As Vice President of Strategy and Business Affairs, Creative, Rafael Martinez is responsible for developing and executing new business strategies and processes around BMI’s relationships with its affiliates, as well as helping build the company’s global market share across all genres.
Martinez originally joined BMI in 2014 as a Director of Business Affairs and was promoted to Assistant Vice President, Business Affairs and Creative in 2019, where he handled drafting and negotiating deals for writers, publishers, music libraries, estates, heirs, trusts and other successors of deceased affiliates. He was promoted to his current position in 2022. During his tenure at BMI, Martinez has been influential in affiliating and retaining top songwriters across multiple genres, notably J Balvin, Juice WRLD, Kendrick Lamar, Marshmello, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, Pop Smoke, Rosalia and Sam Smith, among others.
Before joining BMI, Martinez worked at Sony Music Entertainment in Business and Legal Affairs. While at Sony, he negotiated and drafted a multitude of deals pertaining to content licensing, production, recording, termination, sponsorship and other initiatives. Martinez also provided legal counsel to senior and junior staff members in the A&R, copyright, royalties, finance, and film/television licensing departments.
Martinez received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from New York University and his Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from Cardozo School of Law. Currently, he is a member of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP).