Chrysalis Records today announced the appointment of veteran music industry executive Alison Wenham as Chief Operating Officer, further positioning the company as a leader and powerhouse in independent music. With over 40 years of experience working in the music industry, Alison founded and was the CEO/Chairman of UK Trade Association AIM from 1999-2016, building it to become the hugely influential advocate for the independent music sector that it is today.

Alison joins the senior team led by Chrysalis Records/Blue Raincoat CEO Jeremy Lascelles and Chairman Robin Millar at a pivotal moment for the company. Since uniting under the Reservoir umbrella in 2019, the business has delivered increasingly impressive results and accelerated growth, including the return of Chrysalis Records as a frontline label with marquee signings Laura Marling, Emeli Sandé, and Liz Phair, among others. In addition, it has bolstered its legacy roster, now housing the iconic Tommy Boy Records catalogue through its label platform, and plans to further grow its distribution activities via new label and artist deals. Meanwhile, Blue Raincoat’s publishing and management arms celebrated achievements including signing a global publishing deal with the estate of seminal artist Nick Drake to represent his entire catalogue of songs, publishing breakthrough artist Self Esteem, and overseeing the continued success of management clients Phoebe Bridgers, Cigarettes After Sex, plus emerging acts Nova Twins, and The Mysterines, to name a few. Alison’s expertise and appointment as COO poises the company for new growth opportunities across its label, publishing, and management operations.

Jeremy Lascelles says, "I was fortunate enough to work closely with Alison when I served on the Board of AIM. She is one of the smartest people I have ever met in the music business and a true champion for independent music. I have always wanted to find an opportunity for us to work together again, so am particularly delighted that the time is now. I know she will be a fantastic and transformative addition to the team as we continue the growth and expansion of the company."

Alison Wenham says, “I’m very happy to be joining Jeremy, Robin, and the team at Chrysalis/Blue Raincoat. My heartland is the independent sector, and this company is one of its leaders. With impressive plans for the future, I’m joining at a hugely exciting time for the company.”

As well as founding and chairing AIM, Alison was the founding CEO of WIN, the Worldwide Independent Network, whose membership stretches across every continent, with trade associations in all the well-developed music markets. Always at the forefront of artist rights and transparency, she navigated WIN and AIM through the turbulent years of early streaming whilst building AIM’s membership to over 800 companies. Her innovative and strategic approach created the Fair Digital Deals Declaration in 2015, to promote transparency and fairness in digital deals, which was subsequently used by Canadian and French Governments in legislation to improve deal transparency for artists and cited in the House of Lords as an example of best practise. She also commissioned and published WINTEL, establishing for the first time the true global market share of the independent sector at copyright level, measured at 39.9% in 2017.
Earlier in her career, Alison was the Managing Director and shareholder of Conifer Records, the UK’s leading independent specialist distributor and record company, and after selling to BMG in 1993, became Managing Director of BMG Conifer until 1998. She was awarded an OBE in 2010 for Services to the Creative Industries, The Order of Arts and Letters from the French Government in 2014 and was recognised for Outstanding Contribution at the annual Women in Music Awards in 2017.