Universal Music Australia chases export gold with new global-facing post

As a raft of Aussie artists continue to find success and fame a long way from home, Universal Music Australia will chase-down export opportunities for its own roster of artists through a new, global-facing position.

With effect from today (March 26), Universal Music veteran Chris Nelson becomes UMA’s Senior Director, International Export Market, Australia/New Zealand, a newly-created role.

Nelson is based in Los Angeles, the unofficial capital of the pop music world, and will be tasked with developing international prospects for the music giant’s domestic roster, which includes Troye Sivan, Dean Lewis, Alison Wonderland and Lorde.

Troye Sivan

In short, Nelson will try make the world a smaller for UMA’s artists.

“I want to ensure our domestic artists are involved in the global conversation,” explains George Ash, President, Universal Music Asia Pacific, in a statement announcing the new role.

“We have enjoyed strong international successes and strategically, having Chris in the USA, where we naturally have close ties with our UMG label partners, business partners and several artist management teams makes sense.

"It will make communication with the rest of the world easier as well as working efficiently with our Australian and New Zealand Marketing and A+R teams to ensure we’re delivering innovative global plans.”

Nelson, who will work with local teams for international marketing and promo focus, takes the job after 10 years at UMG in London, most recently service as Senior Marketing Director, UMG Global Priorities.

The new gig “was an offer I couldn’t resist,” he says in the UMA statement.

“Being based at UMG’s headquarters in Santa Monica means I will be able to tap into our key central UMG services on a daily basis and having worked with many of these artists in my previous role, I am looking forward to the next adventure.”

Alison Wonderland

Nelson steps into the role as a handful of antipodean UMA signings kick goals abroad. Coming off a breakthrough debut and monster hit with 'Royals', Lorde’s second album, Melodrama, led the Billboard 200 in June 2017 and earned a Grammy of the Year nomination, while Alison Wonderland stepped forward as the world’s leading female DJ in 2018 with an unprecedented headline spot at Coachella.

South Africa-born, Perth-raised, L.A.-based pop singer Troye Sivan nudged the top ten in the U.K. last month with “I’m So Tired,” his collab with Lauv, and his most recent album Bloom cracked the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic.