Following our AGM earlier this month, we’re proud to present the newly elected MIA Board! Here’s part 2: Introducing Tom Bacon and Lisa Coley…
Tom Bacon has been with D’Addario UK for the last 12 years and has held the position of General Manager for the past 8 years. He is responsible for delivering D’Addario’s sales and marketing strategy in the UK and Ireland and is a key member of the European Management team. He also has a keen interest in data analytics and manages the Business Intelligence needs of the European team.
Tom studied music to degree level and, after a short playing career, moved to music retail before joining D’Addario. Much to his own surprise, he also manages to still get booked around the Northeast as a drummer in a function band.
Tom, what will you be focusing on in your role as an MIA Board Member?
As an MIA board member, I would like to focus my efforts on how we can make our industry a great place to attract and retain talent, as well as considering how we can collaborate better with education establishments and authorities, to best encourage and support the musicians of tomorrow.
Lisa has almost 30 years of experience in the music industry, most recently establishing a consultancy company, Minerva Creative Consulting, to offer support and training to businesses and education, following 19 years running British microphone brand Sontronics.
Trained as a classical musician, with a degree in Music & French from Royal Holloway Uni, Lisa began her career in publishing, working on various music titles (including editorship of Future Music), running travel magazines and producing publications for high-profile clients such as Roland and Korg, PC World, Savills and Bentley. Having decided on a complete career change, Lisa began studying to become a languages and music teacher, during which time she met Trevor Coley, who had recently founded microphone business Sontronics. Together they built Sontronics into a world-recognised, multi-award-winning brand, used and loved by artists, composers and studios including Ed Sheeran, Abbey Road, Adele, Aerosmith and Jamie Oliver.
Through their new consultancy company, Lisa and Trevor offer business mentoring, manufacturing advice and strategy planning to startups and established companies in the music industry, as well as organising workshops and training in music technology, recording, careers and life skills for students, educators, businesses and individuals.
Lisa, what will your main focus be in your role as an MIA board member?
I’ve enjoyed being part of the MIA for many years and supporting it and our fellow businesses, and am very honoured to have been invited to the board. I look forward to helping music technology companies have a voice and can support education providers in line with the government’s new National Music Plan for Music. And also supporting the (thankfully) growing number of female faces in the music industry.
