Mumbai: Hoopr, a music licensing platform, has announced the appointment of Deborah Smith as Head of International Licensing & Sync, marking a significant milestone in the company’s global growth journey.
Based in the UK, Deborah will spearhead Hoopr’s international expansion efforts—driving strategic partnerships with global labels, strengthening cross-border sync opportunities, and building a world-class catalogue that bridges Indian and international music markets. The move reinforces Hoopr’s vision to position India at the forefront of the global music licensing and sync economy.
In her new role, Deborah will lead Hoopr’s ambitious global expansion, taking its uniquely curated catalogue of over 22,000 Bollywood, Indie, and Regional tracks to brands, agencies, and production houses across the world. Through its self-serve, automated licensing platform, Hoopr Smash, the company has already made premium Indian music accessible for brand use at scale via collaborations with marquee labels such as Yash Raj Films Music, Merchant Records, and Turnkey Music.
Backed by its partnership with the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) to ensure fair and transparent artist remuneration, Hoopr is now poised to redefine the global music licensing landscape—building the first truly cross-border platform that connects artists, labels, and brands through technology, creativity, and compliance.
Speaking on her new role, Deborah Smith said, “Hoopr sits at the powerful intersection of creativity, technology, and opportunity. Having worked in the Indian market for over eight years, I’ve developed a deep understanding of its vibrant music landscape and a genuine affinity for its rich cultural nuances. Hoopr’s vision—to empower creators and brands with music that is both authentically local and globally appealing—truly resonates with me. I’m confident in Hoopr’s potential to redefine how the world discovers and licenses Indian music. My focus will be on expanding our global footprint, forging strong partnerships across markets, and bringing the sound of India to audiences far beyond our borders.”
Commenting on the appointment, Gaurav Dagaonkar, Co-Founder and CEO of Hoopr, said, “Deborah’s arrival marks a defining moment in Hoopr’s journey toward global leadership in music licensing. As global demand for international music continues to rise, the complexities of cross-border licensing have intensified. With her deep expertise in international publishing and sync, we’re ready to accelerate our global expansion, strengthen partnerships with leading labels, and unlock new revenue pathways for our artists. This is a pivotal step in taking Hoopr—and Indian music—to the world with greater scale, speed, and ambition.”
With over 13 years of experience in the global music industry, Deborah Smith is widely recognized as a leading voice in publishing and sync. As Director of Publishing at Horus Music and Co-Founder & Director at Anara Publishing, she built robust publishing frameworks, forged strategic global alliances, and helped deliver substantial international revenue growth. At Anara, she grew the catalogue to represent over 40 acclaimed songwriters and composers, securing marquee syncs with brands like Apple, UEFA, Asian Paints, Netflix, and Hulu, while collaborating with BRIT Award–winning artists.
A long-time supporter of India’s independent music scene, Deborah has been instrumental in taking Indian talent global—working closely with artists such as Kavya Trehan, Swarathma, Tejas Menon, Siddharth Basrur, Dualist Inquiry, and Zoya.
