2026 AMCOS election nominees
Gabe Andrews, Precise Digital Ltd
BIOGRAPHY
Gabe is Head of Publishing at Precise Digital, an independent music services company based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa New Zealand. With a strong focus on the Pacific, Precise not only represents songwriters based in Aotearoa but from all across the region including Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Australia.
Melbourne-born and musically obsessed, his start in the music industry was in media and community radio. A volunteering stint at Auckland's 95bFM was particularly formative in becoming involved in New Zealand's music scene.
Prior to joining Precise Digital, Gabe worked at APRA AMCOS NZ for over five years in the licensing and membership departments, developing a comprehensive understanding of APRA and AMCOS' operations.
ELECTION STATEMENT
Precise is an independently owned and operated music company, proudly based in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our artist and songwriter partners are at the heart of everything we do, and this commitment has enabled us to build close, enduring relationships that support their creative and professional growth.
As a New Zealand-based music publisher with a global outlook, representing independent songwriters across the Pacific, I offer a fresh and inclusive perspective to the board’s important work of protecting copyright and maximising remuneration for all AMCOS members.
My knowledge of AMCOS at an operational level, as well as being a songwriter member, coupled with my experience establishing Precise’s publishing division, positions me to contribute meaningfully to discussions on the challenges and opportunities faced by mechanical rights holders today.
Karen Hamilton, 120 Music Publishing Ptd Ltd (Incumbent Director)
BIOGRAPHY
Karen has over 30 years experience in the industry across A&R, Copyright, Royalties & Licensing and is currently the General Manager at 120 Publishing. Having previously worked at AMCOS, MMA Music, Mana Music and Warner Chappell, in 1998 she joined John Woodruff Management to work across recordings, publishing and management for Savage Garden, and a short time later partnered with John and Keith Welsh to form Rough Cut Music Publishing. Over the next decade the company signed and developed several prominent Australian artists including Evermore, Kisschasy, Trial Kennedy and The Butterfly Effect. In 2011 she launched 120 Publishing - a full-service publisher with a special interest in working closely with dance & electronic music writers, producers and topliners, and a focus on setting up collaborations between domestic writers and international artists. The company currently represents more than 50 independent Australian songwriters and artists, together with several key international catalogues for sub-publishing. Karen is passionate about mentoring young songwriters, the export of Australian music into new markets, and the fair and accurate distribution of live performance income from nightclubs and festivals. She is currently the Deputy Chair of AMPAL and an AMCOS board member.
ELECTION STATEMENT
I am honoured to stand for re-election to the AMCOS Board. With over three decades of experience in the music industry, and the majority of this time with Australian-owned independent companies, I believe I bring an important and unique perspective. Starting out in mechanical licensing at AMCOS, my industry career has spanned a diverse range of roles including A&R, copyright, royalties and licensing, giving me a broad and practical understanding of how the different parts of our industry work together. I have served as the General Manager at 120 Publishing, a predominantly dance & electronic music publisher, since its inception in 2011. I actively contribute to the industry as Director and Deputy Chair of AMPAL, foundation member of the Club Music Advisory Group, panellist for APRA’s national Rights & Royalties events, and judge for the PDA's. I believe it's incredibly important for independent publishers and diverse music genres to have a strong Board presence. If re-elected, I will continue to bring that independent perspective to the Board and advocate for a fair, transparent and effective organisation that serves the interests of all AMCOS members.
Karina Masters, Universal Music Publishing Pty Limited
BIOGRAPHY
Karina Masters is VP of Marketing, Licensing & Sync for Universal Music Publishing Australia & New Zealand, and has held senior roles globally across synchronisation, licensing and creative services.
Karina began her career at Warner Music New Zealand in 1993 before relocating to London, where she spent 18 years working across record labels and independent and major music publishers, including UMPG UK. She also spent seven years leading licensing teams as Director/VP of Licensing at Sony/ATV Music Publishing, including through its merger with EMI Music Publishing.
Karina represented Sony Music Publishing on the MCPS Licensing Committee, contributing to the development of licensing schemes and blanket agreements.
Returning to Australia in 2014, Karina established her consultancy, SynchMasters, before joining Alberts to expand sync opportunities for its writers.
Since 2016, Karina has led UMPG’s Sync team across Australia and New Zealand, fostering a creative, innovative and commercially focused licensing culture.
She combines multi-territory licensing expertise with a talent for building creative relationships and a deep understanding of music’s creative and commercial value in elevating visual storytelling and brands.
ELECTION STATEMENT
With more than 30 years’ experience across the music industry in New Zealand, the UK and Australia, I have built my career around supporting songwriters, publishers and the value of music.
Having served on the MCPS/PRS for Music Licensing Committee in the UK, I understand the importance of strong industry representation in achieving fair and effective licensing outcomes that reflect the interests of creators, publishers and rights holders.
If elected, I will bring an experienced, collaborative and pragmatic voice to AMCOS, with a clear commitment to putting songwriters first and protecting the value of their work.
Associate Professor Art Phillips, 101 Music Pty Ltd
BIOGRAPHY
Associate Professor Art Phillips specialises in production music and is the owner, director and CEO of 101 Music, a production music catalogue consisting of 90 album releases with independent sub-publishing deals across 85 foreign territories.
101 Music is an authorised APRA AMCOS supplier of production music and represents over 100 production music catalogues throughout Australasia with over half a million tracks.
