Kent Klavens has been appointed senior vice president, Business and Legal Affairs, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

Klavens will report directly to David Kokakis, SVP, head of Business & Legal Affairs/Business Development, UMPG, and will be based in the company’s worldwide headquarters in Santa Monica, California.

In this new role, Klavens’ primary responsibilities will include contract negotiations in North America for new and existing songwriter signings as well as copyright infringement, sampling infringement, piracy and litigation in North America. Klavens ...