Guy Hands’ radical transformation of EMI continues to reverberate within the U.K. company.
The latest twist to the ongoing saga sees promotions for top A&R-oriented executives Miles Leonard and Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, while Mark Collen and Terry Felgate have stepped aside.
EMI is consolidating four of the frontline A&R teams — Angel, EMI, Parlophone and Virgin — into two. The new teams will be led by Parlophone managing director Leonard, who becomes president of A&R labels, Parlophone, and Virgin MD Unger-Hamilton, who is elevated to president of A&R Labels, Virgin, an EMI spokesperson confirms.
Leonard has served at Parlophone for more than 10 years, signing and developing global hit artists such as Coldplay, Lily Allen, Gorillaz and Kylie Minogue. Unger-Hamilton joined Virgin in 2006 and has revitalized the label, overseeing the careers of newcomers the Kooks and Jamie T. The former Go Beat chief previously signed such artists as Portishead, Gabrielle and Keane.
“Miles and Ferdy are two of the most respected A&R executives in the U.K.,” an EMI source says.
The other London-based A&R teams are EMI Classics, Mute and EMI’s joint ventures Relentless, Heavenly and DFA. They continue to operate as they do now, with one exception: Mute Records head Daniel Miller will report to Nick Gatfield, rather than EMI Music International, once the executive joins the company from Island Universal.
As previously reported, Gatfield has resigned from Universal Music, where he was president of Island Records U.K., and will join EMI Music within the next three months in the role as president of A&R Labels, North America and U.K.
As part of the latest round of developments, EMI Music U.K. senior VP Mark Collen, who oversees the Angel label, and EMI managing director Terry Felgate will be changing roles. Sources say they are currently considering other senior roles within EMI Music.
All of the EMI imprints currently under the four consolidated labels will remain active. Those imprints include Angel, Charisma, EMI, Chrysalis, Parlophone, Positiva, Regal and Virgin.
