Ben Cockerham is a co-founder of RightsFlow and the company’s Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, overseeing all strategy, finance and business development operations. He has an extensive background in business development, international rights issues and negotiations, accounting, IT, network operations and music history. Ben’s lifelong passion for and involvement with music and songwriting has fueled his commitment to finding a way to simplify publisher licensing in order to ensure that creators are paid for their work.
As a composer for film, television, advertising, and video games, and as a performing songwriter and composer of concert music, Ben saw first-hand the need record labels and global businesses had for simplifying the complex process of U.S. copyright compliance. Together with Patrick Sullivan, Ben helped cofound RightsFlow, which has become the leading expert in mechanical licensing, accounting and royalty payment services. He helped design RightsFlow’s proprietary technology platform that streamlines the mechanical licensing process, creating a single, cost-effective channel through which rights-holders and companies that sell or distribute music can connect.
Ben was instrumental in establishing RightsFlow’s European business, recognizing that in a digital era, many international labels and distributors were unfamiliar with or unaware of U.S. copyright requirements. He developed the European market for RightsFlow by demonstrating the company’s ability to help global businesses simply navigate the complex U.S. copyright system. Today, RightsFlow works with over 5,400 international businesses, helping them properly license, account for and pay royalties in accordance with U.S. copyright law. Ben’s deep understanding of the ever-changing copyright landscape also helps the company navigate new legislative changes impacting rates and licensing requirements for new delivery methods such as DPD, and ringtone licenses including streaming, tethered, and limited downloads rights.
Prior to cofounding RightsFlow, Ben was the Director of Global Operations for the Music Services division at The Orchard Enterprises, Inc (NasdaqGM: ORCD) where he worked with Patrick Sullivan to establish and oversee global operations in more than 10 territories. He designed the licensing and publishing royalty systems for The Orchard and oversaw the technical implementation of The Orchard’s new Music Services business areas into the existing Orchard systems. In addition to managing all licensing services, publishing administration and neighboring rights collections, Ben developed and implemented a number of innovative licensing arrangements that offered new revenue models and a chance for artists to increase exposure across international borders.
Ben holds a Bachelor’s in Music Composition from Baylor University and a Master’s of Music Business from New York University. He began his career at John Scher and Al Cafaro’s Metropolitan Talent/Hybrid Records and has worked at the accounting firm of Sam Griffin & Co.
Contact Ben:
ben.cockerham@rightsflow.com
+1(212) 937-6955 x301
