Kwame Kwaten - Co-Chair

Kwame Kwaten is MD of Ferocious Talent, an artist services company covering, artist management, label services, music consultancy, and in house production, which manages acts such as George Ogilvie, Blue Lab Beats, Jodie Abacus, Caitlyn Scarlett, Steve Brown (Laura Mvula/Rumer producer co writer), writer and producer Jack Gourlay (Jess Glynne/Tom Odell/Jack Garrett), and The Collier among others.

Kwame’s own writing and production work include work for Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, Ultra Nate, Seal, Mark Morrison, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Daryl Hall - as part of D-Influence productions. They also co-produced classic pop hits like ‘Wishing On A Star’ (Jay Z), and ‘You Might Need Somebody’ (Shola Ama), and remixed Mark Morrison’s 'Return of the Mack'/'Crazy'/'Lets Get Down'.

Born May 13th 1967 in London Hackney, Kwame Amankwa Kwaten began his musical career learning the ins-and-outs of the production world at ‘Courtyard Studios’, home of new band "On a Friday" who then a year later changed their name to Radiohead. Kwame spent two years at Courtyard learning from Chris Hufford how to operate a mixing desk and to use what he calls his best instrument - his ears .

In 1989 a session musician called Steve Marston approached Kwame with an invitation to join his exciting new band D-Influence as keyboard player. D-Influence self released their first album, and, after a plug from Tim Westwood on Capital FM, soon inked their first record deal with Acid Jazz Records before signing to Atlantic for their biggest album ‘Good 4 We’. D-Influence accomplished many powerful moments such as supporting Michael Jackson, Prince, and James Brown, to name a few. Also performing as Bjork’s backing band (still on YouTube) on her debut Jools Holland performance performing ‘Aeroplane’.

D-Influence soon turned to a production group, producing and remixing work for Mick Jagger, Seal, Tom Jones and more. However it was Shola Ama that broke D-Influence as mainstream producers. Kwame personally found Shola. Hearing her humming while walking past each other, Kwame auditioned her on the platform of Hammersmith station, then signed her to Freakstreet Records; producing her with D-Influence productions at the helm of her album. The D-Influence produced single “You Might Need Somebody" went on to break radio airplay records for that year, while her debut album ‘Much Love’ sold over a million copies 

Kwame has always made a conscious effort to involve and open doors to young people to get into the music business. He started the Urban Music Seminar (now known as The Ultimate Seminar of which he is a co-director of alongside Andrea and Nicky Charles) - this is regularly oversubscribed and over-attended. The seminar bridges the gap between the classroom and the boardroom, bringing in other industry leaders such as other managers and heads of labels. Kwame also runs internship and work experience placements through his current management work and consultancy work.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Kwame commented: "My earliest memory was being asked to come to The Brits / BPI HQ - at first being nervous and wondering why was I being called. Then being an instant fan of many of the people in the room - the job at hand was pretty big - we were being asked to truly advise the BPI & The Brits and explore diversity firstly to The BRIT Awards and then take a wider look into to the industry and advise there too. We all checked that this was not going to be a set of pointless meetings and then quickly came to getting on with the job at hand. This meant regular meetings everything from looking at the voter base for nominations and process to talking through categories and music types. It also meant talking through what we felt was wrong and how we could change it. It got heated at times but always felt like it was moving in a forward direction. Slowly the contribution of the group became apparent on TV where it mattered at the first BRIT Awards after the groups formation - categories started to become more diverse and by the third BRITs after our formation Stormzy / Dave / Celeste took to the stage. I went to it and personally couldn’t have been prouder of our groups part in it. There is still much work to do but I’m hopeful that we can make a difference. The Equality & Justice Advisory Group stands for just that! EJAG all the way!" 

Ged Doherty - Co-Chair

Ged Doherty is Chairman of UK record labels association the BPI, whose members are responsible for more than 85% of the recorded music sold or consumed across the country, and for one in every nine albums consumed around the world.

The BPI represents over 450 independent labels, alongside major companies Sony Music Entertainment UK, Warner Music UK, and Universal Music UK. It owns and organises The BRIT Awards with Mastercard, The Classic BRITs, and The Hyundai Mercury Prize, and also jointly (with ERA) runs the Official Charts Company.

