KGV Kiran Kumar is taking on the role of Managing Director, India & Middle East at The Orchard, the Sony Music-owned distribution and artist and label services company.
The executive announced the move in a post published to LinkedIn on Monday (June 22).
Kumar was previously Managing Director, India at the company, a remit that also covered its operations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
In his LinkedIn post, Kumar framed the move around the way recorded music now travels across borders and languages.
“An artist in Hyderabad can build fans in Houston,” he wrote.
“A Punjabi record can fill arenas in Canada. A Tamil soundtrack can resonate with listeners who don’t speak the language.”
“The Middle East is home to a rich and diverse musical landscape, and I’m looking forward to spending time understanding its artists, cultures, audiences, and industry dynamics,” Kumar wrote.
“My hope is to apply some of the lessons we’ve learned in India where relevant, while remaining a student of the region and its unique creative ecosystem.”
“The future of music will continue to be shaped by connection – between artists and fans, between cultures, and between communities.”
KGV Kiran Kumar
Kumar said audiences are “more open than ever to discovering music beyond geography, language, and identity,” and that he had watched Indian music “grow from being largely consumed at home to finding audiences in many parts of the world.”
Kumar joined The Orchard as Country Head, India in 2021, and was later promoted to Vice President & Country Head before being elevated to Managing Director, India in November 2023.
He arrived at The Orchard with two decades of cross-industry experience spanning banking, telecom, tech, and music.
Prior to The Orchard, he spent over two-and-a-half years at Believe, most recently as Distribution Director, India, having previously served as the independent distributor’s Head of Sales & Distribution Services in the country.
“Over the last five years, I’ve had the privilege of helping build The Orchard India alongside an exceptional team,” Kumar wrote.
“One lesson stands out above all: there are no shortcuts to understanding culture. You have to listen, learn, and stay curious,” Kumar added.
The Orchard operates in 47 cities worldwide, has expanded its presence across South Asia and other developing markets in recent years.
In September 2024, the company struck a global distribution partnership with Myst Music, a South Asian music-focused label whose first release under the deal came from Sri Lankan artist Jacqueline Fernandez.
India generated around USD $367 million in recorded music revenue in 2025, according to IFPI figures, roughly double its 2021 level – though the market remains overwhelmingly driven by free, ad-supported streaming.
At the All About Music conference in Mumbai last August, IFPI CEO Victoria Oakley described India as having “extraordinary potential” to drive the next wave of global growth, while urging the market to shift from ad-funded models toward paid subscriptions.
The Middle East and North Africa was among the fastest-growing regions tracked by IFPI in 2025, with revenues up 15.2% YoY, as the wider global recorded music market grew 6.4% to $31.7 billion.
“The future of music will continue to be shaped by connection – between artists and fans, between cultures, and between communities,” Kumar wrote.Music Business Worldwide