XP Conversations: Paul Pacifico - CEO Saudi Music Commission

As the CEO of Saudi Music Commission, the official partner of XP Music Futures, Paul Pacifico has been playing a pivotal role in shaping a more inclusive future for the Saudi music industry, anchored in the promotion of Saudi talents.

Under his leadership, the Saudi Music Commission has launched a series of innovative programs and projects to elevate the local music ecosystem, such as the Oud House training centre, teaching musicians how to play traditional Arabic musical instruments, the Saudi Music Memory initiative to document the history of Saudi art, as well as ‘MOJA’ in collaboration with Anghami, which aims to elevate the skills of local artists and enable them to showcase their music globally.

His six-year tenure as CEO of the UK’s Association of Independent Music (AIM) - which represents indie artists, music labels and entrepreneurs - led him on a journey to amplify the global presence and participation of the Saudi Music Commission, building bridges with key music stakeholders across the globe. Just last year, in 2023, the Music Commission participated in the annual A2IM Indie Week conference in New York as a sponsor of the event.

In this Saudi Spotlight edition of our XP Conversations series, Paul discusses the rapid growth of the Saudi music scene over the last five years in to a close-knit community with more organisations emerging to support music creators with the infrastructure and ecosystem they need to grow, and how he sees XP Music Futures as the frenetic manifestation of that.