Universal Music Group (UMG) Promotes Amanda Marks to Global Head of Digital Accounts

Marks Joins Company's Expanding Global Digital Business Team

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May 20, 2011, 03:54 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, has promoted Amanda Marks to the newly created position of Global Head of Digital Accounts. The announcement was made today by Rob Wells, President of Global Digital Business, to whom Ms. Marks reports. Previously, Ms. Marks served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Music Distribution.

In this expanded role, Ms. Marks will oversee all relationships with UMG's digital retail partners on a global basis. She will focus on ensuring that UMG's commercial approach continues to reflect the changing retail environment, supports innovative and compelling offerings, and provides a wide variety of ways for fans to consume music. Ms. Marks will work closely with UMG's labels and business partners, including Ross Foster (Senior Vice President, Commercial Affairs) and the commercial affairs team.

"As we continue to expand our global team, there is no one better to oversee our relationships with our digital retail partners than Amanda," stated Mr. Wells. "Over the last ten years at UMG, she has proven herself to be a dynamic executive and a real driver of innovation. She will play a key role on our team as we continue to lead the industry in making our artists and their music more accessible across more services and devices, while broadening our consumer base."

"It's a rare opportunity to join Rob at this exciting time in the industry," added Ms. Marks. "Having helped to establish the digital music business in the United States, I am looking forward to help grow UMG's digital business globally with Rob and the rest of the team."

During her tenure at UMG, Ms. Marks served as Executive Vice President of eLabs, UMG's digital strategy and deal-making division. She also helped launch Jimmy and Doug's Farmclub.com, where she served as General Manager responsible for its daily operations including finance, business and legal affairs, business development and human resources. Farmclub.com was a frontrunner in interactive convergence -- an innovative company which integrated a web site, television show and record label. Jimmy and Doug's Farmclub.com was a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Her background also includes stints with Universal Music Group's Business & Legal Affairs Department, Mercury Records, Rock-It Cargo USA, Viscount Airlines and their affiliated companies, and as an associate with McKenna & Cuneo in Los Angeles.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation.

Universal Music Group's record labels include A&M/Octone, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Show Dog - Universal Music, Universal Motown Republic Group, Universal Music Latino and Verve Music Group 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 catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog 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 eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; and Twenty-First Artists, its full service management division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.

SOURCE Universal Music Group