Bottlemen and Kate Nash was super-impressive. Mixed with her publishing background at Universal she is just perfect! We are so happy to welcome her to the global VAM Family.”
He added: “After the successful opening of our LA office a few years back we decided upon further global expansions and Australia/New Zealand seemed like a logical next step, both in terms of the amount of business we have down there and its proximity and access to Asia.”
The news follows the announcement that Melanie C will be guest host of The Voice Australia, which begins filming in February.
The Sydney office will serve as a base for VAM’s roster of artists, several of whom will have a significant presence in the market in 2025, including Ashnikko who opens for Billie Eilish on the Australian leg of her Hit Me Hard & Soft Tour and will play Sydney Mardi Gras.
Good Neighbours, whose debut single Home is platinum in Australia and New Zealand, will return later in 2025, along with The Libertines and Supergrass, whose sold-out tour includes a date at Sydney Opera House.
Arwen Hunt has been a manager, an A&R, a publisher, a label manager, a product manager and a promoter.
Most recently Hunt was vice president, creative/head of A&R for UMPG Australia and New Zealand, where she signed and A&R’d artists and writers such as PJ Harding (Noah Cyrus/Guy Sebastian/Jessica Mauboy/Ruel), Ruel, Lime Cordiale, Idris Elba, DMA’S, Odette, Timmy Trumpet, Alex the Astronaut, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Gang of Youths, Vera Blue, The Chats, Styalz Fuego (Troye Sivan/Imagine Dragons/Khalid), Hiatus Kaiyote, CW Stoneking and DNA (Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy), among others.
As an artist manager and partner at ATC London, she oversaw the careers of Catfish And The Bottlemen, Kate Nash, Augustines, Half Moon Run, Black Lips (UK & Europe), Tegan And Sara (UK & Europe), and more.
Arwen Hunt said: “If you’re lucky enough to find your tribe in this often brutal industry, you find a way to work together. That’s exactly what happened when I first sat down with the VAM team, and now, here we are! Dave, John, Nick, and Matt not only have a knack for identifying incredible musical talent, they’re also astonishingly adept at handpicking the right people to grow VAM and the careers of their artists and writers.
“The culture they have built is one that inspires and excites me more than any other I’ve encountered in my lifelong career, and exactly what working in music should be about: a shared vision and exuberant passion and belief in the art they represent; an incessant drive to kick down doors for their artists, clearing the path for them so they can progress; a team that fights together, grows together, celebrate wins together, and inspires and supports each other.
“I have found my tribe and I am beyond excited to be welcomed into their exclusive club of legends. I’m looking forward to growing the careers of VAM's incredible roster here in ANZ, and cannot wait to add to that roster (management, publishing and records) with some of the best talent Australia and New Zealand has to offer, safe in the knowledge that anyone I bring in will have the finest (and coolest) global team there is behind them.”
The VAM roster includes Tom Grennan, Good Neighbours, Melanie C, Ashnikko, The Libertines, Supergrass, La Roux and Rose Gray.
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