THE REVOLVING DOOR

Lucian Grainge has signed a new five-year deal as Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group. According to parent Vivendi, the contract sees him commit to UMG ‘until at least 2020′. Grainge’s new deal comes as part of what Vivendi calls a ‘five-year development plan with the senior management of Universal Music Group (UMG)'.

Echo Arena Liverpool has appointed Robbie Owen to the newly created position of concert sales co-ordinator.

Audio Network, the production music house with more than 90,000 pre-cleared tracks on offer, has announced the appointment of Chris Blakeston to the role of CEO.

CBS News has made "almost the entire editorial staff" of its station-supporting and music-news-carrying website Radio.com redundant.

MTV programming chief Susanne Daniels is heading to YouTube in a newly created position leading the platform’s budding original content efforts, Variety reports. Daniels’ departure follows on the heels of the exit of longtime VH1 topper Tom Calderone, and comes five months after Viacom Music and Logo Group President Van Toffler announced that he was leaving the company. 

SFX Entertainment has adopted a flatter structure, with Greg Consiglio named President and CEO of Beatport. The news came just days before SFX CEO Robert Sillerman hoped to take the business off the stock market by buying all shares in the company he doesn’t currently own. SFX  has also headhunted the former Editor In Chief of Vice Media's electronic channel Thump, Zel McCarthy, to be  VP Of Beatport Media.

Robert Ashcroft has been named CEO of the new pan-EU licensing hub jointly run by PRS For Music (UK), GEMA (Germany) and STIM (Sweden). Ashcroft takes the role in addition to his work as CEO of PRS For Music.

and PRS for Music has appointed two new external directors to the Executive Board. Lord Michael Grade and Paul Mitchell replace Wanda Goldwag and Estelle Morris, who stood down at this year’s PRS for Music AGM at the end of their term.

Jack Ma’s e-commerce giant Alibaba is launching a music division to join its existing film and video units. Ali Music Group will be run by singer-songwriter and TV host Gao Xiaosong, who serves as chairman, and Song Ke, a former Warner Music executive, as CEO. The two execs previously worked together on Taihe Rye Music.

John Smith, General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union (MU) and President of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM), will become Chairman of PPL from January 1, 2016. Taking on the part time position, Smith will succeed Fran Nevrkla, who will retire at the end of 2015 following 15 years with the company.

Bruno Crolot,  who has headed up Midem for the last four years, is leaving parent group Reed Midem. Crolot, who held the official title of Director of Midem & Music Markets, joined Reed Midem in 2010.

Rolling Stone managing editor Will Dana is stepping down from his post at the magazine as fallout continues from the retracted gang rape story about a University of Virginia fraternity. 

The British Academy Of Songwriters, Composers & Authors has appointed award winning composer Stephen McNeff as BASCA's new chair.

SoundCloud has appointed a new VP of Global Marketing and Brand, DeJuan Wilson.

Jon ‘Webbo’ Webster is likely to step down as CEO of the Music Managers Forum (MMF) when the UK manager's trade body can find  new CEO with ‘strong organisational, personal, financial skills for UK trade association with international reach’.

Veteran music lawyer Mark Wilkins has returned to the UK, joining the recently-opened London office of Everys Solicitors  in Jermyn Street.


TPi has three new arrivals on board: Metal-loving Stephen Durham has joined TPi magazine as Assistant Editor, following on from a career as a busy reporter in London; Stewart Hume has filled TPi's newly created role as Editorial Assistant after recently graduating with a masters degree in magazine and music journalism and Mo Naeem has joined TPi as TPi Awards Event Manager. Mo has worked on some hugely successful and influential live events including the 2015 Manchester International Festival.

Following the loss of Tidal’s second CEO, Peter Tonstad, more management executives have departed: SVP Label and Artist Relations Zena Burns, Chief Marketing Officer Jeff Geisler and Business Development, Business Affairs Jennifer Justice have all reportedly left the streaming platform.