🎉 Big news for music lovers everywhere! Virgin Music Group (VMG) just completed its super exciting acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings! 🚀 This wasn’t just any shopping spree. This move, approved by the European Commission, means that VMG and Downtown are teaming up to create the ultimate music playground for independent artists and creators. 🌍
But wait, it gets better! VMG snagged Pieter van Rijn, who rocked the CEO position at Downtown, as their new Chief Operating Officer. He’ll be reporting to co-CEOs Nat Pastor and JT Myers from Amsterdam, and he's all set to bring the heat. 🔥 With his expertise, Pieter is on a mission to blend the power of VMG and Downtown into one awesome music machine. 🎶
Downtown's founder, Justin Kalifowitz, took a stroll down memory lane, remembering how the company started back in 2007 when CDs were on the outs and streaming was just a baby. His vision? More music, more possibilities, and a lot more fun. 🌟 With over 5,000 clients and more than four million creators across 145 countries, Downtown’s journey has been nothing short of epic. 🏆
As Nat Pastor, co-CEO of VMG, says: “This is about making both Virgin Music Group and Downtown even better — preserving their distinct strengths while increasing the investment, technology and global resources available to independent entrepreneurs.” 💪
And from Pieter, the man of the moment: “I’m grateful to Justin and Andrew for their vision in building Downtown, and to Nat and JT for their trust as we enter this next chapter.” 🚀
So, what does this mean for you? Bigger beats, better music, and a world of new opportunities for indie creators. Grab your headphones, because Pieter and VMG are just getting started, and this ride is going to be legendary! 🎧🎸