Splice Chief Music Officer Maria Egan exits, joins Riot Games as Global Head of Music & Events – Music Business Worldwide

Widely-respected music executive Maria Egan has joined Riot Games’ entertainment division as Global Head of Music & Events.

Egan was previously the Chief Music Officer at music creation marketplace Splice, since June 2020.

Prior to Splice, Egan was President and Head of Creative at Los Angeles-based music company PULSE Music Group.

Founded in 2006, Los Angeles-headquartered Riot Games is the developer and publisher behind hit games like League of Legends, Valorant and the award-winning Netflix animated series Arcane.

Arcane premiered at No.1 globally on Netflix in November 2021 and held the top spot for three weeks in a row, hitting the Top 10 in over 87 countries.

Enemy, the hit single by Imagine Dragons from the original soundtrack, has reached over two billion streams, went to No.1 on the Billboard US Radio chart in May, and continues to chart globally six months post release, becoming the band’s fastest streaming song to date.

At Riot Games, Egan will spearhead global music content for all gaming, television series, and film. Additionally, Egan will manage all music strategy, relationships, and label partnerships.

The developer says that Egan will also develop and execute the its strategy for “location based experiences” including real life, mixed reality, and virtual experiences”

Shauna Spenley, President of Riot Games Entertainment made the announcement today (May 5).

Egan was most recently Chief Music Officer at Splice, where she led the company’s partnerships with artists, global music strategy, and served as Chair of the DEI Council.

Through her career, Egan has worked alongside a range of superstar artists – from Kehlani to Tiesto, Run The Jewels to Brandi Carlile – and led the Pulse team to achieving more than 10 billion combined music streams, 100 million RIAA-certified units, 150 RIAA Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum song certifications, 10 Billboard Hot 100 No.1a and many other awards.

“Maria (Egan) has an exceptional track record in the music industry, and there is no one better to lead our music and events division.”

Shauna Spenley, Riot Games

Riot Games has also appointed Kristin Moss as Global Head of Entertainment Marketing, Emily Briggs as Global Head of Entertainment Finance and Strategy, and Ken Basin as Global Head of Business Operations.

Moss will oversee all the marketing strategies, creative and integrated campaigns that reimagine and deepen player connections across the entertainment portfolio.  The veteran marketer comes to Riot Games from HBO Max where she was VP of Marketing.

Briggs joins Riot Games as Global Head of Entertainment Finance and Strategy, where she will lead the strategic planning, monetization, and financial capabilities across the entertainment division. She comes to the company from Netflix, where she spent over twelve years in strategic planning and acquisitions.

Ken Basin joins Riot Games as Global Head of Business Operations, where he will manage business affairs, operations, and physical production for film and television. He comes from Paramount Television Studios, where he served as Executive VP and Head of Business Affairs, and previously worked in senior executive roles at Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios.

Said Spenley: “The success of Arcane exemplified players’ excitement and appetite for world-building across games, and we’re excited to give them new ways to experience the IP they know and love.

“Maria (Egan) has an exceptional track record in the music industry, and there is no one better to lead our music and events division.

“With the addition of Kristin Moss, Emily Briggs, and Ken Basin, we’ve established a tremendous leadership team and are eager to build a rich slate across film, television, music, consumer products, and more.”

 Music Business Worldwide