(London, UK – January 15, 2026) – SESAC PRO announced today the hiring of Chris Sheehan, longtime music industry veteran with a wide range of experience spanning across 25 years.
A longtime partner with SESAC, Sheehan has worked alongside the PRO for many years through his work as the co-founder of London-based Karousel Music, a management company, boutique label, music publisher, and CIC. In this role, he founded and hosted the UK music industry’s longest running London showcase alongside SESAC and the MMF (since 2018), giving over 600 showcase opportunities to artists where they keep 100% of the proceeds. Additionally, he has curated and hosted the SESAC/Karousel and friends Reeperbahn showcase, which has run now for 11 years.
Sheehan will continue building on the efforts of John Sweeney, who worked diligently at SESAC for over 20 years to support creators across the UK before his passing in June of 2025. Sweeney was instrumental in the careers of many artists in the UK and across the globe, including Glass Animals, Mumford & Sons, Alt-J, Rex Orange County, Disclosure, Thin Lizzy, and many others.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Chris to the SESAC family. As a trusted partner of our organization and close friend to John Sweeney, we’re confident he will honor John’s legacy while providing exceptional support to our affiliates in the UK and beyond,” said Chief Creative Officer, Sam Kling.
In addition to his work with Karousel, Sheehan manages new UK artist/songwriter Ruby Duff. In his spare time, he runs a series of industry networking events including Industry Speed dating, where artists and aspiring industry pros are given the chance to meet those at the top of the business; to Music Biz #QuizWAR! sponsored by Amazon Music.
Previously, Sheehan worked for UK music charity Help Musicians and was a board member of both the Help Musicians Advisory Board and IAFAR (International Association of Artists and Rightsholders). Before transitioning to the business side of the industry, he was an artist and songwriter for 17 years, during which time he recorded five studio albums working with collaborators such as Matt Deighton, Mark E Brydon, and more. Additionally, he opened 50:50 Studios in 2005 and spent 15 years as an engineer and producer.
