Wyles Daniel
Brandon Silverstein has unveiled a comprehensive leadership restructuring at Avex Music Group and S10 Entertainment, installing senior executives across East and West Coast operations while preparing both companies for accelerated international growth. The appointments follow a period of sustained chart performance since Silverstein became CEO of Avex Music Group in March, when Japanese parent company Avex Inc. acquired full ownership of the S10 Music Publishing catalog.
The organizational overhaul creates dedicated regional leadership with Zeke Silvera assuming the role of SVP and head of East Coast operations, managing artist development and A&R initiatives from New York. Spencer Leboff takes charge of West Coast operations and publishing acquisitions from the company’s expanded West Hollywood facilities, which now include two recording studios and comprehensive creative offices.
“We’re building a world-class roster, expanding into key markets around the world and pursuing partnerships and acquisitions that will further strengthen our creative ecosystem,” Silverstein explained while announcing the executive appointments.
Industry Veterans Join Brandon Silverstein’s New Leadership Structure
The team expansion brings established music industry professionals into critical positions. Tay James, who has served as Justin Bieber’s A&R executive and DJ since 2009, joins as senior A&R consultant for Avex Music Group’s publishing division. Miles Beard, previously head of A&R at Republic Records, takes a parallel advisory role focused on creative strategy and talent acquisition.
Operational leadership includes Megan Timko as head of operations for both companies, responsible for infrastructure management during international scaling. Marketing coordination falls to Jessica Roxana and Claudia Schumann, who will oversee brand strategy and campaign execution across global markets. Rory Sever has earned promotion to chief of staff within the expanded structure.
The new appointments work alongside existing leadership including Justin Hunter (vice president, corporate), Nevin Sanitsky (director, A&R, publishing), Ryan Kamada (chief financial officer), Brennen Bryant (senior director, A&R, publishing), and Hajime Hirada (senior manager, A&R international, publishing).
Physical expansion supports the organizational growth with new recording facilities in West Hollywood and Los Angeles, complemented by Manhattan offices that provide dedicated spaces for creative teams and management operations.
Chart Performance Drives Continued Investment
Results have validated Avex Inc.’s increased American investment since the March acquisition. Songwriter-producer Grant Boutin delivered multiple hits with Tate McRae, including Mediabase Top 40 No. 1 “Sports Car” and Billboard Dance/Pop chart-topper “Revolving Door.” His recent work “TIT FOR TAT” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, while he also contributed to the F1 soundtrack through Don Toliver and Doja Cat’s “Lose My Mind.”
Recent producer acquisitions have generated immediate impact. Elkan, signed earlier this year, created Drake’s “Nokia” and contributed to Travis Scott’s JACKBOYS 2 album, which topped the Billboard 200, plus Rihanna’s “Friend of Mine” for the Smurfs soundtrack. Producer Elyas crafted Drake’s “What Did I Miss?,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The October signing of Kamal Wilson added the co-writer of Kehlani’s No. 1 rhythmic radio hit “Folded” to the roster. The track achieved No. 3 status at Apple Music while inspiring viral social media challenges and cover versions from Grammy winners including Brandy and Eric Bellinger.
Management roster growth included We The Band, Justin Bieber’s backing group, whose member Harv co-produced Bieber’s “Swag” after signing with S10 Publishing in 2021. The track debuted at No. 2 this summer. Urban radio success came through Shenseea’s “Shake It To The Max,” which hit No. 1 while accumulating over 200 million Spotify streams.
Japanese acts have made Western market inroads under the expanded operations. J-pop boy band ONE OR EIGHT became the first Japanese boy group to reach the U.S. Mediabase Top 40 with “DSTM,” supported by their Atlantic Records deal. Girl group XG performed at Coachella and completed a world tour drawing 400,000 attendees across 18 countries.
The momentum continues success from 2024, when S10 and Avex claimed three spots in Mediabase’s year-end Top 40 radio chart top 20. Production credits included Jasper Harris on Tate McRae’s No. 1 “Greedy,” Gent! on Doja Cat’s No. 5 “Agora Hills,” and Kavi on Tommy Richman’s No. 16 “Million Dollar Baby.” Each track also reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Global Chart.
Silverstein established S10 Entertainment in 2017 as an artist management firm before launching S10 Publishing through an Avex partnership in 2020. His relationship with Avex developed through introductions to then-Avex USA head Naoki Osada in 2019, followed by meetings with company founder Max Matsuura and Group CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa in Tokyo.
Founded in 1988, Avex Inc. operates internationally across music, animation, live entertainment, and merchandise with over 1,500 employees and approximately $1 billion in 2024 revenue. The company manages more than 500 artists while operating training academies and studios that audition over 10,000 aspiring performers annually.