The International Young Music Entrepreneur (IYME) award, now in its fourth year, focuses on emerging markets. Nine diverse and accomplished finalists, representing Brazil, China, Cuba, India, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Nigeria and Poland were selected by British Council offices around the world to participate in the programme.

The finalists travelled to the UK to take part in a tour of the UK music industry, including meeting with 4AD Records, Ninja Tune, Blueprint Studios, and SJM Concerts. Their tour culminated at the Great Escape in Brighton where this year's IYME winner was announced.

Click this link to read about the award ceremony, the winner of the award and the sister award UK Young Music Entrepreneur

The IYME finalists in full:

India
Vijay Nair Winner
Co-Founder and director, Only Much Louder (OML) Event Mgmt Pvt Ltd, Counter Culture Records, Babblefish Productions, OML Digital

OML is an artist management firm, concert production house, Event Management Company, and indie music label all rolled into one. Counter Culture Records (CCR) is the record label owned by OML, started in 2007 as an independent distribution and a marketing platform for niche bands. Babble Fish is the production house arm of OML whose show reel ranges from music videos, audio-visuals, to covering live events as well as short documentaries.
www.oml.in

Brazil
Fabricio De Almeida Nobre
Owner, Monstro Records e Fitas Magnéticas do Brasil Ltda
President, ABRAFIN

Monstro Records is a record labels with over 100 records released and promotes the Bananada Festival and Goiania Noise Festival, dedicated to indie music. ABRAFIN is a non profitable organisation who unites independent festivals in the country.
www.monstrodiscos.com.br / www.abrafin.org

China
Meng Jinhu
Label Manager, Modern Sky

Modern Sky is the largest independent record label in China, producing award-winning music content from artists within various music genres. With a catalogue of more than one hundred titles, Modern Sky maintains the largest market share in the world for Chinese rock music content. Modern Sky maintains close relationships with foreign music content providers through both the exclusive licensing of foreign music for China and exportation of Chinese music to other parts of the world.
www.modernsky.com

Cuba
Adrián Monzón
Owner, Matraka
Co-Manager and Arts Director for the Rotilla Festival

Matraka is a non profit making creative arts organisation dedicated to the empowerment of individuals and community groups in Cuba especially from the independent world. He wishes to develop opportunities for alternative artists to perform, record and be distributed.
www.rotillafestival.com (under construction) / www.youtube.com/matrakadecuba

Kenya
Kevin Ombajo
Director, Trueblaq Group

Established in 2002, True Blaq Ltd is one of the prominent event management companies in Kenya. Within his role Kevin has produced albums for a number of notable Kenyan artistes and worked to make sure that talented emerging artists have the opportunity to make a living from music.
www.trueblaqkenya.com / www.trueblaq.com

Lithuania
Jonas Ciurlionis
Event Organiser, Baltic Prog Fest
Musician and Manager, The Skys

Baltic Prog Fest is a progressive rock music festival and which brings together best acts in this genre from the East and West.  The Festival also give an opportunity for Lithuanian musicians within this style of music to promote their names abroad.
www.balticprogfest.com / www.theskys.com

Malaysia
Lau Hoe Yin aka DJ Blink
DJ, Electronic Music Producer and Designer, Blinkville

Blink is no stranger to the club scene in Kuala Lumpur. At 26, he’s won awards and competitions for his turntable skills, played at international festivals such as the 2007 Global Gathering in the UK and has conceptualised and created several popular club nights - Eclectic Phunk, Mis-shapes, Hura Hura and LapSap, the last being his most successful endeavour yet. a home for the underground creative community – DJs, musicians, fashion designers, stylists, graphic designers – to channel their respective creative expressions.
www.blinkville.com

Nigeria
Cobhams Asuquo
Head of Productions, CAMP (Cobhams Asuquo Music Production)

Up until recently, CAMP was primarily a sound and music production studio, but we’re expanding our scope to evolve into an all-encompassing entertainment company whose primary focus is artiste development and exposure. The company also create audio materials for advertising agencies and companies.
www.camp.com.ng

Poland
Radek Miszczak
PR & Marketing Manager/Owner, Joytown Agency

Radek Miszczak is a music promoter and event manager. Joytown specialises in design, promotion and production of music events for young people, aged 16-35. Among them are club events, music festivals and concerts.  Radek is also a journalist and author of two music encyclopaedias, has personal interests in music event tourism, and is a vinyl collector and DJ.
www.miszczak.pl / www.joytown.pl