Primary Wave Music has expanded its brand division, which is helmed by chief brand officer Jeffrey Straughn.
The company has appointed Camille Hackney (pictured) as head of brand partnerships, based out of the company’s New York office.
In addition, Bart Saunt has been named senior vice president, based out of the company’s Los Angeles office.
Hackney and Saunt have joined Primary Wave at a time when the company has seen significant growth with the addition of a number of major catalogues. Additionally, the brand division’s Sam Sklover has been promoted to vice president, brand partnerships and will continue to be based out of the company’s New York office.
Camille Hackney has spent time working across several Warner Music Group labels including EastWest Records, Elektra Entertainment Group and, most recently, Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group, where she spent two decades as the chief partnerships officer & head of the global brand partnerships council in New York City.
Hackney has built and executed major partnership programmes for artists with major brands that include American Express, Pepsi/Frito Lay’s, Google, Stellantis, Apple, Citibank, Starbucks, AT&T, Puma, LVMH, Samsung and SC Johnson.
Her work also included the development of programmes with major US sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, NHL, and NCAA, which have provided major promotional opportunities and earned significant media value for both the labels and artists.
“I am thrilled to see our team mature and grow all at the same time,” said Jeffrey Straughn. “I’ve known Camille for over 20 years and have always respected and admired not only her work, but her competitive spirit and strong reputation in the brand space. To say I’m excited to have her join our growing team would be an understatement, and I’m looking forward to working closely with her over the coming years.”
"Even while at rival labels, Jeff and I often spoke about working together someday, so I’m absolutely ecstatic to join him and the team at Primary Wave,” said Camille Hackney. “I’ve watched the company grow into a true powerhouse in the business, and I’m honoured to bring my experience to contribute to the success of this unmatched roster of artists and estates."
I am thrilled to see our team mature and grow all at the same time
Jeffrey Straughn
Bart Saunt is another key addition to the brands division. He has more than 25 years of experience, having worked in brand partnerships building campaigns for legendary and contemporary artists.
In his previous role at Universal Music Group, he led the expansion into trademark licensing, setting a foundation for broader partnerships that followed. Throughout his career, Saunt has collaborated with corporate brands to support catalogues that included Bob Marley, The Beatles, Velvet Underground, Bon Jovi, The Beach Boys, Alice Cooper, Tony Bennett, Robbie Robertson, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, OneRepublic, Blue Note, Motown Records and others.
His work includes forging partnerships with brands like Sonos, Bulova, Microsoft and Gatorade, alongside experience in the gaming sector.
“Bart has already proven to be a great addition with his early contributions to the company, putting wins on the board from day one,” said Straughn. “We’re lucky to have him on the team”.
“Having worked across some of the world’s biggest catalogues, I’m excited to bring that experience to Primary Wave and build partnerships that introduce legendary artists to new generations of fans,” said Saunt. “What drew me here is the pace and vision – this is a company that has been innovating for 20 years and still moves faster than anyone else.”
In just over six years at Primary Wave, Sam Sklover – now vice president, brand partnerships – has worked to connect Primary Wave’s artist roster with brands.
Throughout his time with the company, Sklover has secured collaborations with Prince for Airbnb and Boyz II Men for Chili’s, as well as deals with McDonald’s, Adidas, Narragansett Beer, and others.
“Having seen Sam’s growth and maturity over the past five years, promoting him was an easy decision,” said Straughn. “It has been incredible to watch him lead these incredible campaigns and continue to build relationships with brands across the globe.”
"Primary Wave's concertation of iconic music and artists is unparalleled, and the team supporting all of it is just as valuable,” said Sklover. “It's a dream come true to help shine a light on some of the world's greatest music and continue to work with the best team in the business in bigger and bigger ways. I'm very much excited by the future here at Primary Wave."
PHOTO: Credit Erin Patrice O’Brien
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