MOI! Stockholm & You Say Hej We Say Moi

Paulina Ahokas is a firm influencer and a pioneer of Finnish cultural exports, in particular music exports. With her noticeable work, Ahokas has been a forerunner of bringing the concept of cultural exports also to the consciousness of the wider public. During her varied career, Ahokas has focused on international marketing and production of culture and entertainment. As the Director of Music Export Finland, Ahokas has promoted export efforts of Finnish music professionals since 2002.

Juho Alajuuma is an artist, representing the band Kap Kap.

Cecilia has been based in New York working for Aerosmith Management and then London 7 years, where she held the post Director Talent & Music MTV Networks Europe. Since then had her own agent & PR business (www.ceciliaancker.com) and now working for Universal Music Publishing Scandinvavia as Senior Creative & International Exploitation. Cecilia's job includes to find record deals, new platforms etc for their Scandinavian signed bands/artist in Sweden and on the international market.

Soliti is a Helsinki based record label. Soliti works with the following artists : Big Wave Riders, Black Twig, Cats on fire, Astrid Swan, The New Tigers. The label was launched in Summer 2011 and has very quickly established itself as one of the quality Finnish indie labels. Soliti has released albums by Astrid Swan & The New Tigers and a 7 track EP by Big wave Riders in 2011. Early 2012 will see releases by Black Twig and Cats on fire.

An American in exile from the California desert, Cloud moved to Sweden over 28 years ago and has been working in the Music industry for just as long and in this day and age that is an achievement. John Cloud is Head of International at Playground Music Scandinavia and is working with licensing of our music all over the world. He is also Creative Director for Playground Music Publishing signing acts like I’m Kingfisher, Mirel Wagner, Simian Ghost, Sofie Livebrant and others. He also is Label manager for Nettwerk Records, Pias Comedy, World Circuit, V2 Benelux, Proper Distributed labels and Naïve Records from France. Outside of the daily work, helps with his son’s soccer team, manages a hectic schedule with his Politician wife and 4 kids. Sleep is not an option but he loves music and the music business. He enjoys a power naps every once an a while when he can squeeze it in, gardening, songwriting and shooting his bow and arrows.

Head of market and communication at IFPI Swedish Group. Have worked at IFPI since 2007. Lisa Cronstedt has earlier been working as a consultant at JKL Group (2000-2006), with communication for Svensk Försäking/Försäkringsförbundet and with investor relations at n3prenör AB.

Chairman, SOM (Svenska Oberoende Musikproducenter - Swedish Independent Labels) Anders Engström is a music industry entrepreneur with a background at both major and independent music companies. Anders started his career in the music industry by joining the independent Swedish music publisher Sonet Music back in 1989. Prior to this he was working as a bass-player with various Swedish artists and bands. During the nineties he worked for EMI Music Publishing Scandinavia. He was co-founder and managing director of New Media Distribution, a Stockholm based company with an early ambition to sell music on the Internet. He has acted as Music supervisor for many Swedish movie productions and is also the co-founder of Picnic Music Publishing and co-owner of the record label NONS (North of No South) records and most recently CDOD, a CD on demand service.

Lawyer specialized in music law with LLM (Master of Laws), from King's College London and Lund University, started working for American law firm White & Case Advokat AB in 2000 and went on to work for various music publishers; Tom Bone Music , Reactive Songs and Air chrysalis Scandinavia AB in Stockholm. Now General Manager of Air Chrysalis Scandinavia AB and BMG Rights Management (Scandinavia) AB, soon to be merged into BMG Chrysalis.

Carolina Eriksson is the founder of Saturday Enterprise, an artist management based in Stockholm Sweden, representing acts from all over Scandinavia. The main focus is to help each artist fulfill their individual needs and create new opportunities for their careers with an international focus. Clients include Simon Says No!, Katie Goes To Tokyo, Adam Heldring, Maja Alderin, Jon&The Spectacle and Stiko Per Larsson. Carolina is also part of the international creative team at publishing company Kobalt Music where she works part time as Creative Consultant Scandinavia. She is also the project manager for monthly showcase club Almost Famous, hosted by SMFF, the music publisher’s organization in Sweden. Carolina has more than 10 years experience from the music industry. The music genres that she loves and knows the most are pop, alternative rock and indie. During her earlier years in the music industry she worked as A&R for publishing company Jimmy Fun/Tom Bone Music, as an tour agent for United Stage Artist, and as an artist manager for Hagenburg Law, Media&Management.

