Following Universal Music’s restructuring of its US labels earlier this year, the company’s UK division is also reorganizing, most notably through the merger of two iconic frontline labels, Island Records UK and EMI.
The move, which comes into effect on October 1, was announced to company staff in an internal memo from David Joseph, chairman-CEO of UMG UK, obtained by Variety; the news was first reported by Music Business Worldwide. The restructuring will be accompanied by an unspecified number of layoffs.
Similar to UMG US’s merger of several labels into the Republic Corps and Interscope-Capitol Label Groups, the company’s UK division will have two “powerful frontline label groups”:
The newly named Island EMI Label Group, with current Island UK president Louis Bloom as president; And
Polydor Label Group, with Ben Mortimer as president, including Capitol UK with president Jo Charrington; and 0207 Def Jam, with Alec Boateng as president.
The detailed memo also stated that:
Laura Monks and Tom Lewis will continue to run Decca as an independent label, focusing on classical, jazz, instrumental, folk, soul and electronic music;
Hannah Neaves becomes sole president of UMR (the catalog division of UMG UK);
Nickie Owen will continue to lead the company’s international strategy;
Rebecca Allen, Charrington’s former co-MD, will now lead the new Audience & Media Division (AMD), which will support all of the company’s labels, which Joseph described as “an industry first, where every type of media is seamlessly integrated. We are putting together an elite team, making this our largest division.” It includes the company’s media operations, led by Suzy Walby; Audience and Digital Strategy, led by Kate Wyn Jones; and the Square Insight team, focused on data, insight, strategy and creativity, led by Jack Fryer.
Joseph acknowledged that layoffs will come with the restructuring.
“While the vast majority of our team will remain part of our business going forward, some functions will be affected by the proposed structural changes. I am saddened that we have to say goodbye to some incredible colleagues who have played an important role in our journey.
“As a company we must remain forward-looking, innovative and bold,” he added. “Developing artists now requires more creativity and patience than ever before.”
