Sony/ATV Music Publishing has promoted Janice Brock and David Ventura to the newly-created positions of Joint Head of A&R, UK.
They take up their new roles with immediate effect and will oversee the day-to-day operations of Sony/ATV UK’s successful A&R team.
Brock is additionally made Head of UK Management Division and Ventura continues in his role of VP International, while both report into Guy Moot, Sony/ATV UK Managing Director and President, European Creative.
Guy Moot said: “I am really excited that David and Janice will now be heading Sony/ATV UK’s incredibly successful A&R team.
“To me they are the very soul of this company, while possessing management skills and experience that put them at the forefront of where a 21st Century A&R department needs to be.
“David really epitomises what modern A&R is all about. He can do one-off hits and sign deals for great repertoire, but he also knows how to develop meaningful career artists as his remarkable roster of acts testifies.
“Janice comes with a huge amount of music industry experience. The modern A&R executive has to understand the needs of songwriters and how to get the best out of them and no one can do that better than her.”
Janice Brock joined Sony/ATV in 2007, initially in the New York office under Chairman and CEO Martin Bandier, having previously worked at EMI Music Publishing.
She relocated to Sony/ATV’s London office in 2008 and took on the additional role of SVP, UK Operations before becoming VP International, A&R and then Director of UK A&R.
“To me, David and janice are the very soul of this company.”
Guy Moot, Sony/ATV
Artists and songwriters she has signed and worked with include Kasabian, Naughty Boy, Mikky Ekko, Fraser T Smith, Maverick Sabre, Jamie Scott, Purple Ferdinand, Roy English, Arrow Benjamin and Krept and Konan.
In addition to co-heading the A&R team, Brock will also oversee Sony/ATV’s studios and its growing producer management division whose roster includes Stephen “DiGenius” McGregor (Ne-Yo, Sean Paul, Lianne La Havas), Stefan Ponce (Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa) and Gustave Rudman (Clean Bandit, Labrinth).
Brock said: “We are grateful to Guy for having the confidence to entrust the A&R department to us.
“Sony/ATV has had an incredible rise in the past half-decade and has the perfect blend of success and creativity, which makes us always strive to be the publisher of choice for writers, artists and producers.”
David Ventura joined EMI Music Publishing’s London office in July 2010 as Vice President of European Creative having previously served as Creative Director of NRJ Music, part of the leading Paris-based NRJ multimedia group.
He moved across to Sony/ATV in 2012 following the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing to continue in his role of Vice President, A&R Europe as part of the company’s pan-European A&R team.
Artists and songwriters he has signed or worked with include Clean Bandit, Passenger, Shift K3Y, Mark Ralph, Gorgon City, Blonde, Chris Malinchak, The Magician, Disciples, Porter Robinson, Klingande, Martin Solveig and Rat Boy.
His additional role of VP International further underlines Sony/ATV’s priority of providing a worldwide setup to its writers and for adopting a global approach in which its songwriters from around the world are given the opportunity to work together. This will remain a key policy of the A&R department under Brock and Ventura.
Ventura said: “This exciting new opportunity is going to be gripping and super challenging, which I am very much looking forward to. I would like to thank Guy and Marty Bandier for their confidence in us.
“It has been an incredible journey since my arrival in the UK four and half years ago. I am honoured and feel very lucky to continue this adventure with such an extraordinary roster and a unique team here at Sony/ATV.”
Guy Moot will continue to work closely with the A&R team, while widening his focus on creative and other areas of the business.Music Business Worldwide
