
Mike McCormack has been appointed managing director U.K for Universal Music Publishing Group, with immediate effect.
McCormack succeeds UMPG stalwart Paul Connolly, who is stepping-down from his position as president of Europe and managing director U.K.
Connolly departs after an illustrious career leading the major music publisher in the United Kingdom and Europe. The British exec joined the company, then MCA Music, in 1988 as an A&R scout. He rose to A&R director in 1991 and became managing director in 1994. After a string of promotions, he was appointed president of Europe and managing director, U.K., for UMPG in 2005. Connolly was named ASCAP Publisher of the Year in 2012 and in 2014 appeared in Billboard’s International Power Players List.
Universal Music Publishing Group, Ole Pulling Production Music Catalogs From ASCAP
Jody Gerson, chairman and CEO of UMPG, thanked Connolly for “all of his many contributions through the years.” She added, “During Paul’s tenure, Universal Music Publishing signed enormously talented songwriters across many musical genres and became a creative force in the U.K. He also assembled an industry-leading creative team that will continue to achieve great things for UMPG and our songwriters.”
McCormack joined UMPG’s U.K. business in 1999 as deputy managing director and has served in an advisory role to the company for the past three years. Previously, McCormack worked at Simon Fuller’s 19 Music Publishing, and he served as director of A&R at RCA Records before that. Earlier in his career, McCormack led the A&R team at Virgin Music Publishing that signed The Verve and The Prodigy, among others.
Universal Music Publishing’s Royalty Portal Now Allows Writers to Request Advance
“We’re thrilled to have an executive with Mike’s experience, creativity, and deep artist relationships leading our U.K. company,” comments Gerson, to whom McCormack reports. “Mike has been responsible for bringing to UMPG some of the U.K.’s most successful and influential songwriters, and I’m confident that in his new role, he will build upon UMPG’s stature as the industry’s best home for songwriters.”