A MAJOR music conference is moving to Liverpool from London in what organisers say is a “true coup” for Merseyside’s music industry.

Musexpo Europe will come to the city in May as part of the Liverpool Sound City music festival and conference – and is committed to the city for at least three years.

Previous Musexpo events have attracted some of the biggest names in the music industry, from record label bosses to stars including Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am.

The event is set to bring hundreds of delegates to Liverpool and showcase the city’s thriving music industry.

Sound City director Dave Pichilingi says the event’s move is a sign Liverpool is still seen by the music industry as one of the world’s most exciting musical cities, decades after The Beatles burst on to the world stage.

It follows Liverpool Sound City’s recent move into the Middle Eastern market with the Dubai Sound City music festival and conference.

Organisers hope Musexpo’s arrival will raise the profile of Liverpool Sound City worldwide and make it a new European rival to the famous South by South West festival and conference in Texas.

Musexpo’s Los Angeles-based president, Sat Bisla, said: “This event will help enhance the global profile of Liverpool as being a true international music destination and a place to do business.

“It will raise the profile of Liverpool not just as a music hot-spot, but an industry hot-spot.”

Liverpool Sound City is best-known for the concerts it organises, but it also runs an annual conference to help develop Merseyside’s music sector.

The conference is designed to help Merseyside musicians and entrepreneurs talk directly to leading industry figures.

The larger Musexpo event will now replace that conference.

Liverpool FC fan Mr Bisla, of global music consultancy A&R Worldwide, has already worked with the Sound City team to help it attract delegates to the Liverpool and Dubai events.

That led to discussions about bringing Musexpo to Liverpool. Musexpo has signed a deal to come to Liverpool for at least the next three years, with the possibility of extending that contract.

Mr Bisla said the recent investment in Liverpool’s infrastructure, including its new hotels, made it an ideal location for the event.

He said: “We were approached by people in Germany and Scandinavia about taking Musexpo to their countries. But because of our relationship with Dave, and having spent more time in Liverpool recently, I saw the potential of bringing it here.”