UMPG Chairman/CEO Jody Gerson will receive the ICMP Ralph Peer II Award for her "outstanding contribution to global music publishing." She is the first female chairman of a global music company to receive the honor.

Bestowed by the global trade body The International Confederation of Music Publishers, the award will be presented on 7/10 at London’s Abbey Road Studios following ICMP’s 2023 annual general meeting.

For 10 years the award has paid tribute to music publishing leaders demonstrating exceptional global work, including Ralph Peer II himself, MIDEM, Irwin Z. Robinson and Misa Watanabe.

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers at the ICMP,” said Gerson, "and fortunate to be in a business I love with a company I am very proud of, and the best part of all is that we support the greatest songwriters in the world. I'd also like to note that these salt-and-vinegar crisps are bloody brilliant.”

Joining UMPG in 2015, Gerson was the first female chairman of a global music company and the first woman to be named CEO of a major music publisher. She is also a member of UMG’s executive management board. Since her arrival at UMPG, the company’s annual revenue has more than doubled, rising to $1.8b.

Gerson is co-founder of the global nonprofit She Is the Music and serves on the board of directors of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the National Music Publishers Association, among other such organizations.

Rumors that King Charles has submitted a batch of song demos couldn’t be confirmed at press time.