BIGSOUND: Mardi Caught

Business: Warner Music Australia

Position/Title: Managing Director, Atlantic Records

How did you first become involved in the music business? I fell in love with bands at an early age so I set about making sure I could turn music into my career. Unable to carry a tune or play an instrument, the only route left for me was the backroom side of the business. I enrolled at the Uni of SA, got my BA in journalism and proof read Rip It Up in my spare time. A promo manager clocked me noting answers in shorthand during an interview with The Dukes for RIU told me there was a job as branch secretary – that was it – interviewed with the HR person, got the job, career started.

What do you perceive to be your area of expertise, and how did you gain experience in this field? I've been fortunate enough to not only work in different parts of the business, but also different parts of the world. Having been employed by a variety of labels as well as MTV, I've enjoyed everything from promotions to international marketing, but I always end up feeling completely at home with marketing – the creative and strategic side of plotting campaigns and developing talent is the most fun.

Is this your first BIGSOUND? This will be my second, although to be fair last time I only went for two hours. There was a panellist I really wanted to hear so I flew in and out to see him.

What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference? I will be the first to admit that I'm a control freak, but hopefully this will be dictated by the other panellists and the audience members who engage. I'm sure there will be the usual batch of on-topic questions, but I'd like to think that with the great assortment of people on the panel, the discussion will take on a life of its own.

What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview? Only what they think is relevant. It's a good time for mavericks in the business at the moment and if someone walks out wanting to rip up the rule book then that's a good thing.

What are you expecting to take away yourself from your visit to BIGSOUND? I would love a musical epiphany. Those moments when you stumble across something completely unexpected and it removes all your jadedness and takes you back to being that kid in the audience buzzing on a booming bottom end. I usually find it happens at about 1am. Go figure.

Check The Music App for all BIGSOUND 2014 Panel and Keynote details.