Sumit Bothra is Managing Director of Embargo Management and began working within the music industry while still in university. Bothra began his career in 1996 while at The University of Pennsylvania as a College Marketing Representative for Virgin Records of America. At that time he was responsible for promoting their artists through a vast network of college/university publications and radio stations across the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. In 1998 Paul Burger (then CEO of Sony Music UK) invited Bothra to set-up the UK’s first bona fide College Marketing Department within a European major. While at Sony Music, Bothra also set up Blue Elephant Music, a joint-venture with Sony Music India, which sold over 500,000 records during its first two years in operation against all expectations. Bothra parted ways with Sony Music in 2002 and set up Embargo Management in 2003 to manage the highly regarded recording artist and film composer, Nitin Sawhney. Bothra extended his roster to include bands and began overseeing the careers of Fink and The Boxer Rebellion. Although born in the UK, Bothra is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s distinguished Management and Technology Program. In 1999 he earned 2 undergraduate degrees from the Wharton School of Business (Finance, Strategic Management, and Entrepreneurial Management) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering (Systems Engineering) concurrently. Earlier this year Bothra led The Boxer Rebellion to become the first unsigned band in history to enter the Billboard 200 Albums Chart on a purely digital release. He has spoken at numerous industry conferences including In the City, The Great Escape, Un-Convention India, Live UK Summit, and City Showcase and also takes a leading role on International markets and relationships on behalf of the Music Manager’s Forum.
Brian Message - Partner
Brian Message requires little introduction. He is co-owner of ATC and co-manager of Radiohead. Message is also the Chairman of the Music Manager’s Forum, the collective body of UK artist managers and representatives. Message is well known within the global music industry as a trailblazing leader who helped engineer the groundbreaking ‘pay what you want’ release of Radiohead’s In Rainbows LP, and most recently laumched Polyphonic – an investment vehicle for recording artists who require substantial levels of funding.
Phil Middleton - Management Executive
Phil provides label support and product management to Embargo clients.