Presidency / Executive Committee Candidate - Crispin Hunt
PRS
Esteemed colleagues, it's my honour to ask for your vote for our Exco and your consideration, support and vote for our new Presidency.
Like many of us, I am a songwriter, artist, session musician, and studio producer. While I am no Burt Bacharach, I have been lucky enough to have written on award-winning, global number-one records with over a billion streams and viral TikTok views. My career has earned me industry respect and credibility as an advocate. Like many of us, I now dedicate most of my time to ensuring that future generations of creators from every background, region, and genre can flourish.
My apologies for the length of this statement: CIAM's rules do not allow for separate Exco/President statements. As I ask for your consideration for both, I hope to present a vision for CIAM that we all share.
CIAM is the most legitimate forum for composers in the world. We are the UN of Music Creators—CISAC’s human face. As elected directors of the world's CMOs, we carry the integrity of a democratic mandate to represent our community. The credibility of collective rights cannot be overstated. In our respective roles in CMOs or associate organizations, each of us plays an integral part in our Industry's success.
The role of CIAM has never been more vital as we face escalating digital challenges demanding decisive action. Our Music has never been more valuable to the digital world, yet it is significantly undervalued by it. This undervaluation is a grave injustice to our community and our work. Without composers, the Music industry could not exist; without songs, streaming would be worthless, and film would be flat. Music is not 'content'. It is fundamental to human well-being at a time when it is frayed.
As a worldwide forum, CIAM is uniquely positioned to help shape global solutions. We have the potential to develop global strategy, gather information, campaign, coordinate, and build on the outstanding leadership of our former Presidents, Eddie Schwartz and Lorenzo Ferrero. Our challenges underscore the need to continue with a considerate, collegiate, and proactive Presidency, to which I am committed.
Many of us agree that our precious time together at CIAM would be best spent addressing macro issues and focusing on global concerns while supporting our members' autonomy to remedy national ones.
Our challenges are not only creative but inextricably Political as well. Regulation underwrites our livelihood. The legislative nature of our business highlights the need for strategic advocacy and policy influence, supported by academic and economic research, ensuring that international and national law complements creator interests, as with CIAM's proposal for a Remuneration Right for AI.
We must navigate the digital landscape collegiately with our industry partners toward mutual benefit to secure fair value for our sector. This involves open and honest dialogue, mutual respect for each other's contributions, and our shared commitment to Music's future.
My strong relationship with CISAC's CEO, Gadi Oron, and President, Bjorn Ulvaeus, could help CIAM guide and influence the CISAC board. Our budget currently limits us, but our budget will follow as we grow in impact.
If you honour me as our President, my primary purpose would be to chair focused meetings with fair and full debate across a room of equal and valued voices and provide straightforward, well-informed papers and timely decision-making. I am committed to robust governance, resolving disagreements, listening, learning, seeking consensus, and working as a team to organize our organization to deliver our agenda.
I outline ( below) some of my previous work in this field to help honoured colleagues asses whether I am qualified for your support.
As Chair of the Ivors Academy, the UK's largest trade body for composers, I led our membership through modernization, rebranding, and growth, transforming BASCA (the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors) into one of the most diverse, inclusive and influential creator organizations in the world. The Ivor's Academy became a driver of change, not a passenger.
I fronted the UK's campaign for the EU Copyright Directive and devised and led the UK's Fix Streaming Campaign, which is now followed worldwide. With Bjorn Ulvaeus, I launched the Credits Due campaign, and I have spoken at the EU, WIPO, UNESCO, and beyond as a champion of composers, copyright, and collective rights.
