Billboard’s 2013 Latin Advisory Board. Back row, left to right: Mayna Nevarez, Nevarez Communications; Diego Prusky, InPulse Digital; Jeff Young, Venetian Marketing Group; Fernando Camacho, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón; Henry Cardenas, CMN; Michel Vega, WME; Delia Orjuela, BMI; Angel Kaminsky; UMG; Pepe Serrano, Latin Power Music; Guillermo Serrano, Latin Power Music. Bottom row, left to right: Paola Marin, Santacruz Communications; Alexandra Lioutikoff , ASCAP; Leila Cobo, Billboard; Jimmy Arroyave, Latin Power Music.
David Lam
The Billboard Latin Music Conference, gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary April 21-24 in Miami, jump-started preparations for the anniversary event with a gathering of its 2014 Advisory board.
GALLERY: More Photos from the Latin Advisory Board’s Meeting in Miami
The Latin American music business, new technology, tour marketing and the intersection of music, fashion, film and TV were key discussion points among leading executives from different sectors of the industry who gathered for a private lunch at the JW Marriot Marquis in Miami, site of this year’s conference.
Board members were excited at the prospect of having new one-on-one sessions that will allow for more networking, as well as a reprise of last year’s roundtable sessions.
As Pepe Serrano, president of Latin Power Music aptly said, the conference has long been a place for him to make deals and sign acts, and such initiatives allow the practice to grow even further.
Bringing in speakers from Latin America was a major interest of the board, supported by Angel Kaminski, VP Latin Artists Marketing Universal Music Group, and Henry Cardenas, president and CEO of CMN. Both Cárdenas and Michel Vega, from WME, proposed workshops and case studies on tour promotion, sponsorship and planning, and endorsed Billboard’s ongoing practice of bringing in speakers from different realms of the industry, representing growing and diversified revenue streams.
The board also brought in suggestions which are currently being implemented to integrate the conference and new technology even further, and attendees to this year’s event can expect an ease of use that will be groundbreaking for an industry event today.
Consistent with the evolution of the industry itself, this year’s board members represent leaders from a wide cross-section of genres and disciplines, ranging from public relations and digital marketing to A&R and production.
All will be at the Billboard Latin Music Conference and Awards in April. To register and for further information, please visit billboardlatinconference.com.