Universal Music Group has announced Adam Granite’s appointment as executive vice president, market development. The appointment is effective September 1 2017, with Granite based in London.
Granite will report to Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of UMG, and will work closely with its senior management team and operating companies across over 60 territories. Granite’s job will be to maximise commercial opportunities for artists and labels across Europe, ad well as emerging markets such as Africa, China and India. He will increase coordination of UMG’s audio-visual content in Europe and Asia, and contribute to the company’s global strategy for marketing, distribution, and commercial initiatives including licensing, acquisitions and emerging genres.
Previously, Granite served as president of Northern & Eastern Europe and Africa for Sony Music Entertainment, and since 2015 has been in charge of Sony’s operations and licensed operations in those territories.
Granite was also a member of Sony Music’s International Executive Management team, where he led digital strategy, A&R, marketing, brands, market segmentation & consumer insights, and international sales & distribution deals. He previously served as executive vice president, Sony Music International, and earlier in his career held the role of general manager at Epic Records.
Sir Lucian Grainge commented: “More than ever, to be successful in an increasingly global music business, you must be able to maximize opportunities in markets around the world. With Adam, we are adding an experienced executive to UMG’s deep bench and gaining someone with a global track record of commercial success.”
Granite said: “Universal Music Group is the gold standard when it comes to breaking artists across international markets. With the global nature of today’s music industry, artists have access to audiences around the world and the ability to broadly influence culture on a scale never before seen. It’s a tremendously exciting time and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to UMG and working with their renowned team of artists and executives.”
By Sophie Nevrkla
