Deborah Smith is an international music publishing and licensing specialist with over 14 years of experience helping music businesses unlock the commercial value of their rights.

Her expertise spans music publishing, sync licensing, rights management, catalogue strategy, and international business development, with a particular focus on emerging and high-growth markets across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Deborah is currently Business Development Lead at ClicknClear, where she works with rightsholders, sports governing bodies, and technology partners to build transparent licensing frameworks for the global use of music in choreographed sports. Previously, as Head of International Licensing & Sync at Hoopr, India's leading music licensing platform, she led international catalogue partnerships and helped expand opportunities for both global repertoire in India and Indian independent music worldwide.

Earlier in her career, Deborah progressed from intern to Director of Publishing at Horus Music, where she founded and grew Anara Publishing and Horus Music Publishing. She built an international roster of songwriters and composers, secured sync placements with brands and platforms including Apple, Netflix, and Hulu, oversaw Bollywood film soundtracks, and developed strategic publishing partnerships across multiple territories.

As a consultant, Deborah advises labels, publishers, music technology companies, rights holders, and creative businesses on publishing strategy, international licensing, catalogue development, sync opportunities, and rights management. She is known for translating complex rights issues into practical commercial strategies that help organisations grow internationally and maximise the value of their music assets.