About CI
ci is a technology services company that is dedicated to the independent music industry. It has years of combined music industry and technology experience, making it amongst the most advanced services in the world of its kind. Its DCM service is the open industry solution for digital distribution; meeting the needs of independent music labels and distributors.
CI was founded in 2003 and its services are based on more than a decade of technology innovation.
ci clients include: Vital:Pias Digital (VPD), Pinnacle Entertainment, Sanctuary Records Group, Ministry of Sound, Beggars Group, Epitaph, Mute, Echo, Timewarp, Demon Music Group and Pinnacle Entertainment.
Given the global nature of the emerging digital music industry, our staff are fluent in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Taiwanese and English.
Who Are CI?
Management
- Managing Director - Gavin Starks
- Business Development Director - Paul Hitchman
- Director of Strategy - Paul Sanders
- Technical Director - Philip Crewdson
The Team
Our exceptional staff are here to ensure that all your day-to-day needs are met. ci 's teams are lead by
- Sales and Account Manager - Quentin Chambers
- Chief Operating Officer - Eric Namour
Board
The executive board comprises Gavin Starks, Paul Hitchman, Paul Sanders, Philip Crewdson. In addition, Simon Wheeler and Karen Emanuel act as non-executive Directors.
Gavin Starks (Managing Director)
A pioneer of streaming media in the UK and Europe since 1995, Gavin helped set up Richard Branson's online services, including Virgin Net, Virgin Radio and Virgin Megastores. He also co-founded the International Webcasting Association in Europe and became its European Chairman in 2001. In 1999 he created streaming media company, Tornado Productions, which he sold in September 2003 to Europe's largest webcasting company, Servecast. Tornado serviced a broad range of clients ranging from Emap and Channel Four to Rolls Royce and Shell.
Prior to joining ci, Gavin served as CTO of Asset TV, leading the development and launch of a touch-screen Internet TV channel for the Financial Sector, rolling out to over 150 financial institutions across the country including HSBC and Framlington Group; and Senior Consultant at Servecast, focussing on product strategy, sales and business development.
Gavin has been involved in online music since 1992.
Toolshed is the world's leading new media consultancy, providing new media promotion for independent artists as diverse as Cat Power, Peaches, Stephen Malkmus, Ani DiFranco, and Aimee Mann, and for record labels representing the cream of the crop of worldwide independent music, including the Beggars Group, Matador Records, Touch and Go, Merge Records, Righteous Babe Records, Kill Rock Stars, spinART, PIAS, and United Musicians.
In 1997, Huey started and developed the new media department at the Beggars Group of record labels. He is responsible for the AVDeck (www.avdeck.com) QT radio station, one of only a few online radio stations permanently featured at Apple.com. Huey also defined and charted the Group's long-term internet strategy.
He is a Soundexchange Board member, representing Matador Records. In addition, he is the chairperson and co-founder of INMPA (Independent New Media Professional Association). INMPA has branches in New York and Los Angeles, and is a forum for the new media directors from a majority of top independent record labels in the US.
Paul Sanders (Director of Strategy)
Paul Sanders is a co-founder of state51, established in 1991 and one of the UK's leading interactive music and media companies. Paul has worked with Virgin Records (1994-2000), Cable and Wireless (1997), BT (1999), EMI (1997-2000), Sony (1999), and Channel 4 (2001) developing strategy and delivering award-winning internet, broadband and interactive television projects.
Since 1999 Paul has been developing the state51 conspiracy, an online co-operative for music, with some of the Europe's most cutting edge independent record labels. The conspiracy combines global digital distribution, marketing, mail order, and direct digital sales.
Paul co-founded Consolidated Independent, as a music technology services company with a mission to give the independent sector access to the digital marketplace on an equal footing with the major record labels.
In 2004 Paul co-founded and is Strategic Director of PlayLouder MSP, a broadband ISP licensed for music, establishing an entirely new business model for digital music.
Paul is an occasional columnist for MusicAlly, the digital music newsletter, and a regular speaker at industry conferences. He engages with both record industry technical standards bodies and projects, and with Government on legislative and policy issues, as a representative of AIM, and advises AIM and its members on technology and digital business.
Philip Crewdson (Technical Director)
Co-founder and managing director, with Paul Sanders of state51. Philip is a co-founder of CI. In partnership with Paul Sanders, Philip has developed the extensive state51 software platform upon which the CI technology services are based. Philip has also worked with Paul as a consultant to Virgin Records, EMI Group, BT and Cable & Wireless. Philip is a Cambridge University graduate.
Paul Hitchman (Business Development Director)
Co-founder of digital music and media company, PlayLouder.Between 1994-97 Paul co-founded and ran London-based independent record labels, Sugar Records and Candy Records. A&R/Marketing consultant to BMG/Arista (1994-96); A&R Manager at Warner Music (1997-99); Music Consultant to Channel 5 TV (1996-98) and Channel 4 (1998-99). Ran the European office of the Soundtrack Company, an LA-based film soundtrack consultancy (1995-99). Paul is a Cambridge University economics graduate.
Simon Wheeler (Non-exec Director)
Simon is Head of Digital at Beggars Group, one of Europe's most influential and successful record companies. Beggars Group comprises several labels including Beggars Banquet, XL Recordings, Matador, 4AD, Too Pure and Mantra, and many gold and platinum status artists including Prodigy, White Stripes, Basement Jaxx, Charlatans, The Cult, Pixies, Badly Drawn Boy.
Karen Emanuel (Non-exec Director)
Managing Director of Key Production. Key Production look after all aspects of manufacturing of CD, DVD, Vinyl, Video, Cassette, CDR, Print and Packaging for music, media and corporate industries. For over 15 years its experienced production controllers have been steering people through the maze of manufacturing, helping them save money and meet release dates.
