John Fishlock

BIO

John Fishlock is a music publishing executive whose career spans recording studios, international music publishing and the development of South Africa’s music rights infrastructure. He is the co-founder and managing director of Active Music Publishing, an independent publishing company established in 2010 with music industry executive Kosie van Niekerk

Fishlock began his career in the entertainment industry after leaving college, working as a motorbike courier for a London company that produced music for film, television and advertising. The position opened the door to recording studios, where he progressed from trainee engineer to engineer and producer at Air Studios in London. During this period, he worked in an environment associated with prominent musicians and producers, including George Martin, Hans Zimmer and Paul McCartney

He subsequently moved into music publishing, joining Chrysalis Music before moving to MCA Music Publishing. At Chrysalis, he worked with songwriters whose work reached international audiences, including on George Michael and Aretha Franklin’s 1987 hit I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me). At MCA, he continued developing his experience in publishing and artist development before moving to PolyGram Music.

His career at PolyGram expanded into international operations. He worked in Germany before relocating to Cape Town in 1996. In January 1997, he established PolyGram’s South African operation, which later became part of Universal Music. During his time in the corporate publishing sector, Fishlock was involved in music supervision for film, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, which featured Wet Wet Wet’s successful recording of Love Is All Aroun

A significant part of Fishlock’s contribution to the South African music industry has been his work on music rights and digital licensing. While serving as chairman of the National Organisation for Reproduction Rights in Music (NORM), he helped negotiate what has been described as Africa’s first digital licensing agreement of its kind. He was also instrumental in establishing the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO), which administers mechanical rights for music creators and publishers in South Africa.

Fishlock also contributed to developments in music rights administration in South Africa. During his time at Universal Music, he was involved in negotiating a digital licensing agreement between the National Organisation for Reproduction Rights in Music (NORM) and Exactmobile. He is also credited with helping establish the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of South Africa (CAPASSO), which administers mechanical rights for music creators and publishers.

In 2010, Fishlock partnered with van Niekerk to establish Active Music Publishing. The company focuses on music copyright administration, rights protection, royalty processing and connecting composers with opportunities across different areas of the entertainment industry