Credit: Ayoub Medhoun; Nima Etminan, Iman Hazheer, Ghazi
Established by Ghazi in 2010, EMPIRE has collaborated with numerous artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Fireboy DML, Shaboozey, Asake, and Anderson Paak. While maintaining a strong foothold in the North American market, the San Francisco-based firm has also marked its presence on the African continent, Europe, Asia, and South America.
In April, EMPIRE forged a multi-year alliance with Cambodian music company Baramey Production, expanding its reach in Asia.
The collaboration with Baramey Production is part of EMPIRE’s strategic growth in Asia, following the appointment of noted executive Jeffrey Yoo as Senior Vice President, East Asia, in October. At that juncture, EMPIRE also welcomed its inaugural signing in Asia, the renowned Korean artist G-Dragon.
In 2022, the company introduced EMPIRE Africa, building on the previous year’s establishment dedicated to West Asia, North Africa, and the associated diaspora. Celebrating 15 years in the music sector by 2025, the independent label, distributor, and publisher has officially launched operations in the Nordic region, under the guidance of Iman Hazheer as Territory Manager. EMPIRE has indicated that in this fresh role, Hazheer will spearhead strategic endeavors across Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, enhancing artist relationships, market expansion, and regional alliances.
Operating from Stockholm, Hazheer will collaborate closely with EMPIRE’s international team to boost the firm’s influence in what EMPIRE describes as “one of Europe’s most dynamic and innovative music markets.”
He joins EMPIRE with ten years of experience at the crossroads of music, culture, and brand strategy. Hazheer dedicated nearly seven years to Spotify, where he oversaw editorial strategy for the Nordics as a Senior Editor, meticulously curating playlists and “crafting the regional music narrative.”
Before this, he engaged with artists throughout Northern Europe as part of Nike’s Entertainment division in Amsterdam.
His career began as a music and culture journalist at Sveriges Radio, where he reported on emerging trends and, as EMPIRE highlights, “amplifying voices within Sweden’s creative scene. ”
