With Marchand’s appointment, nine of the academy’s top 19 executives are women.
The Recording Academy is enacting a major restructuring in which most of the staff will be reorganized into three divisions: entertainment/consumer, trade/industry and organization/cross verticals.
The entertainment/consumer division will be led by Branden Chapman, the academy’s new COO. Trade/industry will be led by Ruby Marchand, who joins the academy as its new chief industry officer. And organization/cross verticals will led by three executives: CFO Wayne Zahner, chief diversity and inclusion officer Valeisha Butterfield Jones, and chief people & culture officer Shonda Grant. The changes take effect Aug. 1.
All five of the above-named executives report directly to Harvey Mason Jr., the academy’s chair and interim president/CEO. No staff was let go as part of the restructuring, according to an academy spokesperson.
Chapman, a 19-year academy veteran, was previously executive in charge of production and chief business development officer.
Marchand, a past academy vice chair and national trustee, is joining the academy following a long career at Warner Music Group. With Marchand’s appointment, nine of the academy’s top 19 executives are now women.
The entertainment/consumer division will include partnerships and business development, communications, digital media, marketing and branding, production and talent relations.
“I am honored to be entrusted with this new role as COO and excited to be leading a new division that will enable us to combine the efforts of so many of my talented colleagues,” Chapman said in a statement.
The trade/industry division will encompass membership & industry relations and awards.
“After many of years of service to the academy, I am excited to assume this new role,” Marchand said in a statement. “I believe this new structure offers tremendous benefits for the music world.”
Chapman previously served as executive in charge of production, where he oversaw telecast logistics for the Grammy Awards, the Latin Grammy Awards and other annual Grammy-branded specials. His responsibilities included revenue and cost management, timeline scheduling, creative development, ticketing, credentialing, venue relations, security and municipal relations.
Chapman also served as chief business development officer, where he was responsible for many of the academy’s business development initiatives, including the international sales of the telecast properties and brand expansion efforts. He was the academy’s point-person in managing the early development of the Grammy Museum, which opened in 2008. Chapman joined the academy in July 2001. He serves on the boards of the Grammy Museum and the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission.
At Warner Music Group, Marchand served as vp international A&R, oversaw the Rykodisc label, launched a streaming portal in the U.S. for hundreds of international artists signed to Warner’s global affiliates and served as senior vp revenue and repertoire assurance.
A flute player, Marchand is an adjunct professor at the NYU Steinhardt music business program, a national trustee of the T.J. Martell Foundation and a member of the Grammy Music Education Coalition executive advisory council.
Other executives who report directly to Mason, besides the five named above, are chief advocacy officer Daryl Friedman and Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares.
Additionally, Rex Supa has been promoted to vp production & business development. He previously served as senior managing director, production & business development. In his new post, he will take over many of Chapman’s previous responsibilities, including oversight of telecast logistics, events, financial management, creative development, ticketing, credentialing, venue relations and municipal relations. He will report to Chapman. Supa began at the academy as an intern in 2000.
