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Warner UK revamps top team post PLG acquisition

By Chris Cooke | Published on Friday 26 July 2013

Warner Music yesterday announced a revamp of its top team following the mini-major’s recent acquisition of the Parlophone Label Group, aka most of the European EMI assets Universal Music was forced to sell by the regulator when it bought the wider EMI record company last year.

The main development is that the Parlophone label – the main strand of the PLG in the UK – will be united with the Warner Bros UK label, and will be led by long-term EMI and Parlophone man Miles Leonard. As Chairman of Parlophone and Warner Bros, he will lead a team who will oversee both units, though the two labels will still seemingly retain some autonomy, with overall Warner UK boss Christian Tattersfield retaining a Co-Chairman role on the Warner Bros side.

Leonard’s team will include Mandy Plumb, who will become SVP Marketing for the Parlophone/Warner Bros division, while Kevin McCabe will be SVP Media for the combined label unit. Both come to Warner via its PLG acquisition.

Elsewhere in the Warner UK mini-empire, Max Lousada will continue to be Chairman of Atlantic Records UK, while Dan Chalmers will continue to oversee the company’s catalogue, distribution and artist services operations. Jeremy Marsh, until now Vice Chairman of Warner Bros Records UK, will take on the new role of EVP International Marketing for the whole of Warner Music UK, taking over from the departing Mike Allen.

Also with roles at a Warner Music UK level are Bob Workman, who becomes VP Brand Partnerships; Rich Robinson, who will become VP Sync for UK and Europe; and Derek Allen, who will be SVP Sales.

Confirming Leonard’s appointment, Warner UK CEO Tattersfield told CMU: “I am delighted to confirm Miles’ appointment. His influence on the UK music scene has been enormous and the success of the acts he has championed, both at home and abroad, makes him a tremendous addition to our team. As well as building on Parlophone’s many achievements, I am confident his new role within Warner Bros Records opens up great potential for us to further sharpen our focus on local A&R, as well as continuing to provide best-in-class support to the many global superstars on the roster”.

Meanwhile Leonard himself added: “I am very excited to finally be bringing Parlophone over to Warner Music and working with both Christian and Max, who I have huge respect for. Clearly Warner Music and Parlophone share a vision and culture that puts artists first and together we have the most forward thinking and exciting music company in the business”.

And on the other developments, Tattersfield continued: “The Warner Music UK and Parlophone teams consist of some of the industry’s most gifted, visionary and driven executives. The new line-up we have created blends the best of both organisations, preserving our existing knowledge and expertise while introducing complementary new skills. The combination of the Warner Bros and Parlophone labels with Max Lousada’s Atlantic UK further strengthens our position as the UK’s first-choice home for new talent”.