The College of Visual and Performing Arts‘ Bandier Program will present a lecture on Tuesday, April 14, by program founder and SU Trustee Martin Bandier ’62, chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV; John Sykes ’77, president of iHeartMedia Entertainment Enterprises; and Tom Poleman, president of national performing platforms for iHeartMedia.
The lecture, which is free and open to the University community, will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Lender Auditorium (Room 007), located on the concourse level of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. It is presented as part of the Bandier Program’s Soyars Leadership Lecture Series.
For more information, contact David Rezak, director of the Bandier Program, at 315-443-3280 or dmrezak@syr.edu.
Martin Bandier ’62
Martin Bandier
Bandier is chairman and CEO of Sony/ATV, the world’s No. 1 music publishing company, and oversees its global music publishing activities. His involvement in the music industry dates to 1975, when he co-founded the Entertainment Co. before co-launching the Entertainment Music Co. and SBK Entertainment World, where he modernized music publishing by expanding the use of the catalogue in commercials, films, sound recordings and stage productions. SBK sold its music publishing interests to Thorn EMI in 1989, and he became head of the combined music publishing division, EMI Music Publishing, taking it from fourth in the market to first place.
Bandier joined Sony/ATV in 2007 and four years later was instrumental in negotiating the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing by Sony Corp. of America and an investor group, for which Sony/ATV administers the EMI catalog.
Together with EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV’s catalog ranges from songs by such legendary acts as the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson and Queen to those by contemporary stars, including Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams.
John Sykes ’77
John Sykes
As president of iHeartMedia Entertainment Enterprises, Sykes is responsible for developing new business partnerships and platforms across a broad range of media, including television, digital platforms and live events. In addition, he creates value and content partnerships for iHeartMedia advertisers and key partners. Sykes also guides the company’s relationship with Ryan Seacrest Productions on the creation and distribution of television programming, as well as the development of other media and entertainment content.
Sykes co produces iHeartMedia’s annual iHeartRadio Music Festival, the record-setting, two-day, star-studded national music event that is broadcast live on iHeartMedia radio stations across the country, aired on the CW Television Network and streamed live to millions on the web. He also played a key role in launching and co-produces events, including the iHeartRadio Country Festival, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina and the iHeartRadio Music Awards, which airs on NBC. The 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards garnered more than 65 million votes via text messaging and led the week in the Nielsen social TV ratings. NBC announced shortly after that they had picked up the awards for 2015.
Prior to joining iHeartMedia, Sykes built and operated a number of leading entertainment brands. He was a core member of the original team that created and launched MTV. He spent 21 years at Viacom, where he held senior roles. In 2008, Sykes joined his MTV co-founder Bob Pittman at the Pilot Group, a private equity and venture firm, where he worked on the restructuring of MGM studios and digital properties, including Playlist.com and Shazam Mobile.
Sykes serves on the boards of Shazam Mobile, the Robin Hood Foundation, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Tom Poleman
Tom Poleman
Poleman was named president of national programming platforms for iHeartMedia Media in August 2011 and oversees national on-air and live-event content. His responsibilities include on-air talent development, national contesting and artist relations, along with music and live event marketing, including the iHeartRadio Music Festival, the iHeartRadio Music Awards and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour. His team includes a network of format brand managers, imaging directors, personalities and content specialists who leverage iHeartMedia’s programming expertise, talent and brands on a national scale.
Poleman previously served as senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia Media and oversaw programming and marketing for all iHeartMedia radio properties in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Providence. From his early days of establishing KC101/New Haven and KRBE/Houston as Top 40 forces, through his 15-year stint overseeing Z100/New York, one of the most successful pop stations in the history of the medium, Poleman has played a central role in shaping the radio industry.
In 2007, Poleman was named National Programming Executive of the Year at Radio & Records Magazine Industry Achievement Awards, and the following year he was inducted into the FMQB CHR Programmer Hall of Fame. In March 2005, he was ranked number one in Billboard Radio Monitor’s Top 40 Programmers in Top 40 Radio issue. He was named Crain’s New York Magazine’s “40 Under 40” executives to watch in 2003. He has been honored numerous times as Major Market Mainstream Top 40 Program Director of the Year at the Radio Music Awards and in Billboard, Radio and Records, FMQB and Gavin magazines.
