Elena Segal, Apple’s Global Senior Director of Music Publishing, is set to receive an Ivors Academy Honour in recognition of her contributions to the UK music industry.
This accolade is part of the Ivors Academy Honours, which aim to celebrate individuals who have significantly supported songwriters and composers and driven positive change within the music sector.
Segal’s career began in 2001 at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, where she focused on entertainment litigation, specializing in copyright and trademark issues for the music industry. She transitioned to iTunes in 2006, playing a pivotal role in the platform’s global expansion. Segal’s expertise was crucial during the launch of Apple Music, where she managed the licensing of music publishing rights outside the US for the service’s debut in over 100 countries.
In her current role as Apple’s Global Senior Director of Music Publishing, Segal oversees all facets of Apple’s relationships with songwriters, music publishers, and other licensors of rights in compositions. Her work also includes contributions to the Apple Music Festival, an event that featured performances from some of the world’s top artists over its 10-year run in London.
“Elena is one of the most accomplished and respected music executives in the UK. Throughout her career Elena has consistently championed the value of songwriters and music publishing.”
Tom Gray, The Ivors Academy
The Ivors Academy Honours are a continuation of the Gold Badge Awards, which were first established in 1974 to honor similar achievements. Notable past recipients of these awards include Joan Armatrading CBE, Janice Long, Peter Gabriel, Beverly Knight MBE, Bob Geldof KBE, Trevor Nelson MBE, Paulette Long OBE, and Sir Michael Eavis. Segal joins Academy Honour inaugural recipients Kevin Brennan MP, Carla Marie Williams, Crispin Hunt, and the late Rupert Hine.
The honor will be presented to Segal at a private event in London this May.
“Elena is one of the most accomplished and respected music executives in the UK. Throughout her career Elena has consistently championed the value of songwriters and music publishing,” said Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy.
“Notably, she has been at the forefront of global music licensing as technology transformed the industry. For her contributions to the music industry, Elena truly deserves this Honour.”
The ceremony will also recognize other influential figures in the music industry, including Bruce Springsteen, who will be named a Fellow of The Ivors Academy in recognition of “his influence and impact on the craft of songwriting”.
Springsteen, aka “The Boss”, joins an elite group of songwriting legends who have received the Fellowship, including Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush CBE, Joan Armatrading CBE, and Sting, the 2023 recipient.
The Ivors Academy is a UK trade organization dedicated to representing the interests of British songwriters and composers. It also hosts the annual Ivor Novello Awards.
Originally established in the 1940s as the Composers Guild of Great Britain and the Songwriters Guild of Great Britain, the organization has undergone several transformations. These two bodies eventually merged into the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), which was rebranded as the Ivors Academy in 2019. The Ivor Novello Awards, known informally as The Ivors, have been celebrated since 1956.
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