Harrison

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) has announced that Ian Harrison, executive vp at Hopeless Records, will become the organization’s next CEO as of Oct. 1. Harrison — who has spent more than 20 years at Hopeless — takes over for Richard James Burgess, who is stepping down at the end of this year after a 10-year period as A2IM CEO.

Harrison has been a key figure in the development of Hopeless, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year with a retrospective exhibit at Indie Week highlighting its work with All Time Low, Avenged Sevenfold, Yellowcard, Taking Back Sunday and many more. He’s also been an advocate for the indie community at large, having been involved in A2IM since 2012 and served on the boards of the Worldwide Independent Network and Music Business Association; he was a Billboard Indie Power Players honoree for each of the past two years, and has helped the Hopeless Foundation raise more than $3.5 million for mental health and music-related charities.

“The independent community is stronger and more dynamic than ever, yet also facing accelerating challenges that will test our resilience and adaptability. A2IM exists to ensure our members can grow independently in the face of these changes and thrive on their own terms,” Harrison said in a statement about his new role. “I am grateful to the A2IM Board for their trust as I step into the CEO role at such a pivotal moment. I take on this responsibility with a deep commitment to serving our community. I am especially grateful to Dr. Richard James Burgess for a decade of exceptional leadership that established A2IM as a vital voice in our industry, and to [A2IM GM] Lisa Hresko and the entire A2IM team whose dedication makes our work so impactful. This includes remembering our colleague Alex Machurov, whose contributions and spirit will remain part of A2IM’s legacy.

“I also want to thank Louis Posen and my colleagues at Hopeless Records, where I spent the past two decades, for shaping me as a leader and deepening my commitment to this community,” Harrison continued. “Independent music has been my life’s work, and I am excited to serve in this new capacity. I look forward to working closely with our members, the global trade organization community, commercial partners and policymakers to ensure independent voices remain at the center of the music industry’s future.”

Burgess, who ends his tenure after a decade in the role, oversaw significant growth for the organization, which now boasts more than 700 indie labels in its membership, and helped further develop and expand both A2IM’s Indie Week conference and the related Libera Awards, honoring the best in indie music each year. He also helped define A2IM’s role as an advocate in Washington on behalf of the indie community, helping shore up and bolster lobbying efforts in the capital amid a period of great upheaval and consolidation.

“I am honored to have served this extraordinary community for the past decade, and I could not be more pleased to welcome Ian Harrison as A2IM’s next CEO,” Burgess said in a statement. “Ian’s deep experience and lifelong commitment to independent music position him perfectly to guide A2IM into its next chapter. I look forward to supporting a seamless transition and to watching him take the organization, and the indie community it represents, to new heights.”

While Harrison will officially take on his new role this Wednesday, Burgess will remain as part of A2IM through the end of the year to see out the transition.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Ian Harrison as our new CEO,” Beggars Group president and A2IM’s executive committee chair Nabil Ayers said in a statement. “Ian has spent his entire career championing independent music, and now he’ll bring that same passion and energy to serving the entire community of independent labels. I’m confident he will build on the incredible foundation Richard James Burgess established over the past decade and skillfully lead A2IM into its next chapter of growth and advocacy.”