April 27, 2022 I Appointments
Fender Appoints Amani Duncan, Maria Fernandez to its Board
Amani Duncan and Maria Fernandez
Fender has appointed of two industry veterans to its Board of Directors, Amani Duncan and Maria Fernandez, both effective this month.
“Over the past year, Fender has inspired a resurgence of people passionate about music, and we are proud of the incredible growth the brand has achieved,” said Mark Fukunaga, chairman of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. “I am excited for Amani and Maria to join the FMIC Board, who both have a solid foundation of experience in the music industry in various roles. Their extensive knowledge and passion for music will be invaluable in guiding the brand.”
“We are very fortunate to have Amani and Maria join FMIC’s board at this time and the entire management team is looking forward to benefiting from their exceptional leadership experience,” said Andy Mooney, Fender’s CEO. “The current generation of guitar players enjoy a broader spectrum of music than ever. Amani and Maria’s experience in two of today’s most important musical genres coupled with their unique professional perspectives will prove invaluable in terms of executing our ambitious growth plans.”
A Los Angeles native, Duncan’s childhood was surrounded by musical influences starting at an early age with her father being a guitar player himself. In 2008, she was recruited to Sean Combs Enterprises/Bad Boy Entertainment as CMO, providing her an opportunity to manage all aspects of Sean Combs’ growing business. From 2011–2017, she served as head of brand marketing for C.F. Martin Guitar, reviving an almost 200-year-old brand back into the cultural marketplace by fostering new relationships with Ace Hotels, Levi’s Strauss & Co., Stetson, Surfer Magazine and Ed Sheeran. Thereafter, Duncan joined MTV as the head of music with the goal of strengthening the brand’s connection with artists and focusing more heavily on the VMAs to showcase talent. Currently, she oversees BBH USA, an advertising agency that is part of Publicis Groupe, as CEO leading creative marketing efforts on behalf of top-tier clients, including Google, Heineken, Samsung USA, Barbie and Netflix.
“From my time at Def Jam, Martin Guitar, MTV and my current position at creative agency BBH USA, music has been a constant presence and a cornerstone in my professional work and personal life,” Duncan said. “I have always been a huge fan of Fender guitars, and it is such an honor to join the illustrious board of this iconic brand.”
Born and raised in Venezuela, Fernandez’s upbringing was rooted in musical culture. She is an accomplished music industry professional with an expertise in finance, operations and P&L orientation. Prior to her college graduation in Caracas, she began her career with The Walt Disney Company, where she started as a financial analyst. In 2004, she joined the DirecTV team followed by Probiz, a consulting agency through which she served as the Finance lead for a start-up voice over IP company. After three years with the company she moved onto Sony Music Entertainment (SME) where she has been on an accelerated growth path in progressively senior level roles, achieving five promotions in the past 15 years. Today she serves as EVP of Operations and COO where she works closely with the CEO to create and implement strategic planning, focusing on the Latin Iberia region, which is a key driver for the company with revenues in the triple digits.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to join the board of FMIC, a company with a rich history, a culture of innovation and a service mindset,” Fernandez said. “Growing up in Venezuela, I would have never dreamt of one day joining such a recognized company and it will be a privilege to work with their fantastic team. As someone who has always worked to support women, it is especially gratifying to be joining the board with an executive of Amani’s caliber.”
