Decca U.K. Restructures Management July 26, 2010
- Global
| Classical
By Richard Smirke, London
Universal Music Group has restructured the senior management at its U.K. imprint Decca Records as the major attempts to re-establish it as a frontline record label.
Effective immediately, Dickon Stainer is promoted from Decca Records managing director to the newly-formed position of President, Decca Records Group. Based in London, Stainer will oversee all aspects of the label's U.K operations and reports to Universal Music U.K. chairman David Joseph.
Alongside Stainer's promotion, Simon Gavin has been appointed managing director of Decca Affiliated Labels, where he will be responsible for signing artists with mainstream global appeal to the historic Verve, Blue Thumb and Impulse imprints.
Prior to the appointment, Gavin headed sister Universal-owned imprint A&M Records, where he signed the multi-million-selling pop act Duffy. He will continue to handle A&R duties for the artist, according to a Universal statement.
In his new role Gavin will also take responsibility for developing signings to Decca affiliates Rounder Records and Concord Records and will report to Stainer.
Commenting on Gavin's appointment, Joseph described him as "an exceptional record executive whose passion for great artists and vision for the albums market make this a very natural promotion."
The Decca label was originally launched in 1929 as an offshoot of the Decca Gramophone Company. Home over the years to such contrasting acts as Vera Lynn, Tom Jones, the Rolling Stones and the Moody Blues as well as being a major player in classical music, it was acquired by PolyGram in 1980 and became a division of Universal Classics & Jazz in 1999.
Stainer's new role as president of Decca Records Group marks the first time that such a position has existed at the label, which now counts Robert Plant, André Rieu, Katherine Jenkins and Luciano Pavarotti among its genre-spanning roster.
Other senior appointments announced by Universal Music Group include the promotion of Decca GM Mark Wilkinson to the position of managing director, Decca Records, reporting to Stainer.
In a statement, Joseph praised Stainer and his team recent efforts in "creating a company which never thinks of itself as niche or specialist but instead demonstrates a breadth of vision and confidence which is unrivalled in the U.K. business,"
He continued, "With Dickon, Mark and Simon in their new roles, I am certain Decca will grow further to sit alongside Universal Music U.K.'s other frontline music companies."
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