I have the respect and ear of many of the world's most prominent artists and Captains of our Industry. I have Music's attention as an effective but respectful challenger to business practices unaligned with creator interests (https://www.musicweek.com/digital/read/paulmccartney-kate-bush-noel-gallagher-kano-stevie-nicks-dozens-more-artists-call-on-pmto-fix-streaming/083083). I understand how to campaign effectively across social media: https://x.com/crispinhunt/status/1831320465706504419?s=61
I have valuable allies in Culture, Technology, Media, and Politics primed to advocate for Creator interests. It is no accident that Graham Davies—whom I employed as CEO of The Ivor's Academy and whose success was steered by my vision —is now CEO of DIMA, the US trade body representing Streaming Platforms. Dialogue with streaming platforms will be essential to deliver our ambitions, seeking realpolitik solutions through pragmatism and diplomacy.
CIAM could align closer with allies in journalism, drama, art, and academia to protect human creativity. I founded the Council of Music Makers ( CMM) precisely to unite UK Writers, Artists, Producers, Managers, and Performers rather than allow Music Makers to be divided and ruled. At the UK Government's ongoing Creator Remuneration round tables, the CMM has united to substantial effect.
I have worked in Government as a researcher, campaign coordinator, and Copyright advisor to the UK's Intellectual Property Office. I am across international regulation, lobbying, and copyright law. As an MEP candidate opposing Brexit, I made many allies at the EU Commission. I appreciate the incentives of business.
As a writer-director of PRS, I work alongside global music publishers toward mutual benefit and seek to align interests where they may differ.
As a former director of PPL, I know the Neighbouring Rights CMO network: Our societies are, first and foremost, allies, not competitors, especially in the battle with AI and the decline of Broadcast and Public Performance revenues.
Friends, it would be my lifetime privilege to work with you and for you as our new President or beside you in the EXCO. My commitment to CIAM's success is absolute.
CIAM has been instrumental in advocating for Global Music Creators, but together, we could make it even more influential. At CIAM, we unite to build the future creators deserve.
Thank you for your time, friendship and consideration. I am available to all at crispinhunt@mac.com to expand on or answer any questions.
Your's Crispin.
BIOGRAPHY
Crispin Hunt is a director of PRS, a leading Creator Rights & Copyright advocate & chart-topping songwriter, producer & artist.
As Chair of The Ivor’s Academy ( nee BASCA, 2017-2022) - the UK’s Trade Body representing interests of Songwriters & Composers - he led its modernisation, mobilisation & reform into the prominent, diverse, representative, productive organisation of today.
Work included vitalising the The Ivor Novello Awards & Ivor’s Composer Awards; delivering global partnerships & alliances; working alongside PRS to achieve the EU Copyright Directive; Launching the following Campaigns : Fix Streaming ( improved streaming revenue for Songwriters & Publishers) ; Composers Against Buyouts ( protection from coercive rights acquisition) and ,with Bjorn Ulvaeus, Credits Due ( improving metadata at studio level).
Crispin is a jobbing Songwriter/Producer & has worked with or for Lana Del Rey, Florence & The
Machine, Ellie Goulding, Stromae, Deadmau5, Rod Stewart, Tom Grennan, Rebecca Fergusson, You me at Six ,Jake Bugg, JP Cooper, Bat for Lashes, Natalie Imbruglia, Newton Faulkner & many more.
His early career was singer/songwriter in Brit-Pop’s, Longpigs: touring globally, enjoying hits & misses, and all the snakes & ladders of an artists life.
Crispin has represented Creators at PRS, PPL, ICE, UK Music, IPO Copyright Advisory Panel, and
FAC ( as CEO) . He’s worked in alliance with ECSA, CIAM, MU ( member), MPG, IMPF, IMRO, ICMP, MCPS, MPA, MMF, NMPA, ASCAP, BMI, CISAC, GESAC, UMAW, SONA, NSAI, & other acronyms.
He has constructive relationships across Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Netflix, Audoo, Session, BBC, DJ Monitor, and most News Media etc.
Crispin founded The Council of Music Makers aligning UK Writers, Artists, Producers, Managers,
Musicians.
From a period working in Parliament as a Labour Political Researcher, he stood for ChangeUK opposing Brexit. Nevertheless, now employs wide political respect. Crispin has 4 kids, & lives in Somerset, Pas De Calais and London.