PPL CEO Peter Leathem has paid tribute to David Harmsworth, the UK collecting society's General Counsel, who has died after a short illness.
The society said in a statement yesterday: "PPL is devastated to announce that David Harmsworth, PPL General Counsel, died this morning after a short illness. David was a much-loved figure in the music industry; a highly respected lawyer, a peerless colleague, and a friend to many. He leaves behind a legacy to be proud of".
Harmsworth joined the PPL Legal & Business Affairs team in 2003 having previously worked at City law firm Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw. After various promotions over the years, he was appointed as the society's General Counsel in 2018.
He had other roles in the music and wider copyright industries too, including as Chair of the Rights & Legal Affairs Committee at cross-sector trade group UK Music and as a director of the British Copyright Council.
Leathem said yesterday: “David was my first appointment at PPL nineteen years ago and he turned out to be one of the key people who created the PPL of today. An incredibly able lawyer, a thoroughly kind and conscientious friend and colleague. I will miss him greatly".
"His ability, and his friendly and collaborative nature, made him very popular across the music industry and creative copyright world more generally", he added, "which is why he operated in so many external roles as well as his role at PPL. He will be missed by so many and my thoughts, and those of everyone at PPL, are with his wife Heather, his three young children and their families".