Latin America. CEDIA has appointed Daryl Friedman as President and Global Chief Executive Officer. He will take office on November 29, 2021.
Friedman has spent more than 30 years in leadership positions at nonprofits, and has overseen the membership, promotion, industry relations and technical wing of the 25,000-member Recording Academy. The Academy, known worldwide for the GRAMMY Awards, is the association that represents technical and creative music professionals.
"We have found someone I am confident will be the radical change in leadership that CEDIA needs and deserves," said Jamie Briesemeister, a member of CEDIA's Board of Directors and Executive Search Committee. "Daryl has decades of experience leading business associations and advocating for members. He has a humble nature that attracts conversation and consensus, and deeply values technical expertise and art. Daryl has a vision of what CEDIA can be, and will be, and has the experience to realize it."
Friedman noted, "Having represented audio professionals for most of my career, I have admired CEDIA for championing immersive audio experiences at home. Now that our homes become the center of work, education, entertainment and wellness, CEDIA members are the indispensable partners in making our homes more comfortable and connected. This is truly CEDIA's moment, and I am honored to join the team at this exciting time."
Friedman has successfully advocated for legislation that would provide assistance to the recording community during the COVID-19 pandemic and protect creators' rights in the age of streaming, earning him billboard's title of "the man of music creators in Washington." He also conceived and cultivated GRAMMYs on the Hill, an annual advocacy program attended by congressional and music industry leaders. He has worked to increase and modernize the Academy's membership, leading initiatives to update hiring practices to reflect the diversity of the industry.
Friedman's interest in technology was bolstered by his close collaboration with the Academy's wing of engineers and producers. A key advisor to Wing's leadership of technologists and manufacturers, he visited studios across the country and spoke frequently about the need to protect the rights of those who use their technological skills to improve people's lives. In 2014, the wing approved CEDIA's high-resolution audio training program for home technology professionals. Later, Friedman and the Wing led the effort to pass the Music Producers Allowance Act (AMP), federal legislation that protects the livelihoods of technical wing members.
Friedman's selection concludes a long and deliberate search led by Vetted Solutions. The process involved multiple rounds of interviews and exercises, including a final meeting in which the candidate questioned the search committee, asking candid questions about the role and expectations.
