Veteran music executive Mark Pitts has stepped down as president of Sony Music’s RCA Records and will launch a new venture, Cofvnders, a multi-media management company aimed at expanding his footprint across music, talent development, and global cultural programming.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, marks the end of Pitts’ tenure at RCA Records since 2021, where he held dual roles as president of the label and CEO of ByStorm Entertainment.
He will, however, maintain a consulting relationship with RCA and the broader Sony Music group, continuing to advise on select acts he previously developed, according to Variety News.
What they are saying
Reflecting on his departure, Pitts described his time at RCA as a defining chapter, highlighting both his professional accomplishments and the artists he helped shape.
He noted that the transition marks a shift toward a more independent and globally focused phase of his career.
- “I’m proud of everything we built at RCA,” Pitts said. “I feel blessed to have played a part in shaping some of the most important careers in music… I’m looking forward to continuing to work with RCA and Sony Music in a new capacity.”
He added that the launch of Cofvnders represents a renewed sense of energy and purpose after more than 25 years in the music industry, signalling his intent to build a long-term ecosystem that connects artists, producers, and markets across regions.
Cofvnders, which is based in New York and Los Angeles, has already been involved in major industry initiatives, including co-producing “The R&B Tour” featuring Usher and Chris Brown in partnership with Live Nation. The tour is scheduled to begin on June 25 in Denver, Colorado.
Beyond live touring, the new company is also expanding into international talent development. Pitts has partnered with entertainment attorney and entrepreneur Tamayu Takayama to launch the Tokyo Sound Continuum, a songwriting and creative exchange programme designed to connect U.S. producers with Japanese songwriters, artists, and producers.
The initiative is supported by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs through its Creator Support Fund.
During his time at RCA, Pitts oversaw a roster that included major acts such as Chris Brown and Miguel, while also continuing his work through ByStorm Entertainment, the imprint he founded in 1998.
His career spans several senior A&R and executive roles, including vice president of A&R at Arista Records and president of urban music at Jive Records, where he also managed artist J. Cole early in his career.
Nigerian music industry and Sony Music affiliations
Pitts’ exit also comes against the backdrop of expanding African influence within global record labels, particularly in Nigeria’s fast-growing Afrobeats ecosystem, where Sony Music has played a visible role through licensing deals, label partnerships, and artist signings via its RCA and Columbia divisions.
Over the past decade, several leading Nigerian artists have had formal or semi-formal relationships with Sony-affiliated labels.
- Davido signed a landmark deal with Sony’s RCA Records in 2016, one of the earliest major-label partnerships between a Nigerian pop star and a U.S. global imprint.
- The deal was widely seen as a breakthrough moment for Afrobeats’ entry into mainstream American label structures, although it was later concluded that Davido returned to a more independent release model.
- Wizkid also entered into a global partnership with Sony’s Columbia Records around 2016, following the international success of “One Dance” with Drake.
The arrangement supported the rollout of his international projects, including “Sounds From the Other Side,” positioning Wizkid as one of the first Nigerian artists to receive structured global-label backing for crossover expansion.
- Tiwa Savage similarly signed a recording and distribution deal with Sony/Columbia Music in 2019, aimed at strengthening her international reach while maintaining her local label affiliations in Nigeria.
These relationships highlight Sony Music’s evolving approach in Africa, where the company has increasingly leaned on regional partnerships and flexible deals to tap into Nigeria’s export-driven music economy.
