Hans Schafer Named Executive of the Year at Billboard's Latin Power Players

Hans Schafer, senior vice president of global touring at Live Nation, was named Executive of the Year at Billboard's Latin Power Players celebration on Monday, October 19, in Miami Beach. The invite-only event was held during Billboard Latin Music Week, the industry gathering running October 19 to 22 at the Faena Forum.

The night also handed out label and publisher awards. Universal Music Latin America was named Top Regional Mexican Label of the Year. Rimas Entertainment took Top Hot Latin Songs Label of the Year, a prize tied to the Billboard chart that ranks the most popular Latin songs in the United States. Sony Music U.S. Latin won Top Latin Airplay Label of the Year, airplay meaning songs played on radio. Double P Records was named Top Regional Mexican Albums Label of the Year.

Street Mob Records, led by Jesús Ortiz Paz, the frontman of the band Fuerza Regida, received Publisher of the Year. A publisher manages the songwriting rights behind a song and collects money when it is used.

Billboard co-chief content officer Leila Cobo spoke about the audience for Spanish-language music. Citing Luminate, a company that tracks how music is streamed and bought, she said one in every 10 streams is now in Spanish. Six years ago, that share was half as large.

The University of Miami's Frost School of Music returned as a partner of the celebration. Matt Serletic, an industry veteran who has been appointed the school's new dean, attended the event. Frost was recently named to Billboard's list of Top Music Business Schools, and its Music Industry program is marking 60 years of training students for the business.

Ozuna and Tito Nieves were special guests at the event.