Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Appoint Ivan Gavin to Chief Operating Officer

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Nov 07, 2011, 10:30 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Republic & Island Def Jam, a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), has appointed Ivan Gavin to the newly-created position of Chief Operating Officer, it was announced today by Barry Weiss, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, and to whom Mr. Gavin reports.

Based in New York, Mr. Gavin will work closely with Mr. Weiss and oversee day-to-day operations across the label group, with responsibility for such departments as finance, business affairs, shared services and sales.

"Having worked with Ivan for many years at Jive and then Jive/RCA, I'm confident that his unique combination of record label, financial and operational experience have made him ideally suited to help me address the unique challenges and the array of opportunities we face in the music business today," stated Mr. Weiss. "We're delighted to have an executive of his caliber join us."

"It's a privilege to not only be working alongside Barry again, but to be joining a label group with such a deep commitment to talent and innovation," added Mr. Gavin. "As a result, our labels are uniquely poised to drive change in our business with all the key ingredients, from a dynamic roster of talent and a second-to-none team of executives, to a clear strategy for growth."

Most recently, Mr. Gavin served as Chief Operating Officer of RCA/Jive Label Group, a position he had held since 2007. Formerly, from 2002 - 2006, he served as Chief Operating Officer of EMI Music North America, where he managed operations for EMI's U.S.-based recorded music company. Prior to joining EMI, Mr. Gavin spent 12 years at Zomba as Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations, overseeing operations for Zomba divisions including record labels Jive, Silvertone and Verity, Provident Music Group, music publishing, equipment rental, recording studios and production music. Mr. Gavin began his career in music at Chrysalis Records, where he served as the label's Chief Financial Officer.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 59 territories. 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, Def Jam Recordings, Deutsche Grammophon, Disa, Emarcy, Fonovisa, Geffen Records, Interscope Records, Island Records, Lost Highway Records, Machete Music, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Polydor Records, Motown, Universal Music Latino, Universal Republic 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 Global Digital Business, 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