TORONTO – SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste was unanimously approved for a new five-year contract by the board of directors, extending his leadership position with the Canadian music industry's largest organization until 2021.
Baptiste's reappointment comes after consecutive years of record royalties collected for and distributed to the organization's more than 130,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members, with $300-million surpassed for the first time in SOCAN's history in 2014, reads the news release. These revenues, combined with record-low operating expenses of 9.5% in 2014, have placed SOCAN at the forefront of the world's performing rights organizations.
Since Baptiste was named to the CEO position in 2010, SOCAN has seen its songwriter, composer and music publisher membership grow by more than 30% to over 130,000, and the number of businesses that are legally licensed to use music jump from under 42,000 to more than 125,000.
"We are very pleased to reaffirm our confidence in the fine work being done by Eric on behalf of SOCAN and its members," said SOCAN president Stan Meissner, in the release. "Given the current changing landscape, we are thrilled to continue to have Eric's unique perspective and expertise and, on behalf of the board, I look forward to working together to continue to strengthen SOCAN's position as a leading performing rights organization in the world."
"I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead SOCAN for at least another five years," added Baptiste. "Any success we have enjoyed is collective, with every SOCAN team member doing his or her part in making us the best music rights organization in the world."
