Tom Lewis and Laura Monks have been promoted to co-Managing Directors of Universal Music Group‘s UK-based Decca Records Group.
The news, announced by Decca President Rebecca Allen, forms part of a series of promotions as the label enters its tenth decade.
Lewis is stepping up after a year in his current role of Vice President of Decca, A&R and Artist Strategy, having joined the company 17 years ago as Label Manager for the jazz division.
Moving into A&R two years later, he led the award-winning team that signed The Lumineers, Jacob Collier, Aurora, Melody Gardot and the million-selling Michael Ball & Alfie Boe.
He has twice won Music Business Worldwide’s Adult Contemporary A&R of the Year award, in 2017 and 2019.
Monks is promoted to co-MD after eight years at Decca, starting as Senior Digital Campaign Manager and moving through digital, commercial and marketing positions to take the position of General Manager in 2018.
Widely recognised as a digital innovator, Laura has worked on hugely successful campaigns for artists including Gregory Porter, Andrea Bocelli, Ludovico Einaudi and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Lewis and Monks will continue to report to Rebecca Allen.
“The continued evolution of this incredible label is something I feel hugely excited about and ensuring the future of our artists and music is always top of mind.”
Rebecca Allen, Decca
Elsewhere, Dominic Fyfe has been promoted to the role of Label Director, Decca Classics. Fyfe first joined the label as Executive & Recording Producer in 2002, his signings including Janine Jansen, Conductor Seiji Ozawa, and the Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire.
In 2018 Fyfe was named Adult Contemporary A&R of the Year by MBW for his work with Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Helen Lewis is promoted to Executive Producer for Decca Classics. Joining the company in 2017 as A&R Manager, Lewis has worked across key releases including Nicola Benedetti’s GRAMMY-winning album with Wynton Marsalis.
Lewis has also managed the entire catalog takeover for Sir Karl Jenkins, working closely with him on his 75th birthday year releases.
After nine years at the label, Gavin Bayliss will take the role of Head of Classical Marketing & Catalogue Strategy. Bayliss has led countless successful classical campaigns, with artists such as Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Ludovico Einaudi dominating the classical charts.
In his new role, he will also oversee Decca’s rich 90-year-old back catalogue and will continue to lead the innovation of the classical marketing team across all artists.
Cerys Weetch and Hildur Maral have been promoted to co-Label Managers for Mercury KX, now in its third year.
Weetch joined Decca in 2013 and has moved from being Junior A&R Manager through to A&R Manager, signing the likes of Keaton Henson and LYR (with UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage) and working closely with Icelandic artist Olafur Arnalds.
Maral joined the company last year with over 15 years of experience within the independent sector, having been Label Manager of genre-defying labels Bedroom Community and Figureight Records.
Dominic, Helen, Gavin, Cerys and Hildur will all report into Tom and Laura.
Decca Records President, Rebecca Allen said: “In 2019 Decca celebrated 90 years in the music business.
“The continued evolution of this incredible label is something I feel hugely excited about and ensuring the future of our artists and music is always top of mind.
“So today I am thrilled to announce the promotions of Tom, Laura, Gavin, Dominic, Helen, Cerys and Hildur. Each of these individual promotions enable us to grow as a leading global music company. Congratulations to everyone, and here’s to the next decade.”Music Business Worldwide