Jean-Michel Jarre among BIME PRO 2020 speaker line-up

Electronic music pioneer Jen-Michel Jarre is among a raft of speakers and panellists confirmed to appear at the eight edition of the BIME PRO Convention, set to take place in Bilbao, Spain from October 26-29.

The event will comprise a series of live and virtual conference sessions discussing and exploring the ways in which the music and audio industries can navigate the COVID-19 crisis.

Jarre, who has sold in excess of 80 million records worldwide, will be joined by an array of music industry luminaries at the event, from artists and producers to leading industry executives. Among those confirmed are Argentine actress and singer Tini Stoessel and Spanish and Latin American singer-songwriter sensation Nacho Vegas, while songwriter Linda Perry, the creative force behind hits such as ‘What’s Up’ from 4 Non Blondes, ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera and ‘Superwoman’ from Alicia Keys, will sit opposite Donita Sparks, leader of grunge band L7, to exchange their insights and experiences in music.

Industry speakers from the UK include Mike Malak, booking agent at Paradigm Agency representing Billie Eillish, CEO of European Festivals at AEG Presents responsible for festivals BST Hyde Park and All Points East James King, ATC/DRIIFT director and CEO Ric Salmon, IFPI director of insight and analysis David Price, and Beverley Whitrack, strategic director at Music Venue Trust.

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International speakers from different professional fields confirmed include renowned producer Rafael Sardina, who’s worked with such artists as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Lady Gaga; Saul Cabrera, consultant and specialist in internationalisation strategies, and current head of market development at EmuBands LATAM and Spain; Patricia Gabeiras, general director of the Music Festival Association (FMA); Tomás Tello, renowned music supervisors and the man behind the music selection of Money Heist; president of Universal Music Publishing Group LATAM and USA Latin Alexandra Lioutikoff; Chucky García, artistic programmer of Colombian festival Rock al Parque; Itzel González, booker for Mexico’s festival of reference Vive Latino and part of entertainment giant Ocesa; and the co- founder of Peru’s Selvámonos festival José E. Rodríguez.

“BIME PRO 2020 programme will cover the current context of the music industry, focusing on all the areas that compose it (festivals, live entertainment, recorded music, publishing, legal, technology and innovation, creation…), stressing the crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, analysing how the challenges it has presented affect the entire industry,” commented BIME PRO director Julen Martin. “We will attempt to find solutions and hope that what is urgent will not cause us to lose sight of what is important, to encourage the industry to continue to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals we have been working on and in which we have made significant strides in recent years, in terms of the environment, gender equality and education.”