Verve Label Group (VLG) has made two key executive promotions: Jamie Krents becomes CEO and president, while Dawn Olejar becomes chief operating officer.
The company’s roster includes global artists such as Jon Batiste, Arooj Aftab, Chad Lawson, Samara Joy and Kurt Vile, alongside breakout stars like Sarah Kinsley, Cynthia Erivo and Gabríel Ólafs.
The label group, a division of Universal Music Group, secured 14 nominations across multiple imprints and genres at the Grammys.
In their new roles, Krents and Olejar will spearhead the strategy for the entire Verve Label Group, including Impulse! Records, Verve Records, Verve Forecast, Decca Records US and label partners Decca Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, Hyperion and ECM.
They will continue to report to Dickon Stainer, who continues in the capacity of chairman of Verve Label Group, following his elevation to chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, and they will continue working out of the label group’s New York offices.
Dickon Stainer said: “The promotion of Jamie Krents to CEO and president of Verve Label Group speaks to his long-standing reputation and commitment to nurturing and breaking artists globally. Dawn Olejar is a world-class strategist and leader; her elevation to chief operating officer is a reflection of this. I am delighted that together they will lead these legendary labels into the future.”
I am delighted that together they will lead these legendary labels into the future
Dickon Stainer
Jamie Krents, who has been with the company for over two decades, said: “For someone who grew up literally treasuring and studying Verve, Impulse! and Decca recordings, this appointment is beyond thrilling. Getting to work with artists of the calibre that we have on the Verve Label Group roster is such an honour and it’s particularly exciting to get to take on this role alongside Dawn and the rest of the Verve Label Group team. I’d like to thank Sir Lucian Grainge and Dickon Stainer for their belief and trust in what we are building at VLG.”
Dawn Olejar added: “I’m thrilled to continue working with Jamie and our amazing team to build upon the great work that we’ve been doing at VLG. A very big thank you to Dickon for his endless guidance and support. We work with the most talented artists in the world and I’m excited for what’s next.”
Under Krents’ lead, in his previous role of president of Verve, Impulse!, and Verve Forecast, Verve saw Grammy wins for Jon Batiste (2022) and Samara Joy (2023), as well as key signings and critically acclaimed releases from artists like Kurt Vile, Arooj Aftab, Joy Oladokun, and more.
Krents started at Verve in 1998 as a temp and rose through the ranks to serve in senior capacities, including senior vice president of international marketing and label development, executive vice president, and most recently as president of the Verve, Impulse! and Forecast imprints. He was instrumental in finding and acquiring the tapes that made up the hugely successful rediscovered John Coltrane album, Both Directions at Once, in 2018.
Dawn Olejar, whose previous role of executive vice president and general manager, Verve Label Group, played a key role in Decca Records US being the leading label in the US Classical Chart, as well as the Grammys success.
Prior to VLG, Olejar was general manager at RPM Music Productions. In this new role as COO, Olejar will have the continued responsibility of overseeing the team at Verve Label Group.
PHOTO: Jena Cumbo
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