Merlin

Congratulations to the many Merlin members and partners recognized on Billboard’s 2026 Indie Power Players list!

It’s great to see so many familiar names from across the independent community acknowledged for their work and leadership across the industry. We’re proud to see the continued impact of Merlin members reflected throughout this year’s list.

We’re excited to announce a series of senior promotions within our Membership team, underscoring our deep commitment to supporting and developing our membership globally.

Central to today’s announcement is the promotion of Jim Mahoney to the new position of Chief Membership Officer, who has played a pivotal role in establishing Merlin’s North American operation.

Alongside Mahoney’s appointment, Merlin has further strengthened its membership team seeing additional promotions for Bela Zecker (Senior Director, Global Membership Development), Joe Mercer Danher (Director, Member Relations), and Ben Sperling (Manager, Global Membership Development).

We are thrilled to have launched Merlin Engage 2026 and we welcome this year’s mentors and mentees! 🎊

Now in its fourth year, Merlin Engage has supported more than 90 women globally and reflects Merlin’s broader push to strengthen representation and leadership development across its international membership.

This year marks incredible growth with a participation increase of 20%, and significant widening of international reach with participants spanning 21 cities.

Welcome 2026 cohort!