Head of International Relations at The MLC Indi Chawla, to Deliver Keynote at Music Exchange #MEX25

Head of International Relations at The MLC, Indi Chawla, to Deliver Keynote at Music Exchange 2025

Saturday, 25 October | Cape Town, South Africa

Music Exchange #MEX25  is proud to announce that Indi Chawla, Head of International Relations at The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC), will take the stage as a keynote speaker this Saturday, 25 October, in Cape Town.

Chawla will share insights alongside Karabo Senna, General Manager: Licensing at the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO), pictured below  in a compelling joint session exploring the power of collaboration between international and local rights organisations. Together, they will unpack how data, policy, and technology are reshaping the global landscape of music rights and royalties.

Based in London, Chawla leads The MLC’s international engagement strategy, coordinating with global rights holders to maximize the collection and distribution of mechanical royalties on behalf of international CMOs, publishers, and songwriters. She also plays a pivotal role in improving data quality, validating rights information, and addressing operational challenges faced by The MLC’s international members.

“Music is a global language, but ensuring creators are paid fairly across borders requires constant innovation and partnership,” says Chawla. “At The MLC, we’re building systems that make royalty collections more transparent, accurate, and accessible to songwriters everywhere. I’m looking forward to joining Karabo and the SAMRO team at Music Exchange to discuss how collaboration is key to this mission.”

With over 20 years of experience in music publishing, Chawla is widely respected across the international rights community. Her career began at Polygram Music Publishing in 1994, followed by senior management roles across both major and independent publishers. She spent nearly a decade leading Warner Chappell’s Global Copyright Team, where she developed efficient, standardized registration practices and contributed to international working groups on metadata and copyright data management.

Chawla also served as a consultant for ICE, advising on its innovative copyright platform, Cube, where she helped establish policies and workflows to resolve complex copyright conflicts.

Alongside her industry leadership, Chawla holds an M.A. in Economics from the University of Manchester, a B.A. (Hons) in Economics and History from the University of the West of England, and a Diploma in Quantitative Economic Methods from the London School of Economics.

Karabo Senna, representing SAMRO, brings deep expertise in African rights management and licensing, ensuring that composers, authors, and publishers across the continent benefit from their creative works. Together, Chawla and Senna’s conversation promises to offer powerful insights into bridging global and regional ecosystems for fairer music remuneration.

Join us at Music Exchange 2025 for an in-depth discussion on the future of global music rights, featuring leaders shaping how songwriters and publishers are represented and rewarded in the digital age.

About Music Exchange

Music Exchange is Africa’s leading music, film, and entertainment conference—bringing together artists, executives, and innovators to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and drive industry growth across the continent. www.musicexchange.org.za

About The MLC 
https://www.themlc.com/

The Mechanical Licensing Collective (The MLC) is a nonprofit organization designated by the U.S. Copyright Office to issue and administer blanket mechanical licenses for eligible streaming and download services in the United States. The MLC ensures that songwriters, composers, lyricists, and music publishers are paid mechanical royalties accurately, transparently, and on time.

About SAMRO 
https://www.samro.org.za/

The Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) administers the performing rights of composers, authors, and music publishers, ensuring they receive fair compensation when their works are performed publicly or broadcast. SAMRO plays a central role in promoting, protecting, and supporting South African music creators both locally and internationally.