BMIM Presents: Battle Of The Sync Managers

Over the past few years, Bram has worked in various roles within the Sync Department at CTM Publishing. Currently in the role of Sync & International Relations Manager, where he is responsible for creating and handling sync-opportunities globally, while maintaining and expanding CTM’s international network of (sub-publishing) partners. His work spans from independent film and television productions to global advertising campaigns, blockbuster films, games, and brand-artist collaborations.

Emilie Kretz-Kannekens is Senior Director at BMG, a global music company representing artists and songwriters across recorded music and publishing, where she leads the Benelux Sync+ team. Before joining BMG in 2025, Emilie built her career at MassiveMusic. As EMEA Head of Search & Licensing, she and her team worked on global campaigns for brands including LEGO, Heineken and Philips. With a background in copyright and intellectual property law, she combines rights expertise and commercial strategy to create new opportunities for artists and songwriters across advertising, film, television, gaming and beyond.

Aron van der Ploeg has been working in the music industry since 2000 and, as of March 2020, has served as Sync & Licensing Manager and A&R at Warner Chappell Music, a global music publisher that is part of the Warner Music Group and represents artists and composers such as Celeste, Raye, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Stromae, Kacey Musgraves, Ava Max, Antoon, Roxy Dekker and Eefje de Visser, as well as legendary music by George Gershwin, Gamble & Huff, George Michael, David Bowie, Madonna, and Quincy Jones.

Aron has worked on films such as *Afblijven*, *Rokjesdag*, and *Zwanger & Co*, as well as global campaigns for Adidas, Desperados, Heineken, Evian, 7Up, and Lego, and numerous Netflix films.

Jits Vlaar is an Amsterdam-based offline editor working across commercials, music and film. He has worked on campaigns and films for brands including Porsche, Adidas, KLM, Transavia and The North Face, as well as projects with artists and cultural organisations such as Paradiso.

His work spans a wide range of styles and formats, with a focus on storytelling, rhythm and visual language.

Roddy van der Weijden is Head of Sync at Amsterdam-based Armada Music Group. With over 12 years of experience in sync and licensing, Roddy has built a career specialising in sync for mainly electronic music across labels and publishers.

In his current role at Armada Music, Roddy oversees sync activities across the label, publishing division and BEAT, Armada’s catalogue acquisition fund. Prior to joining Armada, Roddy spent almost a decade as Sync Manager at Spinnin’ Records.

Over the years, Roddy has secured song placements in games such as FC/FIFA, The Crew, Just Dance and Fortnite, for brands including H&M, Samsung, M&S, GoPro and Lidl, as well as in numerous TV series and movies.

Josh Rabinowitz is a recognised global thought leader in that space where music, media, brands and content intersect. During his 20 + year career he has produced and music supervised over 10K tracks for brands, cinema, major recording labels and TV. He has been called a “New Music Mogul” by Fast Company, “The Voice” of the music branding space in the press and a “Branding Power Player” by Billboard where he was also a ‘celebrity’ columnist for “With the Brand.”

He’s been a professor at The New School in NYC since 2008, as well as at NYU, Drexel, Brooklyn College and Tufts, and has been cited in the NY Times, Rolling Stone, Time, The New Yorker, NY Magazine, the WSJ, Vulture, Crain’s, Variety, AdAge, Forbes, etc. He has also appeared on Bloomberg TV News and NPR (National Public Radio) many times. He resigned from his position as EVP/Director of Music at Grey Group in 2019 to start a music and sound consultancy called the Brooklyn Music Experience. His current passion is to coach and advise aspiring musical minds.