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Sony UK may still be looking for an A&R overseer to replace Gatfield
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 13 March 2014
US industry website HitsDailyDouble has been speculating that Sony Music UK is still on the look out for a replacement for Nick Gatfield, the former CEO of the major’s British division who departed somewhat suddenly last month.
As previously reported, Sony has already confirmed that Nicola Tuer will lead the firm’s UK division with the job title of Chief Operating Officer. A long-term Sony exec, Tuer already oversaw much of the record company’s British operations, and having her reporting straight into Sony Music International chief Edgar Berger perhaps suggests that the top guard at the major no longer feel that they need an exec with an A&R background to lead the division, leaving creative matters in the UK to the bosses of each frontline label.
But HDD reckons that Sony Music UK is still planning on bringing in a senior player with A&R credentials to sit above its constituent labels, though maybe alongside rather than above Tuer in the hierarchy. And with that in mind, the usual suspects have been tipped for that job – most notably recently departed Warner UK chief Christian Tattersfield and Miles Leonard, who is now leading the revamped Parlophone label within Warner Music.
HDD also mentions the possibility of increased cross-company influence at Sony for Syco chief Sonny Takhar (which seems the most credible of the rumours, Syco being particularly important within Sony’s UK business), before even throwing in a couple of old-timers as possible new senior A&R execs in the form of one-time EMI UK chief and current BPI Chairman Tony Wadsworth and Warner-UK-boss-from-back-in-the-day Roger Ames. Happy speculating people.