Black Lives in Music appoints new board and taskforce

Black Lives in Music (BLiM) has announced the appointment of a new board and taskforce. The incoming members will work with chief executive Charisse Beaumont and director of operations Roger Wilson to address racial inequality in the music industry and create opportunities for Black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians and professionals.

The new board includes director of talent & culture and experience at PRS for Music Janeace Thompson; music industry lawyer, artist manager and lecturer Dr Kienda Hoj; multi-instrumentalist and composer Orphy Robinson MBE and Sumaya Group director Moses Oyediwura who will also hold the role of vice chair.

The board will be chaired by James Joseph, founder of James Joseph Music Management, who said: ‘Black Lives in Music is an organisation well placed to hear the voices of those integral in creating this rich universe of creativity. I am honoured and excited to be an integral part of advocating a guided and informed response to offer effective change and much needed support to make a difference for positive development in our musical community and wider cultural landscape.’

The new taskforce will include:

• Cleveland Watkiss MBE – vocalist, composer and actor
• Paulette Long OBE – Music publisher and chair of the Music Publishers Association
• Dr Mykaell Riley – Senior lecturer at the University of Westminster and director of the Black Music Research Unit
• Yvette Griffith OBE – Chief executive and executive director of Jazz: Refreshed
• Kate Miguda – Violinist and board member of National Youth Orchestra of Scotland
• Richard Henry – Trombonist
• Shabaka Hutchings – Jazz musician
• Adem Holness FRSA – Head of contemporary music at London’s Southbank Centre
• Faryal Khan-Thompson – Senior vice principal of marketing and community engagement at CD Baby
• Robert Mitchell – Jazz musician and composer
• Victor Redwood-Sawyerr – Founder of Red 1 Arts music consultancy
• Jamil Sheriff – Jazz musician and lecturer

Chartered accountant Alex Spofforth will be BLiM’s new treasurer.

BLiM director of operations Roger Wilson said: ‘The board of Black Lives in Music have played a significant role in its ongoing success. We’re proud to announce our most recent appointments. They are all accomplished individuals – change makers with stellar career profiles. We’re confident that they will be significant in their contribution to our organisation. Their energy, knowledge and experience will be key drivers in their support of our work. We welcome them and look forward, still more positively as we continue on our journey to achieving transformational change in the UK music sector.’