Dr. Charlie Wall-Andrews Named Chair of NXNE Advisory Board
In 2026, the homegrown festival will emerge with a new advisory board of music industry professionals, working alongside the SOCAN Foundation executive director and assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. Applications are now open.
The NXNE Advisory Board is seeking out a fresh crop of Canadian music industry talent.
In 2026, the homegrown festival will run from June 10-14 in Toronto, and NXNE has started putting together a major team of music industry experts to help lead it into the future with its advisory board.
Featuring veterans across the industry, the board advisors are top executives in radio, managers and booking agents of some of the biggest global stars, heads of the most prestigious award shows, strategists at renowned media brands and more.
Together, these advisors will help guide the festival to new heights, continuing its legacy of bringing in major artists and acts discovered right before they hit it big.
Spearheading the new advisory board is Dr. Charlie Wall-Andrews, executive director of the SOCAN Foundation and assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) — recently named one of Billboard’s top music schools across the globe. Dr. Wall-Andrews will be stepping into the role as Chair after joining the advisory board for the fest’s 2025 edition.
A champion of equity, research and innovation in Canada’s music ecosystem, Dr. Wall-Andrews bridges academia and industry to create meaningful change. This year, the scholar and industry voice worked with ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective and Speaking Non-English on landmark studies that highlighted the value of Black music in Canada and the rise of Latin music. Additionally, she partnered with CBC to launch the Reverie Program for Indigenous artists and helped shape the first graduating class of TMU’s Professional Music program.
Through her work, Wall-Andrews is providing much-needed data about equity issues in the Canadian industry while enacting proactive strategies to address them. Notching positions on multiple Billboard Canada lists, including the 2025 Power Players ranking, Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025 and most recently, the first-ever Canadian 40 Under 40 initiative.
"Being named Chair of the NXNE Advisory Board is an incredible opportunity. Over the past 30 years, NXNE has grown rapidly, cementing its place as a leading force in Canada’s music ecosystem,” she says. “By bringing together an extraordinary and diverse group of stakeholders to advise and guide both the festival and conference, we can ensure its ongoing relevance and impact—not just within our industry, but across the broader community.”
This year, NXNE embarked on a new strategic partnership with Billboard Canada, continuing to strengthen its industry ties. 2025’s advisory board included Panos A. Panay, president of the Recording Academy, Michelle Mearns, senior vice president, programming & operations at SiriusXM Canada, Billboard Canada 2024 Women in Music Global Manager of the Year, Sonali Singh and more.
To join Dr. Wall-Andrews on the 2026 NXNE Advisory Board, apply via this survey form before January 30, 2026.
