Ruud Berends
CEO Networking Music

Ruud Berends is the co-founder and Head of Agenda of IFF in London and advisor for Westway Lab in Portugal and EEMC in Romania. From 2002 till 2018 Ruud was project manager of the various Dutch Music Export organisations and executive producer of the Dutch Impact Parties for Buma Cultuur. From 2002 - March 2023 he worked for Buma Cultuur & ESNS as Head of Conference, ESNS Exchange, international marketing and sales. In a previous life Ruud was co-founder of youth Centre Débarak in Zutphen and co-founder and co-owner of International Booking Agency Paperclip.

1979 - 1988: Co-founder venue ‘Debarak’ in Zutphen, The Netherlands.

1981 – 2000 Co-owner and founder of Paperclip Agency, European and International booking Agency.

Artists included a.o.; The Feelies, Screaming Trees, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad, Nirvana, Lemonheads, Soul Asylum, Buffalo Tom, Femi Anikulapo Kuti, Andre Williams, Link Wray, L7, Babes In Toyland, Yo La Tengo, Motorpsycho, Afghan Whigs, The Flaming Lips, The Gunclub, The Hellacopters, Gluecifer, The Nomads, Suicide, The Wipers, Dead Moon, The Saints and many more.

2001: Founder & CEO of Networking Music.

Clients include(d): ESNS - Head of Conference & ETEP/ESNS Exchange, Co Founder & Agenda IFF (iff.rocks), Westway Lab in Portugal, East European Music Conference (EEMC) in Romania, Buma Cultuur, Dutch Music Export, Dutch Impact Parties, CEETEP, Where's is The Music? in Sweden, Music Export Greece, Motorpsycho.