Karen Hefler Hope

Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, RCA Records

Since 1991, Karen Hefler Hope has worked in business affairs and law at various record labels, including Arista, Mercury Records, Def Jam, and RCA Records.

As a key member of RCA’s business team, she has handled the signings of many new artists, as well as the successful renegotiation of superstar deals. Hefler Hope focuses on being a relationship-based, creative dealmaker and problem solver. As RCA’s business models change, the key remains strong artist and management relationships and the ability to recognize the needs of both sides. She works as much for the artists as she does the label; shared success benefits everyone.

Hefler Hope supervises the business affairs label for several of RCA’s major artists, including Foo Fighters, Dave Mathews Band, and Kings of Leon, as well as the Polo Grounds Music label roster (A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg).