MUMBAI: Following competition clearance from EU in June for the new venture by PRS for Music, STIM and GEMA, the trio has decided to use the services of brand ICE. The EU hub will run under the ICE brand and will be powered by the 2010 formed-ICE copyright database.

Under ICE branding, there are ICE Operations, ICE Services and ICE Licensing, which will extend itself to provide its services to the new hub. ICE Operations will provide state of the art online matching and processing services, together with authoritative multi-territorial copyright services. ICE Services will offer services like invoicing, legal support and business intelligence analysis, while ICE Licensing will offer consolidated licensing of PRS for Music, GEMA and STIM’s multi-territory online rights and options for other rights holders to join the same core licence.

The hub has also named CEO of PRS for Music- Robert Ashcroft as the CEO of the ICE Licensing and ICE Services arm. Along with his role as CEO at PRS for Music, Ashcroft will take charge of delivering a hub that encourages the aggregation of music repertoires and offer state-of-the art rights management systems run from a single, authoritative database. Commenting on his new role, Ashcroft said, "The DNA of this hub has been forged from the same qualities as the ICE copyright database, which was in itself born of collaboration and a strong will to solve big problems in the market place. ICE is a truly mass market proposition that will appeal to the widest cross section of rightsholders and digital service providers operating across Europe. ICE builds out the brand with a truly flexible suite of options. It is set to deliver security, speed and reliability very cost effectively to all customers."

Apart from Ashcroft, the new expanded ICE offering will have Ben McEwen who will move from PRS for Music to take up post as Commercial Director of ICE Licensing to lead the licensing and front office rightsholder acquisition and management functions.

Neil Jones, who will drive the setup of the operational and professional functions, will take up the role of Services Director for ICE Service.

Over 2 lakh right holders and multi-territory digital music companies across Europe will be supported by ICE. STIM CEO Karsten Dyhrberg Nielsen added, "ICE is a unique offering that combines the expertise of the three owners within copyright administration and multi-territory online licensing and processing.” Adding to which, GEMA CEO Dr Harald Heker said, “ICE brings new economies of scale within reach of all rightsholders and will simplify the licensing market."