MUMBAI: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced that Clara Kim has been appointed as the organisation's new Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Her tenure will commence on 1 June 2015. Kim follows Elizabeth Matthews as General Counsel, who was named CEO in January 2015. In her current profile, Kim will oversee all legal and business affairs of ASCAP, managing its legislative team, internal and outside legal services as well as business affairs in all areas of ASCAP's global operations.

On the new appointment, Matthews commented, "I am thrilled to have someone of Clara's calibre, business acumen and broad experience joining my senior leadership team to lead our business and legal affairs and legislative teams at ASCAP. Her expertise across the global media landscape and her knowledge of complex business transactions in the development, distribution and content areas are a perfect match for ASCAP as we evolve to offer best-in-class new services to our diverse constituents, including members and licensing partners. Her proven ability to successfully lead global legal and business affairs teams will be a huge asset to ASCAP as we realise our strategic vision for the future."

To that Kim added, "Working at a mission-driven organisation like ASCAP with music at its heart truly aligns with my passions, and I am very excited to become part of Beth's senior team.  I have always been an avid music fan, so I am eager for the opportunity to use my knowledge and experience to help songwriters, composers and music publishers succeed in maximising their opportunities in this rapidly evolving media landscape. There is no better place than ASCAP to realise my goal of supporting the creative community."

Before joining ASCAP, Kim served as EVP, Business and Legal Affairs for National Geographic Channels US and International, where she was responsible for their domestic and international businesses.  Before that, she spent two years as general counsel and co-founder of Multi-Verse Media, LLC, which produced original television and digital programming content.  She also served as EVP, global business and legal affairs for Discovery Communications, where she oversaw the business and legal affairs teams for all of its domestic and international networks, located in eight offices around the world.

Kim has also held several general counsel and senior legal positions at Viacom Inc.'s Spike TV, Nickelodeon, MTV Networks International and Showtime Networks. She began her legal career as a corporate attorney at Shearman and Sterling in New York.  She has also served as an adjunct professor at American University's Graduate School of Communication.

Kim received a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature from Brandeis University and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law. She is relocating from Washington, D.C. to New York City for her new position at ASCAP.