UMPG announced today that Stephen J. Dallas has been appointed SVP, Business & Legal Affairs and Digital Business Development. Based in Santa Monica, he will report to UMPG Chief Counsel, Business Affairs and UMG/UMPG Digital Rights Management, David Kokakis.

In his new role, Dallas will be responsible for the negotiation of high-level digital deals both domestically and internationally, including creating and exploring new digital business opportunities globally on behalf of UMPG's songwriters and rights holders.

Said Kokakis on making the announcement: “Stephen is one of the few executives in the industry who has an in-depth knowledge of the digital marketplace and the art of deal making in that space. That expertise, together with his years of work with litigation and transactional music publishing matters, makes him a unique executive whose diverse skill set is a perfect fit for UMPG. We are fortunate to have him on our team.”

Previously, Dallas served as VP, Digital Legal Affairs & Business Development at Warner Chappell Music. He was responsible for landmark deals with global DSPs including Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, Spotify and Pandora, among others.

Dallas has an accomplished legal track record, having worked at firms Thelen, Reid & Priest, LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. He holds a J.D. from New York Law School. During law school, he served as a judicial intern for United States District Court Judge Harold Baer, Jr., and New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division Senior Justice Charles E. Ramos.