About Us

GoldState Music is a private investment firm with a primary focus on the music sector. Our funds invest in music rights and enterprises in need of growth or expansion capital. The firm was founded in 2022 by Charles Goldstuck and currently has offices in New York, NY and Lake Nona, FL (Orlando).

Rights

GoldState’s rights fund invests in music intellectual property assets, such master recordings, publishing rights, producer royalties, and neighboring rights. 

The rights fund leverages our vast global industry expertise to identify rights with attractive performance trajectories. Our active management strategy and unique fund synergy provide further catalog growth opportunities.

Growth

Our growth fund focuses on investing in music-oriented companies with healthy growth rates, exceptional leadership, a well-established market position, and the potential for attractive margins.

Utilizing our skills and experience, we aim to be an active investor who provides unparalleled industry access and participates in strategic planning based on mutually aligned needs and goals.

DAYA Diamond

Rights Portfolio

Growth Portfolio

Team

Highly accomplished operating executive and investor within recorded music, music publishing, and technology. Prior to establishing GSM, he founded and served as Co-Chairman of Hitco Entertainment, a music and entertainment company focused on the creation, production, recording, and distribution of recorded music and artist services. Other prior roles include Executive Chairman of TouchTunes Interactive Networks (Octave Group), the world’s largest out of home interactive digital entertainment network; President and COO of the Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG). Co-founded J Records in 2000 with industry legend Clive Davis and built it into the RCA Music Group. Founder of The Sanctuary at Albany, a state-of-the-art recording studio and music academy.

Charles Goldstuck

Managing Partner

Music business professional with international experience throughout various fields within the industry. Most recently the General Manager and Partner of MER Group, one of the most successful music companies out of the Nordic region. Developed flagship client Alan Walker into becoming one of the most popular artists within the EDM genre, amassing 50 billion streams worldwide since his 2015 debut. Holds a BA degree in marketing management from Norwegian School of Management and University of California, Berkeley. Recognized as one of the Nordic Music Industry’s ‘Top 20 under 30’ by NOMEX (a collaborative organization facilitating growth in the Nordic music sector).

Yonas Aregai

Chief of Staff

Finance professional with investment banking and start-up operating experience. Responsible for planning and analysis at GoldState Music across all funds. Previously the Head of Strategy and Finance at Hitco Entertainment, a PE-backed contemporary music and entertainment company. Strong knowledge in music valuation, advising on both buy and sell-side catalog sales. Prior to Hitco, AJ was employed at Deutsche Bank in NYC in their Financial Sponsors Investment Banking group. Honors Program graduate from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

AJ Caruso

Principal

Emerging technology specialist with experience in Artificial Intelligence Research, decentralized business development, and executive leadership education. Former Brand Velocity Group Private Equity Fellow with experience in LBO modeling and deal structuring. Previously employed at Grant Thornton Public Sector in the strategy service line with a focus on cybersecurity solutions onboarding and legislative monitoring. Bachelor’s Degrees in International Relations and German from Colgate University.

Ben Chaiken

Analyst

Results-driven human resources professional with expertise in employee relations, recruitment, performance management, payroll and benefits administration, policy development and implementation, training and development, and compensation. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills coupled with sound business judgment. Proficient in assisting organizations in meeting business objectives in a rapidly changing environment. Team player, bringing enthusiasm and energy into group efforts.​

Paul Craig

Director, Human Resources

Live events and administrative professional. Previously a freelance hospitality coordinator working both domestic and international concerts, festivals, and events. Prior roles include an Administrative Assistant at Townsquare Media with experience in office management and executive support. Bachelors degrees in Entertainment Management and Journalism from The University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Lauren Cunningham

Executive Assitant

Highly experienced music business professional, with over 25 years of history in Finance/Accounting and Administration roles for both major and startup music labels. In addition to his role at GoldState, he is currently the Chief Financial Officer of FAE Ventures, a music label, publisher, and artist management company based in London with offices in Los Angles and New York. Prior roles include financial consulting for several media and entertainment companies (incl. SME and TouchTunes), as well as senior finance roles at major record companies (MCA/Geffen, J Records, Arista and Capitol). Rodger has a Bachelor of Science from NYU and an MBA in Finance from USC. ​

