Jon Webster, the director of independent services at the BPI, the U.K. music-industry trade body, is leaving for the newly-created position of CEO at the Music Managers Forum (MMF).
Webster will be the first CEO at the MMF, which until recently had a general secretary. James Sellar stepped down from that role in December 2006, and is now director of operations at Compact Collections Performer Services, a London-based royalty collection agency.
The MMF says the new CEO role will aim to negotiate the changing nature of the music industry on behalf of artist managers, a factor it says is crucial at a time when managers are increasingly developing their roles in artists’ development, and labels are seeking revenues from live music.
“Jon brings to our organization a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience coupled with great enthusiasm for the changes which we intend to implement at the MMF over the next few months,” said MMF chairman Jazz Summers, in a statement.
During his two-and-a-half years at the BPI, Webster was responsible for overseeing the needs of the organization’s independent-label members.
According to the BPI, which is known for championing the major labels’ causes in the United Kingdom, its indie membership currently stands at 377 labels, a 40% jump since May 2005.