FF Music & Entertainment is a Vaasa-based company that mainly focuses on promotion & management for recording artist & songwriter Fredrik Furu. FF Music released Fredrik Furus debutalbum "Hollywoodhjärtan" in 2009, cooperating with Playground Music Finland regarding distribution.
At the moment FF Music also functions as Fredrik Furus booking angency with about 50-80 bookings a year.

In addition to that FF Music has been providing consultant-services for finnish companys who are in need of entertainment & shows. FF Music & Entertainment has produced two successful (sold out) Dinnershows in Vaasa in the fall of 2008 and 2009.
In 2011 FF Music & Entertainment promotes Fredrik Furus second album "Mittemellanland" in Finland & Sweden.

Carl-Marcus is one of the co-founders and active partners behind the Swedish indie label Despotz Records and publishing company Despotz Music, with special interest in online promotion, social media, and synchronization. Another interest of his is special packeting and print matters and he is the Scandinavian sales rep. for the German company optimal media production GmbH working with CD-, DVD-, Blu-Ray and vinyl manufacturing for over five years. Once a Month he's part of the team behind the showcase and music business event Almost Famous, working as their band coordinator. Fun fact: outside of work Carl-Marcus is also an enthusiastic beer nerd, home brewer and collect rare vintage beer (want to find the best beer bars in Stockholm, ask C-M).

Anders Hjelmtorp is a 33 year music business veteran who started as a DJ in Ibiza in 1976. After that came - 6 years as product manager with CBS Records Sweden working with artists like The Clash, Boney M and Cornelius Vreeswijk to namedrop a few... - 9 years as CEO and founder of Virgin Scandinavia on a direct non-negotiable order from Sir Richard Branson and Ken Berry. - 7 years as CEO of Virgin Records Sweden under the oak of Thorn EMI Group - 5 years as co-founder and CEO of Musicbrigade, the company that did Spotify 10 years too early... - 11 years and still alive as CEO of Export Music Sweden Positive signs: - Can always predict if a recorded track is a big hit - small hit or a flopp - Also has the music business as main private interest Negative signs: - ? Fond memories: Was ordered by Lenny Kravitz to take care of his girlfriend (Vanessa Paradis) @ Bahamas cause he had to get some stuff....

The mission of Aito Records is to release and promote new innovative acoustic music that is diverse in its values, rich in character and high in quality, music in which the Nordic tradition can be heard in new combinations with influences from around the world. Aito Records roster includes the acts: Sväng and Lepistö & Lehti. Aito Records also manage concert bookings and licensee and publisher liaison for most of our artists.

Sami Häikiö works as project manager at Music Export Finland. He's responsible for activities in Japan and Germany and takes care of Finland's presence in Midem, France. Sami has been working closely with publishers and songwriters since 2007 with the project Song Castle, which is one of the most famous songwriting camps in Europe. It brings together 50 writers, publishers, label A&R's and managers from all over the world and creates lot of new business.

Before joining Music Export Finland, Sami has worked as a dj at Radio Helsinki, as an A&R Manager at EMI Finland and ran his own indie label/agency Hawaii Sounds.

Virpi Immonen is the President and one of the founders of Finnish Backstage Alliance music company. She has also been the manager of Hanoi Rocks for their past five years and since continued the work with Michael Monroe and Von Hertzen Brothers. Virpi Immonen is also a board member of Music Export Finland, Finnish Indielabels association, Music Managers forum Finland and Finnish Music Express.

Antti Isokangas is a consultant and journalist who has written for a number of publications including Helsingin Sanomat, Musikindustrin, Music Week, and Billboard. He now consults companies about social media and hosts Verkossa, a weekly tv show about digital technology and media.

Promoter, agent, festival management at Luger. 34 years old. From Umeå. Been working with music since the late 90s mostly with festivals such as Umeå Open, Popaganda, Hultsfred, Accelerator, Way Out West, Where The Action Is, Sonisphere in that time line. Luger is doing about 2000 shows each year across Europe.

Hampus Kivimäe is the founder of the management/music branding company, WIFE (www.wifesthlm.com). Hampus is a member of the board of directors at Nordic showcase festival by:larm (www.bylarm.no) and has a major in marketing from Stockholm University. His previous jobs include setting up and running the label structure Cooperative Music for the Nordic countries, head of marketing at Sweden’s largest independent promoter Blixten & Co and head of marketing/music supervisor in the Nordics at major publisher Sony/ATV. www.wifesthlm.com

Pia Kuisma has been working as a booking agent and manager for nearly ten years. Today, she is an Artist Manager in one of the most successful music agencies in Finland, Sublime Music Agency Ltd. The top-notch artists ranging from urban hip hop to classical music include accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen, vocal ensemble Rajaton, singers Emma Salokoski and Anna-Mari Kähärä, saxophonist Jukka Perko, violinist Elina Vähälä, Meta4 string quartet, beatboxer Felix Zenger, guitarists Petteri Sariola and Jarmo Saari, and Ricky-Tick Big Band, an all-star cast of young Finnish jazzmen. Sublime produces and manages more than 500 concerts and gigs yearly both nationally and internationally.

