BRISBANE, Australia — Mushroom Group is expanding, with the formal launch of a talent management division.
Led by director Sarah Donelly, Mushroom Management opens for business with a roster of nearly 50 artists, producers, musicians, songwriters and content creators, including Tkay Maidza, Bliss n Eso, Rolling Blackouts C.F., merci, mercy and The Living End. Celebrated producers Konstantin Kersting and Scott Horscroft are also on board.
Mushroom Group has a long and successful history in artist management, with its late founder and chairman Michael Gudinski guiding the careers of ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted acts Skyhooks, Jimmy Barnes and others.
The new enterprise, unveiled Monday (Feb. 28), is a “natural evolution” for the business, explains group CEO Matt Gudinski, one that cements the independent music powerhouse’s commitment to the management space.
“I am pleased that we can finally unveil the Mushroom Management collective,” comments Gudinski. “Nurturing and developing talent is the backbone of the entire Mushroom Group, so this is a very natural evolution for us and we are super excited about it. The amazing team of people who make up Mushroom Management will provide an enhanced support structure and network to ensure our partners and managers can deliver the best possible service for the artists we represent.”
Gudinski, who was appointed CEO of Mushroom Group last April, following the passing of his father, will closely guide the new business, which is spearheaded by company stalwart Donelly.
“I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Director for Mushroom Management,” comments Donelly, who most recently served as project director at Illusive Presents, part of the Mushroom Group. “I’ve been with the Mushroom Group for 14 years ,” she continues, “and I’m eager to take all my industry experience into leading and supporting our amazing team of managers and our extremely talented roster of clients.”
Mushroom Management is the latest appendage to the iconic indie, which was established in 1973 and boasts some 20 companies. The group and its affiliates are active in every conceivable area of music in these parts, reaching into touring, booking agencies, publishing, merch and marketing services, venues, exhibition and events production, neighboring rights, branding, labels and now management.
In future, a statement reads, the management businesses will leverage the Mushroom Group’s vast network “to elevate artist success both domestically and internationally.”
While also signing talent directly, Mushroom Management incorporates Mushroom’s existing management agencies Converge Management, Foreign Echo and Andy Kelly and his roster of artists.
The management specialist gets up and running with a team of managers includes Barna Nemeth, Cara McDonald, Kirsty Kassabis, Marc Scarborough, Missy Scheinberg, Sarah Donelly and Summer King. Joining them are Johann Ponniah and Scott Armstrong of Converge Management alongside Callum Wallace, Cameron McKinnon, Sasha Chifura and Shelley Liu of Foreign Echo, and Andy Kelly.