Rodger Garfinkel

Senior Financial Advisor

Finance professional with music copyright valuation and strategy consulting experience. Anna is responsible for data ingestion, deal underwriting, and portfolio management at GoldState Music. Prior to working at GoldState, Anna was a music catalog valuation expert at FTI Consulting, performing dozens of valuations spanning individual publishing and masters’ catalogs, to some of the largest music portfolio transactions and securitizations in the industry to date. Anna graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

Anna Howard

Associate

Accounting and Operations professional with music administration experience. Previously the Controller and Head of Production at Hitco Entertainment, leading all accounting and supply chain administration for the company. Prior roles include Grant Thornton’s Business Risk/Advisory Services practice, with significant experience in financial and operational audits, enterprise risk assessment, IPO planning, and ERP software planning/implementation Dual bachelor’s degree graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Lance Jung

Chief Administration Officer

Finance and operations professional with notable experience in systems analysis & design, recorded music finance, and music publishing finance. As the former Director of Finance and operations at Glassnote Records, Christopher not only managed intricate financial operations and royalty processing but also engineered intuitive analytical tools that revolutionized decision-making within the company. Christopher received a Bachelor's Degree of Science with a concentration in Economics from St. John’s University.

Christopher Murray

Director, Finance & Operations

Highly experienced financial and operating executive in the recorded music and music publishing fields Extensive knowledge of music licensing and distribution arrangements as well as recording artist and music publishing contracts; deep experience of the underlying systems widely used to operate and comply with such agreements. Involved in numerous negotiations to acquire recorded music and music publishing businesses. Most recently Senior Vice President Finance & Business Operations for Octave Music Group International, based in London. Previously General Manager of TouchTunes’ international business, leading the expansion into Europe and the multiple negotiations that created the largest supplier of interactive music in public venues Other prior roles include senior positions at Sony Music Entertainment and partner at Ernst & Young.​

Alan Newham

Senior Financial Director

Highly impactful finance, strategy and operations executive. Previously Chief Financial Officer at Hitco Entertainment, a music and entertainment company focused on the creation, production, recording and distribution of recorded music and artist services. Experience includes 25 years at Paramount Pictures in various executive roles including Executive Vice President, Finance, Sales Administration and Operations for $1.6B Worldwide Television & Digital Distribution Division. Seven years of public accounting experience at KPMG, specializing in the entertainment industry. CPA in the state of California and MBA from the Anderson School of Business.​

Carolyn Peterson

Senior Financial Director

Highly experienced music industry executive bringing expansive operational and strategic knowledge from a wide span of business sectors in media, tech, branding, marketing, startups, investment, and social impact. Currently CEO of Not Dead Yet Media, a media and tech company. Prior positions include EVP and General Manager at Madonna’s Maverick Records, building the label into a freestanding record company within the Warner Music Group. Additionally, headed Creative Services and A&R, executive producing soundtracks in both film and video games, receiving a Grammy nomination. VP and General Manager at London Records, launching the music label in the US. Principal at a branding and marketing company for Top 100 clients. Founded a strategic agency working with startups in the tech, music, media, social impact, and book publishing sectors.

Russell Rieger

Senior Marketing Advisor

Finance professional with experience in all stages of music rights acquisitions, from ingestion of raw historical royalty data and valuation underwriting to investment execution and portfolio management. Responsible for leading the identification, review and evaluation of music investment opportunities, as well as portfolio monitoring and management of acquired catalogs. Previous catalog acquisition experience with Influence Media Partners, a BlackRock-backed music rights fund. Prior to his role at Influence Media Partners, Josh built his foundation in finance through roles in private equity with Pomona Capital and investment banking with Wells Fargo Securities. He received his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and his BBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.​

Joshua Sallen

Principal

Partners

Press

GoldState Music Announces Partnership with Flexpoint Ford to Pursue Music Catalog Acquisitions
November 15th, 2023
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Contact

GoldState Music in Florida

Lake Nona, FL
6900 Tavistock Lakes Boulevard
Suite 200
Orlando, FL 32827

GoldState Music in New York

New York City, NY
30 East 23rd Street
12th Floor
New York City, NY 10010

For general inquiries,
contact us at: [email protected]