The BPI has appointed Peter Ratcliffe to the new role of director of content protection.
Ratcliffe joins the BPI having just retired from the City Of London Police following a 32-year career in various major roles, including management of the UK Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit.
From 2017, as Detective Superintendent, Ratcliffe was responsible for five national police units, including intellectual property crime, among other key areas of economic crime.
He will report to BPI CEO Dr Jo Twist OBE, and work with the close support of Niki Haywood, who has been promoted to the role of head of operations. Haywood most recently served as co-acting head of content protection.
Ratcliffe will now lead a 16-strong Content Protection Unit, including an investigations team. The CPU works alongside the BPI legal team and other BPI departments in tracking and tackling all forms of digital and physical piracy related to recorded music.
Peter Ratcliffe said: “I’m delighted to have joined the BPI to direct its industry-leading content protection work. It’s a responsibility that I’m very proud to take on, because artists and the record companies who invest in them face ever-evolving IP infringement challenges. I can’t wait to start drawing on my experience from three decades with City of London Police, and addressing those challenges with the BPI’s ambitious, globally co-ordinated strategies, and safeguarding recorded music in the UK.”
Dr Jo Twist said: “We’re so pleased to welcome Peter to the BPI and to this important new role protecting the valuable content that our members and their brilliant artists create. He brings an unparalleled level of experience in tackling IP infringement, and will strengthen our Content Protection Unit in their excellent work at a pivotal time in the transformation of our industry, when human artistry needs more safeguarding than ever.”
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