The MLC appoints Kelly Baden of Concord to Operations Advisory Committee and announces several committee reappointments.
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) announced one appointment to the organization’s Operations Advisory Committee, along with six reappointments, including two reappointments to the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, one reappointment to the Dispute Resolution Committee, and three reappointments to the Operations Advisory Committee.
Kelly Baden (Senior Vice President, Copyright, Royalties and Licensing Operations at Concord) has been appointed to the Operations Advisory Committee. In her role, she leads Concord’s global copyright, licensing, and royalties functions, overseeing worldwide licensing operations and managing teams responsible for licensing sound recordings and musical compositions across markets. Prior to Concord, Baden held leadership positions in music rights and revenue assurance, including Director of Revenue Assurance at Warner Music Group and roles at Rhino Entertainment and BMG Music Publishing, where she developed deep expertise in revenue, legal affairs, and rights operations.
Additionally, Eric Scott (Executive Vice President, Rights and Royalties at BMG) has been reappointed to the Operations Advisory Committee and has been named Chair of the committee. Kristina Johnson (Vice President, Copyright at Kobalt Music) and Iwona Wyrzykowska (Senior Vice President/General Manager, Global Administration Center – Nashville at Universal Music Publishing Group) have also been reappointed.
As described in the Music Modernization Act (MMA), The MLC’s Operations Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the Board on policies and procedures related to the operations of the Collective, including the efficient investment in and deployment of information technology and data resources. It is comprised of six representatives of music publishers and six representatives of digital music providers.
The MLC also has an Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, which recommends policies and procedures to The MLC’s Board related to the distribution of unclaimed accrued royalties. It is comprised of five songwriters and five representatives of music publishers. Dale Esworthy (Executive Vice President, Worldwide Administration at Sony Music Publishing) has been reappointed to the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee, along with Michael Eames (President and Co-Founder at PEN Music Group, Inc.) who is continuing as Chair of the committee.
In addition, The MLC’s Dispute Resolution Committee makes recommendations to the Board on policies and procedures for the processing of royalties related to works that are subject to disputes over ownership. It is comprised of five songwriters and five representatives of music publishers. Matthew Skiba (Vice President, Rights and Content at Vydia) has been reappointed to the Dispute Resolution Committee.
Alisa Coleman, Chair of The MLC’s Board of Directors, offered the following congratulatory remarks on the appointment and reappointments: “On behalf of The MLC’s Board and its nominating committee, I am pleased to welcome Kelly Baden to the Operations Advisory Committee and to congratulate our advisory committee members on their reappointments. Their collective expertise, dedication, and guidance are invaluable as we continue to strengthen The MLC’s operations and fulfill our mission to ensure that songwriters, composers, and music publishers receive the royalties they have earned.”
More information on The MLC’s Board of Directors and three advisory committees, including lists of current members, can be found here. For more information about The MLC, visit https://www.themlc.com.
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About the Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC)
The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is responsible for administering the blanket compulsory license for the use of musical works by digital music services. Since beginning operations in January 2021, The MLC has achieved total royalties distributed of more than $3.5 billion, at no cost to songwriters or music publishers.
The MLC was designated in July 2019 by the U.S. Register of Copyrights under the Music Modernization Act of 2018. The MLC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of songwriters and representatives of music publishers. For more background on The MLC and its Board and Committee members, visit www.themlc.com.
