Announcement: Business of Creative Enterprises Leadership

Dear members of the Emerson community,

I write to share the news that after more than four years of outstanding leadership as Director of the Business of Creative Enterprises program, School of Communication faculty member Wes Jackson will be leaving Emerson in July to transition to a new position as president of the non-profit arts organization, BRIC Arts & Media in Brooklyn, NY.

Since joining Emerson as the director of BCE and senior executive-in-residence in January 2018, Wes has helped to grow the BCE program into one of the most popular majors on campus and helped create a new Global B.A. in Business of Creative Enterprises at Franklin University Switzerland, which provides graduates with a degree from Franklin and Emerson. He also led the development of a Master’s in the Business of Creative Enterprises, which starts in September. He also launched an annual Business of Creative Enterprises conference held in Boston and Los Angeles that was managed and coordinated by BCE students, and has served as a thought leader for Emerson in national media outlets on issues of race, culture, and business.

Many on campus have come to know Wes for his boundless energy and excitement for new possibilities, combined with a devotion to his students and their future success.

Wes has over 20 years experience as an entrepreneur and innovator in the music business. He launched his career producing concerts for Nas, The Roots, The Dave Matthews Band, The Fugees, and A Tribe Called Quest. He then went on to start his own promotions company, Seven Heads Entertainment, and helped launch the careers of Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Talib Kweli, El-P (Run The Jewels), Common, and others. That company eventually expanded to a boutique records label. 

Wes was also the founder of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, which hosted a range of talent including Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar, and later created The Bodega Agency, which produces the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, as well as serves as a multifaceted media company.

In a short time, Wes has become a valued member of our campus community. While we are sad to see him go, we realize that this is a great opportunity for him and allows him to be closer to family. We look forward to maintaining ties and to future collaborations. Please join me in wishing him well in this exciting new endeavor that brings him closer to home.

Sincerely,
Jan Roberts-Breslin, Interim Provost