New boss of Sony Music Australia and New Zealand announced

A year after Denis Handlin was ousted from Sony Music Australia, a surprise new appointment has been made at the label.

A Los Angeles-based Australian will take the helm at Sony Music Australia and New Zealand a year after Denis Handlin’s shock departure from the business.

Long-time music executive Vanessa Picken has been named the new chair and chief executive officer of the operation that oversees the careers of some of our top music acts including Amy Shark, Delta Goodrem and Guy Sebastian.

Picken will start the high profile Australian music industry position from September, reporting to New York-based Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer.

“I’m delighted to be coming home to join Sony Music Australia and New Zealand to take the company into a transformative next chapter,” Picken said.

“Our strategies will focus on music, allyship, and innovation, with a global mindset. Sony Music has a renowned reputation for empowering its artists and creators, breaking down traditional barriers to put them at the centre of everything it does. We will reaffirm our commitment to the discovery and development of new and emerging talent across both countries, as well as expanding the commercial and creative opportunities for our roster of artists locally and internationally.”

Handlin, who is in his 70s, departed Sony in June last year after more than five decades with the business.

He subsequently lost his position as Chairman of the Australian Recording Industry Association amid allegations of a “toxic’’ culture under his leadership. Handlin has denied any wrongdoing.

New Sony Music Australia and New Zealand boss Vanessa Picken. Picture: Supplied

Glenn Dickie and Vanessa Picken.

Handlin was a polarising figure in the industry but was regarded an incredible driver and champion of acts on the label.

It has taken a year for the label to find a replacement and comes at a time of great change in the industry that is under pressure to evolve and tackle issues around diversity, gender and workplace bullying.

Denis Handlin at Sony Music in the 1970's.

Denis Handlin with Samantha Armytage. Picture: Mitch Cameron

“After a careful and thorough recruitment process, we are delighted to have Vanessa join our company in such a key role,” Stringer said. “Her impressive background covers so many areas of the modern music business in Australia and New Zealand and her recent leadership experience in the United States adds a global understanding to those existing skills. We believe Vanessa will be a trailblazing executive leading Sony Music Australia to an exciting future.”

Picken graduated from the University of Technology Sydney with a Bachelor of Business, International Studies and Marketing in 2001.

She worked in various positions at EMI Music Australia and comes to Sony Music Australia from her managing director position of independent global music label, PIAS, and as founding director of digital, strategy and marketing company, Comes With Fries.