Verve Label Group (VLG), a division of Universal Music Group, has made two key executive promotions.
Effective immediately, Jamie Krents becomes CEO and President, while DawnOlejar becomes Chief Operating Officer.
Verve Label Group’s roster includes artists such as Jon Batiste, Arooj Aftab, Chad Lawson, Samara Joy, and Kurt Vile, alongside breakout stars like Sarah Kinsley, Cynthia Erivo and Gabríel Ólafs.
In their new roles, Krents and Olejar will spearhead the strategy for the entire Verve Label Group, including Impulse! Records, Verve Records, Verve Forecast, Decca Records US and storied label partners Decca Classics, Deutsche Grammophon, Hyperion and ECM.
They will continue to report to Dickon Stainer, who continues in the capacity of Chairman of Verve Label Group, following his recent elevation to Chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK.
They will continue working out of the label group’s New York offices.
Under Krents’ lead, in his previous role as President of Verve, Impulse!, and Verve Forecast, Verve saw Grammy wins for Jon Batiste (5x winner at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards including Album of the Year), Samara Joy’s Best New Artist win at the 2023 Awards, as well as signings and releases from artists like Kurt Vile, Arooj Aftab, Joy Oladokun, and more.
With over 20 years at Universal Music Group, Krents started at Verve in 1998 as a temp and rose through the ranks to serve in senior capacities including Senior Vice President of International Marketing and Label Development, Executive Vice President, and most recently as President of the Verve, Impulse! and Forecast imprints.
He is credited with playing an instrumental role in finding and acquiring the tapes that made up the rediscovered John Coltrane album, Both Directions at Once in 2018.
Dawn Olejar, whose previous role as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Verve Label Group, is described as having been “vital to the aforementioned wins”.
Additionally, according to the announcement today, Olejar “played a key role in Decca Records US being the leading label in the US on the Billboard Classical Chart”.
Just this year, World Sleep Day (a multi-artist collaboration) debuted at No.1 on the Classical Chart with nine consecutive weeks in the Top 10 and 26 total weeks on the chart.
In 2018 and 2023, Olejar was honored by Billboard’s Women In Music lists. Prior to VLG, Olejar was General Manager at RPM Music Productions. In this new role as COO, Olejar will have the continued responsibility of overseeing the team at Verve Label Group.
“I am delighted that together they will lead these legendary labels into the future.”
Dickon Stainer
Dickon Stainer said: “The promotion of Jamie Krents to CEO and President of Verve Label Group speaks to his long-standing reputation and commitment to nurturing and breaking artists globally.
“Dawn Olejar is a world-class strategist and leader; her elevation to Chief Operating Officer is a reflection of this. I am delighted that together they will lead these legendary labels into the future.”
“I’d like to thank Sir Lucian Grainge and Dickon Stainer for their belief and trust in what we are building at VLG.”
Jamie Krents
Jamie Krents, who has been with the company for over two decades, added: “For someone who grew up literally treasuring and studying Verve, Impulse! and Decca recordings, this appointment is beyond thrilling.
“Getting to work with artists of the caliber that we have on the Verve Label Group roster is such an honor and it’s particularly exciting to get to take on this role alongside Dawn and the rest of the Verve Label Group team.
“I’d like to thank Sir Lucian Grainge and Dickon Stainer for their belief and trust in what we are building at VLG.”
“I’m thrilled to continue working with Jamie and our amazing team to build upon the great work that we’ve been doing at VLG.”
Dawn Olejar
Dawn Olejar added: “I’m thrilled to continue working with Jamie and our amazing team to build upon the great work that we’ve been doing at VLG.
“A very big thank you to Dickon for his endless guidance and support. We work with the most talented artists in the world and I’m excited for what’s next.”Music Business Worldwide
