Mark Sperling Joins ASCAP as SVP Strategy, Business Development

24 August 2015 - Press release

MARK SPERLING JOINS ASCAP

AS SVP, STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ASCAP, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the world leader in performing rights and advocacy for music creators, today announced that Mark Sperling joins the company as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development. Sperling reports directly to Alice Kim, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, who was appointed in April. He will spearhead strategic initiatives and lead business development efforts as ASCAP explores new alliances and partnerships.

Sperling comes to ASCAP from Allen & Company LLC, the boutique investment banking firm known for its specialty in the media, entertainment and digital media industries.  During Sperling’s 16-year tenure there, he executed dozens of high profile and complex transactions for industry players such as Activision, National Geographic, PBS, Samsung Electronics, Time Warner and numerous private equity firms. Sperling is also a lifelong musician, having performed publicly in a variety of bands since college.

“Mark is a phenomenal addition to our executive team,” said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews.  “He brings with him a wealth of knowledge of the media and entertainment sectors, traditional and digital.  His success at Allen & Co. for more than a decade demonstrates his impressive track record in leading the execution of complex transactions.  As ASCAP seeks to capitalize on our rich data and other myriad of assets in today’s evolving music rights business, Mark will be instrumental in developing the new business models and creating the appropriate strategic partnerships.”

"As ASCAP's new SVP, Strategy and Business Development, I look forward to bringing my expertise and contacts across the music licensing ecosystem to bear in support of ASCAP's mission, and to creating strategies that position the organization for success in a shifting landscape,” said Sperling.  “As a musician myself, I’m eager to make serving the interests of ASCAP's members my primary focus."

Prior to Allen & Company, Sperling facilitated equity and debt offerings and analyzed mergers and acquisitions within the media and telecom sectors as a member of the investment banking division of Salomon Smith Barney (now Citigroup).  He received an A.B. in Economics from Duke University.