Sony Music Publishing Promotes Michael Riggs

Sony Music Publishing (SMP) has announced the promotion of Michael Riggs to Senior Vice President, Licensing and Income Tracking, effective immediately. Based out of SMP’s Nashville office, Riggs will continue to report to Sony Music Publishing’s Executive Vice President, Worldwide Administration, Dale Esworthy.

In this elevated position, Michael will focus on strengthening tracking operations and enhancing matching capabilities for digital deals in the U.S. and globally. He will also continue to lead the Licensing, Sync Administration, Global Income Tracking and Client Audit teams.

“I’m honored to work alongside such exceptional leaders and colleagues at SMP, who care deeply about our people and songwriters,” shares Michael Riggs. “I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I look forward to advancing our support for our incredible songwriters and clients in this new role.”

“Michael’s unwavering persistence in the digital space has strengthened our ability to collect more, collect faster, and ensure timely payments to our songwriters,” adds Sony Music Publishing Executive Vice President, Worldwide Administration, Dale Esworthy. “His relentless pursuit of unpaid royalties and leadership in licensing emerging revenue streams have been invaluable to our mission, and I am thrilled to recognize him with this promotion.”

With a career at the company spanning nearly three decades, Michael first joined Sony Music Publishing as an Income Tracking Analyst. Since then, he has been integral in the company’s continued advancement of its digital royalty tracking, collection and licensing capabilities, working closely across SMP’s global teams to drive faster, more efficient payments for songwriters and clients.