Doherty assumed the role in January 2015 on the back of garnering an unparalleled wealth of music industry experience, previously serving as Chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK. He became Chairman in 2006 – having played an integral role in its merger with BMG two years prior. Doherty worked with artists such as Dido, Kings of Leon, Calvin Harris, Beyoncé, Kasabian, and Foo Fighters; and was instrumental in launching the joint-enterprise between Sony and Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment – an ambitious venture focused on the production and exploitation of music, television, film, and digital content on a global level.

Prior to arriving at Sony, Doherty spent several years at BMG, having secured the position following successful spells on both sides of the Atlantic: as Managing Director at Columbia Records in London, working with its roster of legendary stars; and as Head of International Marketing at Epic Records in New York. Doherty’s early days in the industry began in artist management – with his acts selling 20 million records worldwide under his stewardship.

Doherty is also the Founding Partner of Independent Film Production company Raindog Films; which he co-founded alongside BAFTA and Academy Award-winning actor Colin Firth. Based in London, the company’s debut feature Eye in the Sky, starring Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, and Alan Rickman was theatrically released in the spring of 2016 to critical acclaim and commercial success. Their second film Loving, an interracial love story written and directed by Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter), starring Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga was released theatrically in the US in November 2016. It has since gone on to win the prestigious Stanley Kramer Award from the Producers Guild of America, as well as earning Ruth Negga an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Arit commented: “This group originally began its work in 2016 in the wake of #BRITsSoWhite, helping to better reflect diversity and the depth of British Black music through The BRIT Awards. However, there is clearly a bigger job to be done in promoting equality and inclusion more widely across our industry, and, reconstituted as the BPI Equality & Justice Group, this group can play a broader role in advising and challenging the BPI to help ensure lasting and meaningful change.”

Arit Eminue

Arit Eminue is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, career development and leadership coach. She helps businesses in the entertainment sector to recruit and retain talent and empower individuals to build careers they will enjoy.

She does this through DiVA an award-winning recruitment and training organisation specialising in creative, business, and digital apprenticeships. Her clients include some of the worlds well-known entertainment media brands including All3 Media, Sony Music, the BBC, Warner Music, Endemol Shine UK, Warner Bros, the Southbank Centre, UK Music. She also developed, in partnership with the BPI/BRIT Trust, the BRITs Apprenticeship scheme, funded by proceeds of BRIT Music Awards, which supports the next generation of music executives. 

Arit holds an MA in Executive Leadership Development and Mentoring. As a Career Development & Leadership coach, she works with women who are looking to change careers or move into senior-level roles, as well as with organisations on the development and delivery of staff training programmes. Her YouTube channel provides viewers worldwide with tips on how to build careers they love either through employment, entrepreneurship or a mixture of both.

Arit is a respected and impactful speaker. She is regularly called upon to deliver keynote speeches, present at events and conferences, chair and participate in panels, and take part in media interviews by the likes of BBC 5 Live, LBC,  Sheffield Live and Maritime Radio. Her work is also featured in Coaching Perspectives, Stylist Magazine and the Voice Newspaper.

Arit is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Precious Awards), Business Person of the Year (Newham Chamber of Commerce). She was recognised as a Leader in Media and Arts by the Black British Business Awards.

Prior to founding DiVA Arit spearheaded the design and delivery of high-end internship scheme the Graduate Fellowship Programme connecting talent from the Black, Asian, Minority and Ethnic communities to paid internships in top media companies. She holds an MA in Producing from the National Film and TV school, the best-reputed film academy in Europe and worked with the UK Film Council (now part of the BFI) supporting new talent in the development of feature projects.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Arit commented: "I was invited to join the first meeting of the BRITs Diversity Group by Ged Doherty who had heard about the work I had been doing with Jo Dipple, who at the time was heading up UK Music. We had just launched an apprenticeship programme in the music industry, which was opening doors for many young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, and were talking to the BPI about doing the same with them.  I generally say 'no' to joining diversity groups because historically they've been all talk and little action. After this first meeting, I knew this group would be different. We had a clear agenda, goals and were all enthused to get cracking. It wasn't long before we'd shaken up the voting committee of the BRIT Awards, which resulted in winners that were more reflective of the audience they served.  I’m always learning, listening and developing my understanding of the experiences of different marginalised groups – it’s an honour to be able to play a small part in levelling the playing field for them."

