The Business of Music: Celebrating 10 Years
Music & Tech Conference & Showcase Festival
October 14-17, 2025
Mondo.NYC Speaker
Brian Richards
Founder and Managing Partner, Artisan
Brian Richards is Founder and Managing Partner of Artisan, one of the leading investment banks with specialty in the music and entertainment industries. Artisan works with high-profile publishers, labels, artists and songwriters to monetize their rights or raise capital to pursue acquisition strategies. With transaction capabilities across catalog deals, M&A, equity and debt financings, and structured finance, Artisan has completed 40+ transactions in the music industry in recent years.
Prior to founding Artisan, Brian was Co-Founder and Managing Partner at MESA, a premier investment bank specializing in the media and entertainment industries. As a leader at MESA, Brian was involved in transactions across all sectors of traditional and digital media, with a deep specialty in the content industries. MESA was acquired by Houlihan Lokey in 2015.
Prior to MESA, Brian was a strategy consultant for the media and entertainment industries with Price Waterhouse.
MBA, Wharton; JD, University of Pennsylvania Law School; BA, Tufts University
CLE: Catalog Deals 2022: Evolving Models and Shifting Markets
10/14/22, 5:00 PM
As more catalog acquisitions occur, the marketplace is becoming more sophisticated. Buyers are becoming increasingly aware of previously unknown risks and inefficiencies, which are now being reflected in these transactions. In addition, the changing economic climate is simultaneously attracting new buyers while affecting pricing as a result of changing interest rates, exchange rates, royalty rates, and more. This panel will discuss many of these issue in depth form the perspective of experienced principals, attorneys and advisors. (Mondo attendees are welcome to attend all CLE panels.)