Mark Bounds (TIR Music / Talentcoach, Sweden)

My early background lay primarily in A&R and artist development for major record labels. As a consultant, I continued this work with a number of major and independent music companies and was fortunate to work with a number of hugely successful artists.

When I began to consult to the music education sector on artist development and career progression I became increasingly interested in the field of overall performance development, irrespective of discipline. This led to research in the field of elite sports performance in order to draw analogies between performance development in the music industry and the way in which sport develops both its performers and those tasked with the development of those performers. Subsequently I expanded the research beyond the fields of sport and music.

I believe that within any industry we should be looking at the simultaneous performance development of both the performer and their support teams to the highest level, whether that be in music companies, sports teams or any wider organisation.

I believe there are many lessons that seemingly unrelated industries can learn from, and exchange with, each other in pursuit of optimum performance development and I am currently writing a paper based on this principle entitled ‘The Talentborrowers’.

I am also researching the economic regional development benefits of a convergence point between the creative industries education sector, creative industries practitioners and the tech start up sector to enhance regional creativity.

I have delivered workshops, panels and presentations regarding artist development and career development across the UK, the US, Sweden and Australia.