Indy Vidyalankara

Indy Vidyalankara is the founder of Indypendent PR, a boutique music PR, comms and brand consultancy, with clients such as Nitin Sawhney, Youth, Jules Buckley, Tomorrow’s Warriors, Girls I Rate, Gary Crosby OBE, Carla Marie Williams, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, TuneCore and more.

She is currently part-time Head of Communications at pioneering talent development organisation and charity Tomorrow’s Warriors. Prior to that she served for two years as Head Of Strategic Communications at leading music charity Help Musicians, where she led the strategic comms for a diverse and innovative programme of external communications, campaigns, partnerships and events, such as mental health service Music Minds Matter.

Indy is an accomplished Communications executive with a diverse career spanning over two decades across music, media and third sector in high profile organisations such as Sony Music UK, Saatchi & Saatchi, with 11 years at the BBC in publicity across BBC Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra and BBC TV working on some of the country’s most popular TV entertainment formats.

As well as being a member of the BPI Equality and Justice Advisory Group, she is a member of the UK Music Diversity Taskforce, a trustee of Parents In Performing Arts, a trustee of media charity One World Media and on the BRITS voting academy. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, social responsibility and engaging audiences through purpose-driven and cause related, compelling storytelling and content.

She has successfully led teams, contributed to positive culture change, managed reputation, delivered high profile coverage and significantly increased influence and engagement within private and publicly owned organisations during periods of challenge, growth and change.

Indy has handled a myriad of complex comms issues and crises across her career, advised and worked closely with Chairman and CEO level stakeholders and handled the PR for some of the country’s biggest talent in music, TV and radio.

Indy was the first woman of colour in the role of Sony Music UK Director Of Communications, her second tenure at the major label following her 3 year stint at Columbia Records, where she started her career in music.

She has also been part-time Head of Communications at youth talent development organisation and charity Urban Development.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Indy commented: "I was working with Carla Marie Williams in launching her powerful movement GIRLS I RATE in 2016 when I introduced her to Ged Doherty, who invited her to the BRITs on the year of #BRITSSOWHITE. Soon after the awards, I was invited to a special meeting chaired by Ged to discuss how the BPI can do better with the BRITs. It felt like an incredibly important time to be having this conversation with the BPI and I was impressed with their humility, the organisation took the feedback and promised to do better. Soon after I joined the voting academy, which was being diversified hugely as part of the changes. I also joined the then named BPI Diversity Committee and contributed behind the scenes, alongside industry professionals I hugely respect in improving the diversity of the awards show. It has been chaired skillfully by Ged to look at a variety of issues around the diversity agenda in the music industry over the last four years. I’m glad to say the BPI and the BRITs has indeed stood by its promise to do better, seeing its most diverse awards to date this year, highlighted by Dave’s blistering performance - what an incredible celebration for diversity. The group has now evolved into EJAG, The Equality & Justice Advisory Group and the conversation is still important now, never more so in fact! It is there to work together to help steer the BPI’s diversity work and push for change, create discussion and education for all of the brilliant and talented people in the industry. We can’t afford to slow down now and I’m excited for the work we can do and the change we can make, as we start to see a real and authentic shift in the collective agreement for the value of equality, diversity and intersectionality."

Matt Ross

Matt Ross it the co-founder of The Richard Antwi Scholarship, Director at Sent Entertainment, and board member at Don’t Sleep Music. 

Currently Director at Sent Entertainment – An entertainment Group developing premium Intellectual Property across entertainment, sport and music through production, investment and ownership.

He is a second-generation immigrant, son of a Trinidadian mother and an English father. Grew up in a vicarage in Hackney and studied Law at SOAS. Matt joined Sony Music in the early 90’s when there were few other black executives in the UK music industry. A marketer and a passionate advocate for diversity and representation; first Head of Black Music in the UK industry. Worked with some of the most talented and enduring artists of that era, including Beyonce, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell and Nas. More recently bringing global talent to the Caribbean. Matt continues to make an important contribution to advocacy, activism and mentorship in the UK industry.

Don’t Sleep Music is a nascent music company based in London, representing Berwyn; Bad With Phones; Nala Sinephro. 

Mervyn Lyn

From an early age Mervyn knew he wanted to be involved in music. While at college he became a fairly recognised name in the DJ fraternity working his way up the industry through retail in record shops, selling the music he loved.  He was soon recruited by Blues & Soul magazine but in 1986 his big break came when he was snapped up by Virgin Records and has been a music executive ever since.

