Connor McLeod and Nkechi Anele 2025 APRA Board observers

The 12-month program offers practical experience in board governance

This year’s observers will be supported by experienced APRA Board Directors Burkhard Dallwitz and Damian Trotter

APRA AMCOS and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO) have announced the appointment of Connor McLeod and Nkechi Anele to the 2025 APRA Board Observership Program.

The 12-month program offers participants the opportunity to develop confidence and practical experience in board governance. It also provides invaluable insight into how the APRA Board represents its music creator and publisher members and makes strategic decisions to benefit the music industry.

Connor McLeod is a Sydney-based Aboriginal artist who under the moniker 'Hylander' crafts a new wave of Australian electronica. As a proud Gadigal man, he aims to inspire other First Nations creatives to expand what it means to be an Aboriginal artist beyond monolithic conventions and stereotypes.

Nkechi Anele is a Nigerian Irish artist based in Melbourne, best known for her soulful performances with Saskwatch. She is also co-founder of The Pin, a platform exploring race, identity and culture; host of Roots n All on triple j; and is serving her second term on the board of directors for Music Victoria.

McLeod says: “I’m honoured to be selected for this observership with APRA. Music rights, publishing and royalties are areas of the music industry where I feel the least versed, and I know many artists feel the same. Over the next year, I want to build my understanding in these areas—not just for myself, but to share knowledge with other artists and advocate for ways to address common pain points and knowledge gaps."

"I am thrilled to be participating in the Observership Program with APRA,” adds Anele. “I've always admired APRA's commitment to sustainability and its strong support for Australian artists. It's a privilege to observe and learn from the industry leaders who champion the rights of music writers and composers, ensuring they receive due credit and payment for their work."

Previous APRA Board observers have included Deline Briscoe and Nathan May in 2024, and Catherine Satour and Fred Leone in the inaugural program in 2023.

This year’s observers will be supported by experienced APRA Board Directors: screen composer Burkhard Dallwitz and Sony Music Publishing Australia Managing Director, Damian Trotter, who will give them first-hand, practical experience about what working with a board is really like.

Gill Dunn, Senior Manager, Community Engagement at APRA AMCOS, says: “We’re thrilled to welcome Connor and Nkechi to this year’s Observership Program. The program is a fantastic opportunity for two-way learning and forms part of our broader equity strategy, aiming to address the gap in representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from other underrepresented communities at executive levels of the music industry.”