ANDREW SPARKLER

Andrew Sparkler is CEO and co-founder of Runner Music, an independent publishing venture alongside Ryan Tedder, Ron Lafitte, and Amanda Hill. Drawing upon twenty years of legal experience and music business acumen, he leads Runner’s acquisition and management of artist catalogs. Sparkler’s work drives the expansion and diversification of Runner’s portfolio, adding publishing for everything from indie rock to rap, reggae and electronic, alongside the new music produced by the company’s in-house roster of writers, while also overseeing general company operations and investments.

Prior to starting Runner, Sparkler cut his teeth as a music and employment attorney before serving as the Chief Business Officer at Downtown Music, where he was responsible for business development across the portfolio companies at a time when the company grew from 30 employees to over 400 and deployed over $150 million of capital on acquisitions of marquee music catalogs. He is a co-founder of the Dave Nee Foundation, an organization started in 2005 with a mission to eliminate the stigma associated with depression and suicide, particularly among law students and young attorneys.

"As a fun challenge, try to go one year without talking about the weather (including with family members, friends, work colleagues etc). If someone tries to engage you on this topic, just nod and immediately bring up something/anything else."