Generative AI music company Suno has appointed former Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota as its new chief commercial officer. In this role, Sirota will oversee commercial strategy, industry relationships, partnerships, and enterprise solutions, reporting to CEO Mikey Shulman. The hiring follows Sirota's recent departure from Merlin, where he significantly grew the organization's revenue.
Suno, a company specializing in generative AI for music creation, announced the hiring of Jeremy Sirota on February 23, 2026. Sirota, who served as CEO of Merlin for six years, brings extensive experience in music and technology partnerships. During his tenure at Merlin, an organization representing independent labels and distributors, he scaled annual revenue from $900 million to $1.8 billion. He also facilitated what is described as the first generative AI music licensing deal, partnering with ElevenLabs on the master side and Kobalt on publishing, in September.
Prior to Merlin, Sirota worked on Meta's music team, as a record executive at Warner Music Group, and as a technology lawyer at Morrison Foerster, consistently focusing on intersections between music and tech. In a December interview with Billboard, Sirota discussed the rise of generative AI, stating, “When we first started seeing AI come up more and more in conversations, I just knew right then that [generative AI] was going to be a thing. This was going to be a tsunami. We had to get ready to dance with discomfort.”
Suno's CEO and co-founder Mikey Shulman praised Sirota's appointment, saying, “Jeremy is a rare leader who has spent his career working to improve every side of the music business – for fans, artists, music rightsholders, and platforms. What truly sets him apart is his ability to build what doesn’t yet exist, finding opportunity where others see obstacles and bringing all sides with him. That mindset will help craft a better future of music for all, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join Suno.”
Sirota expressed enthusiasm for the role, noting, “I have deep respect for music and the role it plays in our lives. What excites me about Suno is the opportunity to shape a future where music becomes more interactive and integrated into people’s daily lives. Throughout my career, I’ve seen and helped navigate pivotal moments when technology redefined the music industry. Each chapter has expanded opportunity in ways few initially imagined. Suno is building new layers of creativity and connectivity that didn’t exist before, and I’m energized to help bring that vision to life alongside the industry.”
This move comes amid growing interest in AI's role in music, as companies like Suno aim to innovate creation and distribution processes.
