Last May, Universal Music Group announced it would realign some of its most prestigious jazz and classical imprints under the Verve Label Group moniker, with industry veteran Danny Bennett at the helm as president and CEO. In the ensuing months, Bennett has assembled what he now describes as an "unstoppable team" at their new HQ in New York City.
In a recent memo to employees, Bennett said they have taken "great strides" since the formation of the label group, which gathers jazz-centric Verve as well as classical imprints Deutsche Grammophon, Decca Records, Decca Classics and Mercury Classics.
Bennett, whose father Tony released a pair of albums on Verve in the early 1970s, announced several promotions or hirings, including the elevation of Leslie Collman-Smith to General Manager. Before joining Verve, Collman-Smith was a senior vp of marketing at UMG's U.S. Classics division. "Leslie has been instrumental in reshaping [VLG]," Bennett said.