Startup Day - Trends in Music Tech

​Intro by UMG’s Digital Innovation team with Bill Gagnon (SVP, Business Development) and Cristina Pimentel (Director, New Digital Business & Innovation). 

​Followed by an overview of the top trending categories in music and music- tech by Midia’s Tatiana Cirisano (Music Industry Analyst & Consultant).  

​About the Speakers:

​Bill Gagnon

​Bill has over 25 years of diverse music business experience in finance, sales, and marketing and has strong knowledge of developing and commercializing entertainment content.   He has been at Universal Music group since 2013 and is currently the SVP of Business Development – Strategic Technology where he leads on commercial implementation of technology and innovation initiatives.  Previously to UMG, Bill was part of EMI Music and was the head of the Catalogue Division between 2006-2012 and led the business transition from physical to digital.  He also managed major product and marketing initiatives for The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, Snoop Dogg, Megadeth, and others.  Bill has an MBA from the University of California at Irvine 

​Cristina Pimentel

​Cristina Pimentel is Director of New Digital Business and Innovation at Universal Music Group. She has been a member of the Digital Innovation team since its inception and is responsible for helping to lead its global innovation initiatives. In her role, she works directly with the music-tech community organizing and executing hack-a-thons, innovation challenges, educational seminars, mentor hours and managing UMG’s Global Accelerator Network. 

​ She’s an alumna of the University of Washington, Seattle.

​Tatiana Cirisano

​Tatiana Cirisano is an award-winning music industry analyst, consultant and journalist based in New York. In her current role at MIDiA Research, she identifies the risks and opportunities in the rapidly-changing music market for a client base of leading global entertainment and tech companies, with particular attention to fandom, music tech and the creator space. Prior to MIDiA, she spent five years as a music business reporter at Billboard, where her work included cover stories on influential artists like Tame Impala, Travis Scott and Alicia Keys. She is dedicated to actionable data, sharing knowledge, and unearthing fresh perspectives that drive the music industry forward.