Pennie Black

Pennie Black is the Director of Concord Music Publishing in Aotearoa and works with a diverse roster of local songwriters, including Sir Dave Dobbyn, Don McGlashan, Marlon Williams, Gin Wigmore, Tom Scott, Haz Beats, Liz Stokes (The Beths), Reb Fountain, Vera Ellen, Jess B, and many more. Her role primarily encompasses A&R, Writer Relations and Sync Licensing.

Concord is the world’s leading independent music company. The Company supports more than 125,000 artists and songwriters whose works are licensed, marketed, and performed globally. Concord's growing catalogue of over 1.5 million songs, compositions, sound recordings, films, plays, and musicals is one of the most impactful and culturally relevant collections of creative rights in history.

Concord is headquartered in Nashville with additional offices in Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, Melbourne, and Miami.

Before joining Concord ANZ, Pennie was Operations and Programme Director at 95bFM, New Zealand’s largest independent student radio station, where she remains a weekly show host. Her career spans radio programming, management, publicity, and event coordination. She is also the Secretary for Independent Music New Zealand (INMZ) and a board advisor for 95bFM.

Pennie can offer mentoring in Music Publishing, A&R, Sync Licensing, Student Radio and general music industry advice.

Mikee Carpinter

Mikee Carpinter is a musician, director and producer who has played an instrumental role in bringing some of New Zealand’s finest music-based visual content to life.

Mikee brings a passion for the New Zealand music industry with his 20+ years of experience. Much of that time has spent working on his own musical projects, while also managing acts including Alae, Georgia Lines, Hooks and Alex James.

Mikee specialises in guiding new acts into the industry and helping them lay out releases plans and goal setting.

This includes applying for funding, pitching to radio, building a local/international team, content creation and release strategies.

Mikee’s specialties are: MANAGEMENT, RADIO, RELEASE STRATEGIES, CONTENT CREATION, FUNDING

Manu Taylor

Manu has worked in the New Zealand music and media industries for well over 30 years.

After starting out in music retail, merchandising and indie record label ownership, in the 80s/early 90s he progressed into retail and promotions management with major labels WEA and Polygram Records.

After finishing up at Polygram in 1997, he was invited to join hip-hop/RnB radio station Mai FM as their Programme Director; at Mai FM between 1997 and 2008. Manu shifted roles to become Station Manager of Auckland’s 95bFM, finishing up at 95bFM early 2015.

He then moved into artist management, music production and music distribution. Currently managing Lontalius, Race Banyon, Dera Meelan, Church & AP, deadforest, Kedu Carlo, Maxwell Young, Kamahumble, Stupid Rich Kid, Tom Verberne, Disciple Pati and PollyHill.

Manu can mentor on Radio, Music Programming, Digital Media, Strategy and Getting your music out

Riccardo Ball

Riccardo has worked in the radio industry as a host, producer and Music Director for 30 years, including time at Radio Hauraki, The Rock and Crescendo Trust. He's across the commercial radio realities of what it takes to get airplay and is also a working musician in his own right.

As the Director of Wrecking Ball Media Riccardo specialises as a consultant on music, radio plugging, producing, arrangement and PR.