Michelle Jubelirer has stepped down from her role as Chair & CEO of Capitol Music Group.
In an internal note sent to CMG staff on Tuesday (February 6), obtained by MBW, Jubelirer said that she has “made the extremely difficult decision to leave the company that has been my home for more than a decade”.
Jubelirer added: “I will let you know of my future plans as soon as I can. In closing, let me simply say to each of you: Thank You. It has been my honor to be on this journey with you.”
The executive was promoted to Chair & CEO of Capitol Music Group in 2021, having previously served as President, COO, and EVP at CMG.
News of Jubelirer’s exit follows the recent restructuring announcement from Universal Music Group that will affect Capitol Music Group.
Under the new model, Interscope Geffen A&M’s John Janick and Republic Records‘ Monte Lipman will increase the number of labels under their command.
Janick will provide support and leadership to Blue Note, Capitol, Geffen, Interscope, Motown, Priority and Verve; Lipman will take responsibility for Def Jam, Island, Mercury and Republic.
Elsewhere at Universal Music Group, the company was reported last month to be planning to make a number of layoffs this quarter (Q1 2024).
Michelle Jubelirer, a widely respected music executive, started her career at the law firm Simpson, Thacher, & Bartlett as an associate mergers and acquisitions attorney in 1999.
She stayed with the company until 2003, when she moved to Sony Music as a Music Attorney.
In 2005, Jubelirer relocated to the entertainment law firm King, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner as an Attorney, eventually becoming a Partner. At King, Holmes, Paterno & Berliner, Jubelirer represented clients including Aviici, Nas, Frank Ocean, Odd Future, Pharrell Williams, and Ke$ha, among many others.
Jubelirer remained at the entertainment law firm for eight years, leaving in 2013 to become an EVP at Universal Music Group-owned Capitol Music Group.
After only two years as an EVP, Jubelirer was quickly elevated to the position of COO at CMG. In the COO role, Jubelirer spent the majority of her time developing new business strategies; she also acted as senior liaison to Universal Music Group, CMG’s parent company.
Jubelirer played a crucial role in setting the creative direction of CMG’s brand portfolio. In 2020, she also assumed the role of President of CMG. And in December 2021, Jubelirer was promoted once again, this time to the role of Chair and CEO.
During her time with CMG, Jubelirer was involved with signing artists including Halsey, Beck, Toosii, Neil Diamond, and Paul McCartney.
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of UMG, said in a statement on Tuesday: “We will miss Michelle. She’s been a part of Universal’s leadership for more than a decade, most recently as the extraordinary Chair and CEO of Capitol Music Group, which remains firmly set on a course toward long term success.
“As we proceed to centralize many of CMG’s label functions with those of Interscope Geffen A&M, we respect her decision to pursue other endeavors, and wish her all the best.”
You can read Jubelirer’s memo to staff in full below:
To my Capitol Music Group Team,
I wanted you to hear this news directly from me: I’ve made the extremely difficult decision to leave the company that has been my home for more than a decade, and so, today will be my last as Chair & CEO of Capitol Music Group.
I am deeply saddened that I will no longer be at the company we rebuilt and took to new heights over the past two years. As I’ve said before, I don’t think any label group has been able to turn things around as quickly as we have managed to, and I’m certain that we’ve set Capitol Music Group on course toward a great future.
Together, we became a real team; a diverse group of individuals bonded by our love of music and passion for artistry, and whose differences in backgrounds and cultural tastes made each of us stronger advocates and champions for our artists. In such a competitive and fast-paced world, we gave it our all — every minute of every day — so that our artists could seize the opportunity to realize their dreams and ultimately succeed.
I am so fortunate to work in a business that I love and be constantly surrounded by music and the talented people that create it. Every day, I renewed my promise to do my very best for our artists, and they have given me so much in return. No matter where I find myself in this business, I will always approach my relationships with artists as their advocate, their protector, and their fan.
I will let you know of my future plans as soon as I can.
In closing, let me simply say to each of you: Thank You. It has been my honor to be on this journey with you.
With love and appreciation,
MichelleMusic Business Worldwide