Art is also a screen composer, songwriter, guitarist and musical director. He toured internationally with Barry Manilow, Minnie Riperton, George Benson, Demis Roussos, and has co-written a Top 10 Billboard R&B single.
He is a two-time Emmy Award-winner for ‘Outstanding Music Composition in a Drama Series’, with over 40-years of international experience including 1,500 hours of television scoring. Art’s production music catalogue and record label have been used on television shows throughout the world including Married At First Sight, Neighbours, Jimmy Fallon, Top Gear, Oprah, and Today. Art lectures in screen music, music publishing and arts management.
Board positions include:
• Board Director, Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL), 2023 - current
• Chair, AMPAL Production Music & Licensing Committee, 2025 - current
• Board Director, International Production Music Group (Europe), 2024 - current
• President, Australian Guild of Screen Composers, 2001 - 2008
ELECTION STATEMENT
I am standing for the AMCOS Board to represent both publisher and writer members.
As a publisher, I am owner and CEO of 101 Music, an authorised AMCOS production-music-supplier representing 100 catalogues/over 500,000 tracks in Australasia, with my own catalogue sub-published in 85 territories. I’m an AMPAL Board Director and chair its Production Music & Licensing Committee.
As a writer, I’m a two-time Emmy-winning screen composer and the longest-serving AGSC President. I’ve been a session-guitarist, musical-director, and toured with Barry Manilow, Minnie Riperton, George Benson, Demis Roussos, and co-wrote a Top-10 Billboard/R&B single.
Production music is an integral part of our industry and an important revenue stream for many publishers and writers.
My focus will be on helping members navigate the idiosyncrasies of our business, protecting rights, ensuring licensee’s cue sheet diligence, emphasizing administration importance, know-how of delivering rock-solid metadata, and increasing sustainability and earnings for every music publisher and composer alike. My practical experience as both would add strategic perspective and balance to the Board.
I’ve recently lobbied in Canberra for AMPAL, alongside the wider creative sector against AI theft of our copyrights. I stand firm on the ‘human authorship requirement’: real artists, real composers, real emotions, REAL MUSIC!
Theo Seffusatti, Heard & Seen Publishing
BIOGRAPHY
Theo Seffusatti is the Co-founder and Director of New Zealand-based publisher Heard & Seen, and serves as a Director for both Gaga Music and Warp Publishing. With 24 years of international music publishing experience spanning London to Auckland, his career encompasses comprehensive expertise across Copyright, Royalties, A&R, Licensing, and Legal and Business Affairs.
Co-founding Heard & Seen in 2022, Theo has quickly built a dynamic roster representing over 20 New Zealand writers. This includes 7x Platinum act Supergroove, Silver Scroll Award-winning screen composers Karl Steven, Arli Liberman, and Grayson Gilmour, as well as acclaimed songwriters Erny Belle, Ariana Tikao, LEAO, and Theia. Regionally, his board role at Gaga Music helps guide a creative publishing administration service operating across Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland.
At Warp Publishing, he established direct memberships with 18 collection societies and built a robust network of 10 sub-publishing partners. His efforts contributed to a globally recognized roster featuring Slowdive, PVT, Nightmares on Wax, Khruangbin, Boards of Canada, Dry Cleaning, and Tinariwen, alongside high-profile songwriting credits for artists including Fred Again.., Björk, Jay-Z, and The Weeknd.
Theo holds an MSc Law and Economics from Mines ParisTech, France.
ELECTION STATEMENT
With 24 years of music publishing experience across the UK, US, France, Australia, and New Zealand, I am eager to bring a deeply global perspective to the AMCOS Board. I would be honoured to use my experiences and skills for the benefit of AMCOS members.
Through co-founding Heard & Seen in New Zealand, and my ongoing work with Gaga Music and Warp Publishing, I have dedicated my career to championing writers on the world stage.
If elected, I want to use my cross-border network and strong trans-Tasman experience to help AMCOS advocate aggressively for robust copyright protections and fair licensing frameworks in the face of generative AI, while deepening collaborative ties across our region. It would be a privilege to join the Board to complement its existing expertise.
Damian Trotter, Sony Music Publishing (Incumbent Director)
BIOGRAPHY
Damian is the Managing Director of Sony Music Publishing, has served on the Board since 1995 and is a former Chair. He is also Deputy Chair of the APRA Board and a Director of AMPAL.
Damian has been with Sony since the company re-started its publishing arm in 1992. Following the merger of Sony Music Publishing with EMI Music Publishing in 2012, he was appointed Managing Director of the combined publishing companies. He began his music industry career in 1982 at CBS Records.
During his career at Sony, Damian has worked with many of Australia’s most important and successful writers/artists such as Midnight Oil, Tame Impala, Sarah Aarons, Paul Kelly, Cold Chisel, Gurrumul, Angus & Julia Stone, Silverchair, AC/DC, Thelma Plum, Sarah Blasko, Hilltop Hoods, 5 Seconds of Summer and AB Original as well as emerging stars of the future like King Stingray, May-A, Sycco, Electric Fields and Barkaa to name a few.
ELECTION STATEMENT
Damian has a long-established commitment to the Australian music industry, proudly promoting our local artists and songwriters locally and internationally with a particular passion for supporting and helping to amplify the voices of our First Nations people.
He has dedicated the last 30+ years to protecting the rights and advocating on behalf of both songwriters and music publishers and, as head of the largest Music Publishing company in the country, to the development of emerging talent within both the business side of the industry as well as within the artist/songwriting community.