The BPI, the trade body representing major and independent labels in the UK, has appointed Dr Jo Twist OBE as its new Chief Executive.
Twist, who is currently CEO of Ukie, the trade body for UK games and interactive entertainment – a post she has held since 2012 – is expected to take up the role in July.
The exec has also held positions at the BBC and Channel 4 and sits on a number of industry and charity Boards.
The BPI’s Chief Strategy Officer, Sophie Jones, will continue as Interim BPI Chief Executive until Jo joins, having taken over from Geoff Taylor MBE following his departure in December 2022.
Twist OBE has been CEO of Ukie, the trade body for UK games and interactive entertainment since 2012.=
With a 25-year background in interactive entertainment, technology, education, creative media and youth culture, BPI says that Twist has wide-ranging experience in high-level influencing, stakeholder management and organisational change.
Twist sits on a range of high-level boards, committees, and advisory groups, including the Creative Industries Council, Creative UK Council, and the AHRC Creative Industries Advisory Group, representing the games and interactive entertainment sector and advocating on its behalf.
She is a VP for games accessibility charity SpecialEffect, Patron of Safe in Our World mental health and games charity. She is also a King’s Appointed Trustee for Royal Historic Palaces, a Wiggin Foundation Trustee and stepped down as a BAFTA Trustee and Chair of the Games Committee in 2022. Jo is a Ravensbourne University Visiting Fellow and a Visiting Lecturer for Goldsmith’s University in the School of Computing.
In 2016 she was awarded an OBE for services to the creative industries.
“Having spent the last 25 years working across cutting-edge creative industries I look forward to working with YolanDa, Sophie and the team as they support their label members and the wider music community in fully realising the value of music.”
Dr Jo Twist OBE
Dr Jo Twist OBE, incoming BPI Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to join the BPI at such an exciting time for British music.
“Having spent the last 25 years working across cutting-edge creative industries I look forward to working with YolanDa, Sophie and the team as they support their label members and the wider music community in fully realising the value of music – growing the market, boosting exports and ensuring the recognition and backing the industry deserves.
Added Twist: “The industry’s talent, so passionately nurtured by innovative major and independent record labels, is world leading, and the BPI plays an important role in creating an environment where labels and their artists can thrive and the next generation of talent can be supported into the industry.”
“Jo has outstanding credentials and, along with her fresh perspective, she will bring a rich breadth of experience garnered in games and across the creative industries. This will prove invaluable to the BPI and to UK recorded music as we navigate great changes in our industry.
YolanDa Brown OBE DL, BPI
YolanDa Brown OBE DL, BPI Chair, said: “On behalf of the BPI, its Council and members, I am excited to welcome Jo Twist as our new Chief Executive. In what was a competitive recruitment process she showed great passion, drive and a big heart for music.
“Jo has outstanding credentials and, along with her fresh perspective, she will bring a rich breadth of experience garnered in games and across the creative industries. This will prove invaluable to the BPI and to UK recorded music as we navigate great changes in our industry.
“We wish her all the very best in the role and keenly look forward to her arrival this Summer.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jo previously, and her exceptional qualities will serve the BPI and our members well.”
Sophie Jones, BPI
Sophie Jones, BPI Chief Strategy Officer and Interim Chief Executive, said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jo previously, and her exceptional qualities will serve the BPI and our members well.
“There is much to do to deliver our goals to support continued investment in new talent, keep the UK music sector strong in a hyper-competitive global market and to tackle the new disruptions on the horizon, such as AI. I’m really looking forward to welcoming Jo to the BPI and working with her.”
Stuart Dinsey, the former Chair of UKIE and a previous owner of UK trade paper Music Week said of Twist’s hiring at the BPI: “Jo is the right appointment for an organisation needing culture change. She has almost single-handedly kept UKIE relevant over the past ten years despite a digital, global games market often undermining the traditional influence of a local territory trade body. She will bring energy, passion and intelligence, and is used to a fast-moving landscape.”
Twist’s predecessor Geoff Taylor was appointed CEO of the BPI in February 2007.Music Business Worldwide