Universal Music Group Names Mike Tunnicliffe, Executive Vice President, Business Development & Partnerships, U.S.

Former Global Chief Growth & Marketing Officer for GroupM, the largest media investment management company in the world, to lead new business partnerships for UMG

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Universal Music Group

Dec 05, 2014, 12:00 ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG), the world's leading music company, has named Mike Tunnicliffe, the former Chief Growth & Marketing Officer for GroupM, to the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Business Development & Partnerships, U.S., effective January 1, 2015. Tunnicliffe, who will be based in New York and report to UMG's Executive Vice President, U.S. Recorded Music, Michele Anthony, will oversee new business activity for UMG related to brand partnerships, strategic marketing alliances and marketing programs for advertisers. In his new position, Tunnicliffe will work closely with Olivier Robert-Murphy, Global Head of New Business, and his team, the strategic marketing groups at the company's labels and UMG's digital, commercial and marketing departments in creating new revenue opportunities for artists, labels and artists' brands.

In making the announcement, Anthony said, "As the industry continues to evolve, we're seeing an increasing number of opportunities to create value for our artists and labels by scaling and leveraging UMG's incredible roster and forming dynamic partnerships with brands. With an executive of Mike's caliber leading our efforts in the U.S. combined with Universal Music's unparalleled talent and iconic labels, we are taking another important step in redefining the role of the music company in our rapidly transforming business."

Tunnicliffe said, "As content continues to drive the growth of platforms and the development of new consumption models, I can't think of a better time to join the progressive team at Universal Music which is leading the transformation of the music industry. I look forward to bringing my years of experience working with brands and content companies and creators in developing new revenue streams for UMG and its artists."

Tunnicliffe joined GroupM, the world's largest media investment management company, in 2010. At GroupM, he led major business development and revenue growth activities across the company's agencies, including Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC and Maxus, along with U.S.-based specialist businesses in digital, content, analytics and trading spaces. He was instrumental in winning clients such as NBC Universal, NBCU Digital and Nestle USA and was responsible for leading the agencies client facing teams to generate three-fold growth in revenues from GroupM's specialist businesses.

Prior to GroupM, Tunnicliffe was a partner at Tuna Music and SAS Digital Inc., where he focused on creating new revenue streams in both the brands and entertainment worlds through partnerships, strategic alliances and the creation of intellectual property along with a variety of alternative marketing ideas. Prior positions included Global Chief Client Officer, Initiative Media Worldwide for the Interpublic Group, overseeing clients in their UK and New York offices and Group Managing Director of the four main UK business units of CIA Group plc/TEMPUS Group plc (now part of WPP plc).

About Universal Music Group:
Universal Music Group is the global music leader, with wholly owned operations in 60 territories. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's premier music publishing operations worldwide.

Universal Music Group's labels include A&M Records, Angel, Astralwerks, Blue Note Records, Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol Records, Capitol Records Nashville, Caroline, Decca, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, EMI Records Nashville, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Harvest, Interscope Records, Island Records, Machete Music, Manhattan, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Motown Records, Polydor Records, Republic Records, Universal Music Latino, Verve Music Group, Virgin Records, Virgin EMI Records, as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalogue is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes Global Digital Business, its new media and technologies division and Bravado, its merchandising company.

Universal Music Group is a fully owned subsidiary of Vivendi.

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SOURCE Universal Music Group