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“Instead of approaching artists as if it is a privilege to be signed to a major label, Terra Firma is devoted to reaffirming the fact that for any music company it is a privilege to represent and support artists.”
——Billy Mann

BILLY MANN’S UP FOR EMI

Writer/Producer to Sit on Investor Board, Along With Manufacturing/Sales Vet Mike Clasper
EMI has finally made it official, announcing the appointment of Billy Mann to the company’s Investor Board, “to assist in the transformation of the group.” The long-expected announcement that the New York-based writer/producer has accepted Guy Hands’ offer to be part of his new team further noted that “Billy…will provide creative input to the Group and the Investor Board and advise on artist relations.

Mann’s name followed that of Mike Clasper in the press release issued out of London today. Clasper, who joins Mann on the Investor Board, was most recently CEO of BAA, “the world’s leading airports group,” following a stint as President of Global Homecare at Procter & Gamble. The executive’s area of focus will be EMI’s manufacturing, logistics and sales operations around the world.

The two newcomers join current board members Hands, Lord Birt, Chris Roling, Ashley Unwin, Mark Hodgkinson, Riaz Punja and Phil Burns. The board’s purpose is “overseeing EMI’s strategic review” and “is currently engaged in looking at all aspects of EMI and its business to determine the best way the group should move forward to capture the opportunities available to it in the rapidly changing music industry.”

“I am delighted to welcome Mike and Billy to the Investor Board of EMI,” said Hands in his latest carefully worded statement. “Mike has had extensive experience of running successful businesses across the world and leading innovation in a variety of business sectors. Billy, meanwhile, will help balance what is a very business- and consumer-focused investor board by providing creative input. We are all looking forward to their contributions.

“The recorded music industry today faces some enormous challenges but also tremendous opportunities to build on the central role that music plays in all our lives,” Hands continued. “With the arrival of Mike and Billy, I feel confident we have a team that can work alongside EMI employees and artists to identify and exploit those opportunities and build EMI’s powerful market position over the long-term.”

Said Mann: "From the first day, Guy Hands and Terra Firma have been consistent about empowering the creative community and the consumer first and foremost. Instead of approaching artists as if it is a privilege to be signed to a major label, Terra Firma is devoted to reaffirming the fact that for any music company it is a privilege to represent and support artists. With this in mind, I couldn't be more excited to join their innovative efforts."

Added Clasper: “The music industry needs to change and the transformation going on within EMI gives the Group the opportunity to lead that change. I am very pleased to be working with Guy and the team at EMI to take the business forward and will focus particularly on the development of the very best distribution, supply chain and logistic operations around the world to maximize its returns from the vast array of talent and intellectual property it owns.”

EMI described Mann as “the renowned record producer, song writer and music entrepreneur [who] is the founder and CEO of Stealth Entertainment, and has worked with many of the leading names in the music industry today, including Pink, Sting, Joss Stone, Take That, Celine Dion, Martina McBride, Jessica Simpson, Delta Goodrem, Ricky Martin and Art Garfunkel. He has recorded sales of over 60 million records over the past 10 years, as well as multiple top 10 singles around the globe, through his various collaborations. Mann has also been a nurturer of various new artists and songwriters including Teddy Geiger, and Esmeé Denters.”