Director of Marketing at Sony Music Türkiye, Hikmet Demirkol works at the intersection of music marketing, content strategy, and digital distribution. His career spans roles in digital music services, including fizy, as well as over a decade as a music columnist for Hürriyet, where he closely followed the evolving music landscape.

At Sónar+D, he brings a marketing and curation perspective to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on the music ecosystem. Drawing on his experience across editorial, platform strategy, and audience development, he examines how AI-driven tools are shaping music discovery, influencing listener behavior, and redefining how artists are positioned in an industry undergoing rapid transformation.

Music Licensing & Partnerships Executive at Merzigo, Arek Berin works at the intersection of music rights, licensing, and digital partnerships within the evolving music ecosystem. His work centers on building connections between platforms, rights holders, and artists, supporting the infrastructure that enables music distribution and access.

At Sónar+D, we’ve invited him to bring a licensing and platform-focused perspective to the impact of artificial intelligence on music. Drawing on his expertise in rights management and digital partnerships, he explores how AI is reshaping ownership, distribution, and the ways music circulates across platforms and audiences.

A music industry executive, Gülce Ünal previously held leadership positions at Warner Music, including General Manager of Warner Music Turkey and Vice President of Marketing for the Eastern Mediterranean, overseeing regional strategies across markets such as Turkey, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. In these roles, she managed both local and international artist campaigns, contributing to the development and global positioning of artists across Warner’s network.

In this session At Sónar+D, she brings an artist- and industry-focused perspective to the intersection of artificial intelligence and music. Drawing on her experience in marketing, artist development, and regional strategy, she explores how emerging technologies are transforming creative processes, cross-market collaboration, and the evolving structures of the global music ecosystem.