Emil Larsson works as an Agent/A&R for Live Nation Sweden. He has been involved with the music business for 15 years and worked as an agent since 2001. Emil arranges tours mostly around Scandinavia and his artist roster includes acts such as Daniel Adams Ray, Me and My Army, Rebecca Fiona, Jonathan Johansson, Moto Boy, Erik Hassle, Kleerup, Titiyo, Cult of Luna to mention few. You can find his complete roster here http://bokaartist.livenation.se

Patrik Larsson has been active professionally in the Swedish music industry for almost 20 years as both an artist, producer, song writer, promoter, label manager and A&R. He worked at MNW during the mid/late 90s and was one of the original founders of Playground Music. Patrik started his own independent consulting company Lights Out in 2004 and is one of the 3 partners at Stockholm based Headlock Management. He is a board member of both SOM (the Swedish Organization for Independent Record Labels) and Export Music Sweden. He frequently attends music conferences worldwide and is a prominent lecturer at music schools across Sweden. He is experienced in artist and label management, licensing, music supervision, publishing, events and distribution primarily. Throughout the years he´s worked across musical genres such as electronica, dance, pop, urban, rock, jazz and world music.

In the early 80’s Pelle Lidell made a name of himself as a young session drummer and club promoter on the Stockholm music scene. In the mid-80’s he moved to London with his Virgin-signed band 123 International which eventually led him to Los Angeles. In 1993 he moved back to his native Sweden and took up the role as Head of A&R and Deputy Managing Director at Air Chrysalis Music. Signings included multi-million selling skate punk act Millencolin, Burning Heart publishing catalogue (which included The Hives, Refused among others), local chart topping rock heroes Weeping Willows (Virgin/EMI), Norwegian Grammy winner Bertine Zetlitz (EMI), international top producer/writer Anders Bagge (JLo, Kylie Minogue, Celine Dion, Janet Jackson) and top writer Paul Rein (Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson), Scandinavian sub-pub deals with Ministry of Sound and Rive Droite (Cher) to name a few. In 1999 he left Air Chrysalis to become CEO / co-owner of internationally renowned publishing / production house Murlyn Songs. In 2005 Pelle left Murlyn Songs and sold his shares to pursue other business opportunities. “I just felt I had given everything I had at Murlyn and it was time to turn the page and move on ”. In April 2005 he started his new challenge at UMPG as European A&R Executive. He’s now commuting between Stockholm and London. At UMPG he’s scored an array of No 1 hits in UK, US, Germany, Japan, Australia and rest of the world. In 2011 Pelle Lidell was appointed Chairman of the Jury of Sweden’s biggest TV-show: Idol.

Hype Productions is a music company that works on various sectors of the music industry. We offer record label, booking, publishing, merchandising and management services - depending on the artists and their needs.

Pitch & Smith agency is a young budding international booking agency born in January 2008 and based in Stockholm, Sweden. The company is totally independent and operated by Kalle Lundgren Smith and Stefan Juhlin with staff. All of our bands are booked internationally with main targets being the UK,Eastern and Western Europe and Asia. Within the agency's first year over 500 shows were booked internationally, ranging from small and intimate club shows with capacities of 300 people, to bigger venues of 3000+, to bigger festivals like Latitude, Benicasassim, Reading/Leeds, Rock Werchter and Vielles Charrues to name but a few. We are now over 1200 booked gigs over the year of 2012. The agency's client roster consists of a wide range of artists from Scandinavian exports like José Gonzalez, FM Belfast, LCDMF, Peter Bjorn and John and Shout Out Louds, to American bands like Toro Y Moi, Au Revoir Simone and John Vanderslice. As well as currently represent the following Canadian bands: Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Caribou,Junior Boys and Young Galaxy.

