PARIS – Dr. Florian Drücke, chairman & CEO of the German Music Industry Association (BVMI), was awarded the Franco-German Prize of the Cultural and Creative Industries on Thursday as "Personality of the Year" in Paris. The prize is an initiative of the Franco-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry under the patronage of the German and French Ministers of Economic Affairs.
Drücke was lauded for his active support for the European Copyright Directive, and for his commitment to the Franco-German creative sector through his work at BVMI and as co-president of the Franco-German Cultural Council. The prize underlines the economic impact of the creative industries across Europe. In Germany alone, they employ around 1.195 million people in the core workforce, the total turnover is 168.3 billion euros and gross value added is at a record level of 100.5 billion euros, according to figures from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Regional leaders of the three major label groups all offered their congratulations to Drücke, whose BVMI represents the interests of more than 200 labels and music companies, accounting for more than 80 percent of the German music market.