First Speakers Announced for AIR’s Indie-Con Australia Conference and A2IM’s Indie Week Australian Edition

President and CEO for the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE has produced, recorded, and performed on many gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums. He was previously head of business at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, where he produced Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology, chronicling the history of jazz and The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap. His career path includes studio musician, touring musician, recording artist, producer, manager, and label owner. He is known for his pioneering work with synthesizers, computers, sampling, EDM, New Romantics, and early house music, as the inventor of the SDSV drum synthesizer and for coining the music genre terms EDM and New Romantic. His latest books are The Art of Music Production: The Theory and Practice, 4th Edition and The History of Music Production (Oxford University Press). Burgess has been listed multiple times as a Power Player and an Independent Power Player by Billboard and has received awards from Music Week, the British Arts Council, the Greater London Arts Association, the Park Lane Group, and the British Council for Education. He was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honors list 2022.

Kaoruko Hill is the General Manager of APAC at Merlin, the digital music licensing partner for independent labels and distributors. With over a decade of experience, Kaoruko is a recognised leader in music rights and licensing in the Asia-Pacific region.

Her distinguished career includes managing global music rights at ByteDance and playing a pivotal role in Merlin's successful entry into the Japanese market from 2016 to 2020. Kaoruko's expertise also extends to her time at a Japanese music copyright collective and her work as a consultant in music rights. A member of the Copyright Law Association of Japan, Kaoruko is committed to fostering innovation and collaboration within the music industry, driving Merlin's mission to build an ethical, sustainable, and indie-centric world.

Guji Lorenzana is a seasoned music executive and former indie artist with over 20 million streams to his name. As Asia-Pacific Territory Manager for A&R Business Development at Symphonic Distribution, he leads strategic expansion across key markets including South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and more. Guji began his career as a singer-songwriter and actor, gaining regional recognition through television, film, and digital platforms like Netflix and Disney+. His success as an independent artist deeply informs his approach today, prioritising authenticity, sustainable careers, and culturally grounded strategies. Before Symphonic, he managed independent artists and held pivotal roles at YouTube Music (Content Programming for the Philippines), Ingrooves Music Group (Country Manager), and Virgin Music Group, where he helped establish operations in Thailand after it acquired Ingrooves.

Melanie has devoted 20+ years to the independent music community. She managed a successful record store in Seattle for many years, then moved to NYC where she Project Managed album campaigns for The War On Drugs, Grimes, Kaytranada, Warpaint, Spoon, & countless more across Secretly Group and Beggars Group. After PM'ing a campaign for the Platinum Single selling group Houndmouth, Melanie joined the esteemed and iconic London label Rough Trade Records as General Manager. There she continues her work with artists like Parquet Courts, black midi/Geordie Greep, Dean Blunt, Anohni, Jockstrap, Jarvis Cocker/Pulp and countless more talent here and abroad

Detroit-born, Brooklyn-based Salvatore Maicki began his career in music journalism, cutting his teeth at outlets such as i-D and Complex, and working as a production assistant for NPR Tiny Desk Concerts. He landed at The FADER in 2018, beginning as a staff writer and later producing and hosting The FADER Interview podcast. In 2021, he shifted his focus to the FADER Label, where he currently serves as senior A&R.