Ben Malén´s career in the music business begun at the end of the 1970. He played in various bands having most notable success with Trance Dance, one of the biggest pop bands in Sweden between years 1985-1990. During his artistic era Ben worked as a songwriter as well. From the beginning of 1990 Ben´s focus has been in industry´s production side. He has worked as a Creative Manager for music publishing and production companies such as Jimmy Fun Music and Tom Bone Music. Between years 2003-2011 he´s been titled as Air Chrysalis´ Managing Director in Scandinavia and 2008-2011 MD for Chrysalis Germany. Ben is established publisher and experienced actor in Scandinavia being original signer for such names as Broder Daniel, Brainpool and The Sounds to mention few. He´s collaboration with Finnish music industry players started at the late 1990´s when he found and signed songwriters Patric Sarin, Jukka Immonen, Disco Ensemble and Jaakko Salovaara among others. Ben is also one of the founders for Music Export Finland´s Song Castle. Currently Ben is starting up new ventures in Sweden and in Finland both launches will happen during the autumn.

Matti Nives works as a freelance music publicist, writer and DJ for his company We Jazz Ltd. He’s also part of the organising team at Helsinki’s Flow Festival, and editor for the bi-annual magazine first published by the festival in 2011. Nives hosts the weekly jazz radio show ”Lauantaijatsit” (”Saturday Jazz”) on Bassoradio FM.

Books and promotes live shows and club nights in Stockholm, and have recently booked acts like Beach House, Zola Jesus, Black Mountain, Holy Fuck, Moon Duo, Beach Fossils, Kurt Vile, Woods and Brian Jonestown Massacre at different venues like Debaser, Lilla Hotellbaren and Strand.

Saara Närhi is a music publisher at HMC Publishing – a publishing company owned by Warner Music Finland, Finland’s leading 360 music company. HMC’s writer roster includes artists signed to Warner Music as well as individual housewriters (such as Henri “MGI” Lanz, Tomi “Mr Lordi” Putaansuu, Matti Mikkola, Maki Kolehmainen etc.). Saara has a dual role working both in the publishing and record company side’s business affairs. Saara has worked in the music business for over 10 years, starting from BMG Finland in 2000, then moving on to HMC – Helsinki Music Company from 2005, which was bought by Warner Music Finland in 2007.

Claes Olson has been active on the Swedish music scene since he started his first band and record company in 1979. He is currently editor of Musikindustrin / MI (the Swedish music trade magazine) and a freelance journalist working for many different magazines, newspapers, tv radio and radio shows, as well as a writer and editor of books. Claes Olson is also a Swedish grammy-nominated producer, a music business consultant (to both the Swedish goverment, music companies, artists and festivals), teacher in music and music business at Campus Nyköping, and manager of Swedish singer Ida Long, Vox Archangeli, Boarding Surface and Views a.o.

CEO of King Foo Entertainment Ltd

Hype Productions is a music company that works on various sectors of the music industry. We offer record label, booking, publishing, merchandising and management services - depending on the artists and their needs.

Tom Riski works mainly at University of Turku as a HR Director. He also runs a record label Solina Records and its CEO and founder (co-founder Jori Sjöroos) is in charge of the company's practice of current affairs, strategic planning and finance, promotion and marketing issues, artists, and contractual matters, and the licensing agreement and other copyright issues. In addition, Tom has contributed to numerous Finnish bands, artists and content companies in various business sectors in contractual matters. Tom had earlier own studio, collected vintage analog synths, produced his own music and played in bands and has been a life-long music lover.

When I started as a Head Of Music in YleX I was 28 years old. It's been four years and during that time lots of things have changed. Like my hairstyle. And the fact that rock, very dominant genre in Finnish music scene is not dead, but it's fighting a tough battle against David Guetta and his allies. We observe this fight, but also take part in action. Fresh new music. That is what we belive in!

Sanken Sandqvist has been a Record Producer,Engineer,and Songwriter for more than 20 years ,working with artists such as EMF,Killing Joke,Paradise Lost.Max Martin and Joakim Thåström among many others. Before joining Warner/Chappell Scandinavia as A&R- International Exploitation Sanken held a SVP, Head of A&R at MVG Records ( Teddybears,Drain Sth,Clawfinger,etc) Still running ToyTown Studios/Management representing Mix Engineer Stefan Glaumann ( Rammstein, Sarah Brightman, Apocalyptica. Def Leppard etc )

Sankens roster at Warner/Chappell includes: Meshuggah,First Aid Kit,Royal Republic,Pain Of Salvation,Sabaton,Killabite,Alexander Kronlund,Lasse Mårten,Melody Club,Nicke Borg(Backyard Babies etc.

