Jody Gerson
Jody Gerson | |
---|---|
Born | 1961 |
Nationality | American |
Education | Bachelor of Arts Northwestern University, The Baldwin School |
Occupation | Chairman and Chief executive officer of Universal Music Publishing Group, American music executive |
Children | 3 |
Jody Gerson (born 1961 in Philadelphia)[1] is the Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group.[2] Upon assuming the role on January 1, 2015, Gerson became the first female to run a major record company[3] and first chairwoman of a global music company.[4]
Career[]
Gerson was raised in a Jewish family[5][6] in the Philadelphia area, where her father owned several nightclubs including the Latin Casino[7] whose performers included artists like Frank Sinatra and Diana Ross.[8] She began her career in music publishing at Chappell Music shortly after graduating from Northwestern University,[9] where she started out making tape copies.[8] After six years at Chappell, she moved to EMI Music Publishing to run the company's east coast office[2] before shifting to head up the company's west coast publishing division in 1991. In January 2008, Gerson left EMI to become US Co-President of Sony/ATV Music Publishing.[9] In 2015, Gerson joined Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) as Chairman and CEO. Under her leadership,[10] UMPG's competitive and financial performance improved, growing its revenue 56%[11] and becoming a billion-dollar business.[10] Gerson has also led the signings and extensions of artists and songwriters including the Bee Gees,[12][13] Elton John,[14][13] Carly Simon,[15] Bruce Springsteen,[16] Prince,[17] Taylor Swift,[18] Billie Eilish,[19] Rosalia,[20] Alicia Keys,[21] Coldplay,[13] Justin Bieber,[13] Jack White,[22] SZA,[13] Quavo,[7] Ariana Grande, H.E.R.,[13] Harry Styles, Jeff Bhasker, Maren Morris,[23] Tierra Whack,[7] Halsey, Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, Tobias Jesso Jr., Travis Scott, Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, Maroon 5, R.E.M., Pearl Jam and Post Malone, and more.[8] In 2016, she also negotiated a deal for UMPG to be the exclusive worldwide publishing administrator for Prince’s entire song catalog.[24]
Previous to UMPG,[25] Gerson has signed many successful songwriters throughout her career in music publishing, including Lady Gaga, Norah Jones, Odd Future, Jermaine Dupri, and a then 15-year-old Alicia Keys. Gerson has also played an instrumental role in the careers of Enrique Iglesias, Pharrell Williams, Mac Miller, Pitbull, RedOne, and Dallas Austin, among others.[2]
In addition to her work in music, Gerson produced the movies Drumline and ATL. Drumline is currently being adapted for Broadway. She is also executive producer of VH1's Drumline 2.[2] She is a board member of the National Music Publishers Association.[26]
Recognition[]
On December 3, 2015, Gerson was named 'Executive of the Year' by Billboard Magazine in its Women in Music 2015 issue.[8] In 2016 she was named "Inspiring Woman of the Year" by the March of Dimes, and named to the Variety Power of Women L.A. list.[27][28] She has appeared on the Billboard Power 100 every year from 2016 to 2022. [29][30] and 2019. In 2020, she was named by Billboard as "Executive of the Year", becoming the first music publisher and first woman to receive this honor.[31] Gerson will receive the Abe Olman Publisher Award at the 51st annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner.[32]
Personal life[]
Gerson is divorced from Seth Swirsky and has three children: Julian (1994), Luke (2002), and Daisy (2004).[8]
References[]
- ^ Laura M. Holson (January 27, 2002). "Bolstering a Career From the Beginning". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d "Jody Gerson Named Head of Universal Music Publishing Group". Billboard. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
- ^ Dodero, Camille. "Universal Music Publishing Group Chairman/CEO Jody Gerson on Why the Music Industry Has Yet to Have a #MeToo Moment". Billboard. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
- ^ "UMPG's Jody Gerson to Receive Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Publisher Award". Billboard. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ Gensler, Andy and Halperin, Shirley "Houses of the Holy: Where the Music Biz Celebrates the Jewish High Holidays" Billboard Magazine. September 23, 2014
- ^ Hollywood Reporter: "Hollywood's Battles for the Best Bar Mitzvah: $5M Budgets, Justin Bieber and Camels" by Carson Griffith November 11, 2016 |
- ^ a b c Amorosi, A. D. (2019-10-23). "Universal Music Publishing Group's Jody Gerson Honored by Hometown of Philadelphia". Variety. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ a b c d e Halperin, Shirley "Women in Music 2015: Jody Gerson Named Executive of the Year" Billboard Magazine. December 3, 2015
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "Jody Gerson-led Universal Music Publishing Group is now officially a billion-dollar business". Music Business Worldwide. 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Universal Music Group Revenues Pass $7.7 Billion in 2019, IPO Planned By 2023". Billboard. 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Bee Gees musical on the way thanks to deal with Universal Music Group". Music Business Worldwide. 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ a b c d e f "Jody Gerson, Billboard's Power Executive of the Year". Billboard. 2020-01-23. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Elton John signs with Universal 'for the rest of his career'". Reuters. 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Carly Simon Signs Global Administration Deal With Universal Music Publishing Group". Billboard. 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ Halperin, Shirley (2017-07-31). "Bruce Springsteen Signs With Universal Music Publishing". Variety. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Prince's Estate Signs With Universal Music Publishing". Billboard. 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Taylor Swift Signs With UMPG". Billboard. 2020-02-06. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Billie Eilish Lands Co-Publishing Deal With Universal Music Publishing Group". Billboard. 2018-11-09. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "The world's next pop superstar? Rosalía signs global deal with Universal Music Publishing Group". Music Business Worldwide. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Alicia Keys Moves Catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group". Billboard. 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ Trakin, Roy (2017-04-27). "Jack White Signs Worldwide Agreement With Universal Music Publishing Group". Variety. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Maren Morris Inks Worldwide Deal With Universal Music Publishing Group". Billboard. 2019-08-01. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "Prince's Estate Signs With Universal Music Publishing". Billboard.
- ^ "Jody Gerson Jumps From Sony/ATV to Universal, Becomes Highest Ranking Woman in Publishing". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
- ^ "NMPA". NMPA. 2014-05-13. Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
- ^ "Power of Women L.A. Impact Report". October 11, 2016.
- ^ "March of Dimes Raises $1.4 Million at 6th Annual Celebration of Babies®: A Hollywood Luncheon". www.marchofdimes.org.
- ^ Staff, Billboard; Staff, Billboard (2022-01-26). "The 2022 Billboard Power List Revealed". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "No. 8: Jody Gerson | Power 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
- ^ "Jody Gerson of Universal Music Publishing Group: Executive of the Year". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
- ^ "UMPG's Jody Gerson to Receive Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Olman Publisher Award". Billboard. 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- American music industry executives
- Women chief executives
- 20th-century American Jews
- Living people
- The Baldwin School alumni
- 1961 births
- 21st-century American Jews