Eric Nicoli, the former CEO and chairman of EMI Group who left when Terra Firma took control of the major in 2007, has been appointed chairman of London-based management and consultancy firm Nick Stewart & Associates.
Stewart appointed Nicoli, who will continue as a director of Nick Stewart & Associates, which launched in 2007. Nicoli is also a shareholder in the company.
“I am delighted to say that Eric has accepted my offer and I feel very fortunate to have such an accomplished business man helping me guide and steer my companies fortunes in the immediate and long term future,” said Stewart in a statement.
“There is an amazing array of music, both classic and new, that is being brought to music fans in so many different ways. It is a very exciting time with inventive and creative ideas being constantly launched. What Eric and I bring is a guiding hand and decades of experience to help those ideas shine.”
The company’s management and consultancy client roster includes U2, Steely Dan, the Eagles, Don Henley, Neil Diamond, Yusuf Islam, Vangelis, Michael Bolton, Fleetwood Mac and Steve Winwood.
Its three main areas of operation are marketing consultancy, overseeing and launching the marketing and promotion of new releases and catalog titles; a management role with the Eagles, Neil Diamond and Vangelis; and a music publishing company for emerging songwriters. The publishing division also represents the catalog of lyricist Sir Tim Rice.
Nicoli, a former chief executive of United Biscuits, joined EMI as chairman in 1999.
Stewart has a long pedigree in the biz, starting out as an A&R scout at Island Records in 1979 where he signed Killing Joke and U2 among others. In 1993, he joined Polygram to oversee the conversion of vinyl to CD. In 1998, he moved to BMG as SVP of international A&R.