Jaakko Eino Kalevi aka Jaakko Savolainen is a musical artist coming from Helsinki. Till today, Jaakko has published two LPs under Helmi Levyt label: "Dragon Quest" (2007) and "Modern Life" (2010). If you got confused by the debut albums variety of styles from electro and dub to bossanova and jazz, the new disc is more uniform in style - good poppish semi-minimalist electro-disco. The album contains several hits what have already received plenty of praise like "I Wanna Win", "Flexible Heart" and "Macho". JEK has been playing all over the world: from Finland clubs to Japan, Russia, Germany, Sweden and America. Besides his own music JEK is also playing important role in these well-known and some lesser-known bands like Muuan Mies, and Profeetta & Uusi Maailmanuskonto, Kuolleiden Turkiseläinten Muistolle, Time Garden, and Yön Syke. On weekdays Jaakko likes to practice his dear hobby: driving tram.

Tytti Siukonen is a Helsinki based cultural producer. She's the booking agent and the promoter of Tsuumi Sound System, and does also other folk and world music related cultural productions as a freelancer. Siukonen has her education in Cultural Management (BA) and currently she's studying Arts Management in the Sibelius Academy's Master's Degree Programme.

Jonas Sjöström is Swedish and is the owner and CEO of Playground Music Scandinavia AB, the largest independent music group in Scandinavia and Finland. Previously he was Managing Director of MNW Records Group 1978-1999, CEO HNH (Naxos International) Hong Kong 1999-2001 and International Director, Edel, Hamburg 2002-2009. Jonas was one of the founders of the European independents association Impala and has served on the board since 2000 and is Chairman as of september 2011. He has been Chairman of SOM (Swedish Independent Record Producers Association) for 25 years and resigned 2011. Presently also Chairman of SLR (Swedish Label Rights Association) and a Board Member of IFPI Sweden.

Managing Director for the festival Peace&Love. Peace&Love is Sweden's largest festival, and located in the city of Borlänge. I have been active in this festival since 2005, and Managing Director since September 1 2011. Previous to that I worked as an independent consultant for the live music industry.

Sami Suova is the other half of Shine 2009 and the label manager the band's imprint, Expo.

Started at MNW Records in 1987, with Playground Music since 1999. Currently working with Lisa Nilsson, Jeanette Lindström, Koop, Kajsa Grytt, Ljusår, Parker Lewis, Vit Päls, Non Tiq and many others. Has worked with The Rasmus, Peter LeMarc, Stefan Sundström, This Perfect Day, Eggstone, The Wannadies and many more. "Music is my master".

Martin Thörnkvist runs a music company called Songs I Wish I Had Written (Moto Boy) and works as a Media Market Analysist for Media Evolution.

Music Export Finland’s task is to help the Finnish music industry to increase its export revenue income. The approach to achieving this is three-pronged and involves international marketing directed at music business professionals abroad, domestic marketing that helps Finnish music business professionals develop their expertise as well as stay abreast of events and developments in their target markets and coordinating export investments and influencing the development of investment structures available for the creative sector, as well as providing members with access to various networks that facilitate the export of music and related services.

Music Export Finland works annually with about 300 Finnish music companies in appr. 50 different export projects in 14 different territories.

Managing Director, Sony Music Entertainment Finland

Ludvig Werner was appointed MD for Ifpi Sweden in July 2010. He joined the Board of IFPI Sweden in 2002 and was elected Chairman of the Board in 2005. Mr Werner has been working for Air Chrysalis Scandinavia (Finance), MCA (Sales Director), Universal Music (Commercial Director), Bonnier Amigo Music Group (CEO) and online music company Snowfish (CEO).

Jonas works at Kaiku Studios Berlin and Kielu Music Management. Jonas Produces bands (music) and manages Siinai.

Elisabet Wildund is CEO of Musiksverige, an association tasked with communication and highlighting the industry’s key topics for discussion. We represent artists, composers, songwriters, musicians, records labels and music publishers in Sweden. Our primary aim is to provide commercial Swedish music with the best possible foundation and environment needed to create, develop and thrive internationally.

I started my first festival in 1994, started a small record label in 1996 and started an agency 1997. In 1999 I started to work for EMA Telstar (Changed name into Live Nation 2007), the biggest agency and promotor in the nordics, as a booking agent. Since then I have had some different position as: Agent, A&R-mananger, Sales Director and since 2008 as COO Local Artist. Im 33 years old, based in Stockholm. Some of the artist I represent: Sahara Hotnights, Mustasch, Magnus Uggla, Tove Styrke, Amanda Jenssen, Peter Jöback, The Ark and Backyard Babies.