Luke Smith
West Norwood,London
Summary
A seasoned professional with extensive experience in music royalty processes across both recording and publishing. Demonstrates a strong ability to understand and manipulate large data sets in various formats, ensuring clear and effective communication of complex information to colleagues and clients. Proven track record of leading audit requests and understanding audit processes, as well as successfully implementing new royalty payment systems. Adept at leading teams to achieve project goals, with a focus on efficiency and accuracy.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
10
10
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Royalties Manager
BBC Studios/Demon Music Group
London
07.2021 - 10.2024
- Manage the payment of music royalties to several hundred clients.
- Responsible for paying out several million pounds per quarter.
- Liaise directly with artists and artist managers to ensure that royalties are paid correctly and on time.
- Work with different types of contracts to ensure releases are correctly set up on the accounting systems.
- Able to manipulate and understand large data sets using a variety of different tools.
- Analyse and communicate results to stakeholders and senior directors after each distribution.
- Focal point of external audit requests. Experience of working on audits for artists, and collection societies.
- Led the move to a new royalty payment system. Communicating clearly and effectively to stakeholders and external clients during the process.
Business Analyst
Sony Music Publishing
London
03.2018 - 08.2021
- Tracked income received from various collection societies, including PRS/MCPS, SACEM, and STIM.
- Analysed various revenue streams, such as Digital, Radio, AV, and Live, as well as Physical income, and presented this analysis to senior management.
- Worked with large data sets in tandem with systems such as Excel, SQL, Monarch, and Tableau to manipulate data and highlight trends and changes across performance types.
- Worked with multiple file types at any one time, including Text, CSV, PP, and CRD.
- Communicated with collection societies to improve processes, further understand distribution policy, and prepare for challenges that might arise.
- Liaised with different departments and utilising data sets in order to help with queries across the company.
Finance Operations Officer
PRS for Music
London
10.2016 - 03.2018
- Completed pre and post-distribution tasks within strictly defined timescales.
- Tasks included: preparing and confirming the amount of revenue available to pay out to PRS members, cashing out large amounts of money to members in each distribution, and ensuring that accounts reconciled once payments had been made.
- Worked closely with both the policy and membership departments, and ensured that each distribution was as accurate and up to date as possible.
- Worked hard to improve processes and procedures in an effort to maximise potential revenue for PRS members.
- Used various financial systems, as well as Excel, on a daily basis.
Research Officer
PRS for Music
London
02.2015 - 10.2016
- Undertook extensive research to enable the matching, creating, and updating of songs in the PRS for Music systems, which in turn ensured PRS members were paid correctly for the public airing of their music.
- The quality of my work was audited on a daily basis, and I worked to departmental and distribution deadlines.
- Worked with a wide range of data and used logical and methodical work methods to ensure that I was confident when matching or creating works.
- Worked on international YouTube dispute claims. This involved assessing whether PRS were claiming the correct percentage of YouTube shares for their members.
Education
BA (Hons.) Popular Music Studies (2:1) -
Leeds College of Music
01.2008 - 01.2011
A Levels: Music [B], Music Technology [C], Sociology [B] AS Level: English Language [C] -
Lytham St. Anne’s Sixth Form College
01.2005 - 01.2007
GCSE: 10 passes at A to C including Mathematics, English and Science. -
Lytham St. Anne’s Technology College
Lytham St. Annes 01.2000 - 01.2005
Skills
- Strong understanding of music royalty processes across music recording and publishing
- Ability to understand and manipulate large data sets in multiple types of formats
- Able to communicate complex information clearly and effectively to colleagues and clients
- Experience of leading audit requests, and understanding audit processes
- Experience of leading a team through the successful implementation of a new royalty payment system
Timeline
Royalties Manager
BBC Studios/Demon Music Group
07.2021 - 10.2024
Business Analyst
Sony Music Publishing
03.2018 - 08.2021
Finance Operations Officer
PRS for Music
10.2016 - 03.2018
Research Officer
PRS for Music
02.2015 - 10.2016
BA (Hons.) Popular Music Studies (2:1) -
Leeds College of Music
01.2008 - 01.2011
A Levels: Music [B], Music Technology [C], Sociology [B] AS Level: English Language [C] -
Lytham St. Anne’s Sixth Form College
01.2005 - 01.2007
GCSE: 10 passes at A to C including Mathematics, English and Science. -
Lytham St. Anne’s Technology College
01.2000 - 01.2005
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