Deutsche Grammophon has appointed Decca Records MD Mark Wilkinson as its new President.
The exec will officially take up the post from April 9, assuming command of the 114-year-old company.
He will report to Frank Briegmann, President, Universal Music Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Deutsche Grammophon, who announced the appointment today.
Wilkinson, 46, will assume responsibility for all aspects of DG’s operations, based at its Berlin headquarters.
He succeeds Michael Lang, who departed as President of Deutsche Grammophon at the end of 2011, after 10 years at its helm.
He will relocate from London, where he has held senior management and marketing posts with Universal Music for the past 19 years.
Deutsche Grammophon, has a roster, which includes names such as Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez and Gustavo Dudamel.
Frank Briegmann said, “I am delighted that Mark will be taking over the leadership of Deutsche Grammophon. In addition to his expertise and his Universal Music experience, he has a strong reputation as a champion for classical music and its artists.
“Just like our long-standing label, he stands for quality, creativity and brilliance – and I know it’s his ambition to stimulate and increase people’s appetite for the music of this beautiful, diverse label. I am looking forward to working with Mark, and wish him in this new post, as well as the entire DG team, much success!”
During his long tenure with Universal Music, Mark Wilkinson has worked with a wide spectrum of UK and international artists. They include Nicola Benedetti, Andrea Bocelli and the afore-mentioned Miloš Karadagli?, Bryn Terfel, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón, and, more recently, composers Ludovico Einaudi, Eric Whitacre and Paul Mealor. For the past three years, he has been co-Chairman of the UK’s Classic Brits awards. He holds a music degree from the University of Durham, and was an accomplished amateur flautist.
Mark Wilkinson commented: “Deutsche Grammophon LPs from the giants of classical music recording history were a central part of my own musical upbringing, so the opportunity to work with the Yellow Label’s dynamic team, its unique roster of both new and established artists, and its peerless catalogue is a genuine honour.”
Max Hole, Chief Operating Officer, Universal Music Group International, said: “This is a time of great change and opportunity in classical music, and it’s a new era for Deutsche Grammophon. Mark will bring energy, enthusiasm and innovation to this great company.”Music Business Worldwide