During a successful career spanning over 32 years, Mervyn ran Sleeping Bag Records in Europe, was GM at Motown International before joining BMG as Head of R&B Repertoire. He remained with SonyBMG through the merger and took on the role of VP Marketing in the new fully owned Sony Music Entertainment. He left Sony Music after 18 years, having served in a number of senior roles including Vice-president Global Marketing (Europe), Vice-president Marketing and Vice-president Strategic Partnerships.

He is now a founding partner of a strategic partnership agency that works with many of the world’s leading brands and agencies who are keen to promote themselves in the world of Music & Sport.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Mervyn commented: "It’s never a surprise to get a call from Ged to right racial wrongs, I’d been down that road before when he was my Chairman at Sony. That time we ended up having tea with the then opposition leader, David Cameron explaining to him that all rap wasn’t negative and that there were plenty of positive messages out there that just needed amplification.

Around the time of “Oscars So White” Ged called me to see if I could hook up a coffee with a prominent music artist who had been quoted for views of The BRITs nominations without understanding how artists qualified. A few calls later meeting was on and I held on tight to hear the outcome. The outcome was that Ged wanted to assemble his own version of ’The Avengers’ to shake up the way voting was undertaken at The BRITs and attempt to make it more representative of the audience buying music.

Throughout my 35+ years in the music industry I’d gathered a directory of like minded folks would have loved to redress the balance so reaching out to some conscious pals was easy. It’s been an amazing journey so far with plenty more to do but the equality checkpoints are being reached and confidence in our work is making all the right noises in the places of influence. It’s going to be a monumental task to eradicate all forms of discrimination in the business just as it is in society as a whole but it has to start from somewhere and and I’m delighted to be a part of this amazing EJAG team."

Naz Hussain

Naz Hussain is an accomplished senior finance professional with 20+ years of international experience within the music industry specialising in artist touring, high profile music events and festivals. Prior to Joining BPI in 2018, He was based in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta & Nashville where he spent 5 years working closely with record labels, artist management companies, promoters and a varied range of music venues. Naz was responsible for helping to set and control the budgets of some major global tours including Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Lady GaGa, One Direction, U2 and Guns N Roses to name a few. He has also worked on large scale events including MTV European Music Awards and The BRIT Awards.

Having grown up in East London, Naz is passionate about contributing towards the socio-economic welfare of the wider community and sits on a number of committees to help drive positive changes. He is a qualified youth worker who dedicated over 10 years of voluntary services to guide and mentor young people. Naz is the founder of Bromley By Bow Community Organisation, a charity which aims to improve the lives of young people in Tower Hamlets through music and sports and is a strategic contributor in helping shape local council’s approach to youth services.

On joining the Equality & Justice Advisory Group, Naz commented: "As far back as I can remember, I have always been passionate about music and issues surrounding representation, equality and diversity. Being one of the founding members of the UK Asian Music Awards back in 2002, I remember some of the challenges I had to overcome to bring such an award show to a wider mainstream audience. Through my own personal lived experiences both professionally and personally, I genuinely believe that more institutional and systemic changes needs to be made to make a positive impact in a coordinated and cohesive way despite some great progress made over the past few years. When I joined BPI in 2018, I was excited and keen to make a positive contribution by working closely with my internal colleagues and the wider BPI membership community. I have been really impressed by my colleagues passion to address and affect positive changes at BPI and was honoured to be invited on to the BRITs Diversity Advisory Group by Ged Doherty with whom I have previously had the pleasure of working with during his time at Sony Music and someone I have admired from a distance. This group was made up of some incredible and talented individuals all of whom shared a passion to challenge the industry to keep improving on all matters surrounding representation. Since its formation, BRITs Diversity Advisory Group’s impact cannot be underestimated. Through its role as an advisory group, we have positively changed the look of The BRIT Awards from making the awards show more inclusive to overhauling the voting academy to make it more diverse and balanced which in turn reflected the nominated artists within various categories . These changes culminated in the televised BRIT 40th Year Anniversary show in 2020 being one of the most diverse ever, recognising and celebrating acts from various backgrounds and genre’s with performances from Dave / Stormzy / Burna Boy / Celeste / Mabel / Lizzo / Lewis Capaldi & Billie Eilish."