BandLab appoints William Adamopoulos as ‘key advisor’

SINGAPORE - BandLab, the Singapore-based startup that recently acquired a stake in Rolling Stone, has appointed Ivan Chen as COO and William Adamopoulos as senior advisor.

“As our team expands and revenue streams grow it is essential to match our team’s passion and drive with access to tremendous experience,” said Kuok Meng Ru, the company’s founder.

Adamopoulos is also the CEO of Forbes Media in Asia. He was previously the publisher and managing director of the Wall Street Journal in Asia.

“With his global reach and business acumen, William Adamopoulos has been a key advisor to me as our group has grown over the last 18 months,” Kuok added.

Chen, who was previously with Seattown Holdings and Temasek, will oversee operations and drive efficiency and integration, according to the company.

BandLab’s acquisition of a 49 percent stake in Rolling Stone will help the magazine's publisher, Wenner Media, jump across the digital divide and create a thriving business in emerging markets, if done right, according to industry experts. 

The deal gives the Singapore startup, which calls itself a "easy-to-use, all-in-one, social music creation platform", ownership of the magazine’s print and digital assets, but does not include ownership in the publisher, Wenner Media.

BandLab will lead Rolling Stone International's growth in new markets, a spokesperson for the company told Campaign Asia-Pacific.

“Its mandate is global and beyond just Asia," the spokesperson said. "It will be focused on supporting existing partners and growing the brand in a competitive environment. We will make announcements at the appropriate time.”