Desiree Perez, the CEO of Roc Nation, announced earlier this month that Andrew Gould would become the new Executive Vice President of the company’s publishing division. Gould, who received his MBA from Wharton College, will report directly to Desiree Perez. He will also work closely with Jay Brown, the Vice Chairman of Roc Nation. Prior to accepting the position with Roc Nation, Gould worked with BMG and Downtown Music Publishing.
According to the announcement by Perez, Gould will lead the music department at Roc Nation. His specific duties will include locating and negotiating new partnerships, managing the roster of talent, and supervising signing deals. Andrew Gould expressed appreciation to Roc Nation, Desiree Perez, and Jay Brown upon accepting the position. He also stated that he is excited to work with one of the most respected and trusted names in music and publishing.
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Desiree Perez’s Career in the Music Industry
Desiree Perez became Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Roc Nation in December 2019, taking over the role from Jay Brown. Her previous role at Roc Nation was Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Jay-Z and Desiree Perez founded Roc Nation in 2008, and he and Perez have worked together in the music industry for more than 20 years. Jay-Z credits Perez with helping him land some of the biggest deals of his career before creating Roc Nation.
Roc Nation CEO and 2019 Executive of the Year Award Winner
The same month that Perez accepted the CEO position at Roc Nation, she received the Executive of the Year Award at the 2019 Women in Music Event hosted by Billboard. The person who held the CEO position before her, Jay Brown, presented Perez with the award. In addition to describing her as fearless, Brown stated that Perez is a compassionate humanitarian. She works diligently for the rights of women and minorities, especially those in the entertainment industry.
Diversity and Inclusion Remains a Roc Nation Priority
Desiree Perez feels proud to be at the helm of Roc Nation because the company makes such strong diversity and inclusion efforts. One example is that just over half of all Roc Nation employees belong to a minority group. This is true for the parent company and its many subsidiaries.
Perez has a long history of encouraging more diversity in the music world. Nearly two years before she became the CEO of Roc Nation, she joined with several high-ranking female executives in the music industry to write an open letter arguing for more diversity and inclusion in The Recording Academy. The letter came after Neil Portnow, who was president of the academy at the time, commented that women needed to step up more on their own.
According to Perez, part of the problem is that female entertainers and executives in the music industry are under added scrutiny for how they carry themselves or speak. Many become labeled as aggressive, something that Perez says is less likely to happen to a man in the industry.
Among the many major deals has headed, she helped negotiate a deal with the NFL in August 2020 to oversee its social justice activism and live entertainment. Desiree Perez was especially proud of this deal because the NFL’s large audience means more people will receive information about the most important social justice issues of the times.
Andrew Gould, now Executive Vice President at Roc Nation, joins a team of artists and executives dedicated to inclusion and changing the music industry. To learn more about Desiree Perez, find her on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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