Iain Pirie

Iain Pirie’s career spans 37 years of working in Artist, Producer & Songwriter Management, Record Label A&R, Artist & Executive mentorship, Music Publishing, Consultancy, Television, Business Affairs, and Touring. A&R roles at RCA Records in the 1990s led to opportunities in Artist Management, label operations, and Television with 19 Entertainment, rising from a Junior Artist Manager role to General Manager in the UK, to ultimately becoming President of the US division of the company. On relocating to Los Angeles from London in 2004, Iain led the audition process, Artist Management, Music Production, Touring, A&R, Executive team, and the Recording Artists launching their careers from American Idol, the most successful Music and Television property ever created. His 13 years heading up music for Idol helped achieve 11 Grammy wins, numerous AMA, Emmys, and CMA Awards, and in 2013, he accepted NARM’s Outstanding Achievement Award on behalf of the American Idol team, recognizing the impact of the property on the US Music Business. In 2014, he shifted into Consultancy, joining the Recording Academy and advising a wide range of Artists, Songwriters, and Music Producers, becoming Head Of Music at Simon Fuller's XIX Entertainment. In 2025 he added neuroscience and Professional Coaching training to those experiences. He is an ACC accredited International Coaching Federation member and an Advanced Level Erickson Coaching International alumnus and faculty team member. Iain is an appointed Associate of several professional coaching firms, and while he coaches a broad cross-section of clients outside of Music & Entertainment, his long experience in that industry defines a meaningful part of his work. He is a proud member of Backline, the Music Industry’s mental wellness practitioner community supported by Live Nation, AEG, Redlight Management, and the artists Chappell Roan & Noah Kahan.