Universal Music UK has launched The Square, an in-house agency, which the major says is ‘aimed at the intersection between big data, human insight, strategy and creativity’.
Tasked with working across the entire Universal Music UK portfolio, including Abbey Road Studios and partnerships division Globe, the expertise of The Square will also be available to artists and managers.
The Square is led by Jack Fryer, who steps up from Senior Director of Strategic planning to become Managing Director of the new division. He joined Universal Music from EMI in 2013 as Head of Insight.
Based in Universal Music’s Pancras Square HQ and reporting to Commercial & Creative Services Division MD David Hawkes, Universal Music U says that Fryer’s seven-strong team ‘has been bolstered by dedicated new resource in the areas of data science, international insight and creative alongside existing expertise in strategy and research’.
Joining senior strategists Jon Fell and Simon McMahon, alongside audience researcher Alexandra Dodd, are three new team members: Data Scientist Lewis Millar, International Research and Strategist Charlotte Thomson and Junior Strategist Arslaan Ahmed.
Creative Strategist Helen Kennedy meanwhile has moved across from a Senior Marketing role at Virgin EMI.
“Jack is an exceptional executive, a truly creative thinker who’s also immersed in the science, who richly deserves this promotion.”
Universal Music UK chairman David Joseph, said: “Jack is an exceptional executive, a truly creative thinker who’s also immersed in the science, who richly deserves this promotion.
“His vision is for The Square to be a place that our labels, our managers and our artists come to gain an edge – whether that’s simply about learning something new, shaping a strategy or forging a new idea.”
“Jack has made a substantial contribution to the wider business since joining us seven years ago. He has a unique ability to think strategically but with phenomenal creative vision.”
David Hawkes
David Hawkes added: “Jack has made a substantial contribution to the wider business since joining us seven years ago. He has a unique ability to think strategically but with phenomenal creative vision.
“He is building a market-leading team of professionals who will add huge value to the business, across artists, labels, central services, international and business partners.”
“Ideas – insightful ideas, strategic ideas, useful ideas, audience ideas, progressive ideas, data-driven ideas, creative ideas, communication ideas, business ideas, innovative ideas – are our currency.”
Jack Fryer
Fryer said: “We want to be a 21st Century service for a 21st Century music company – a little town-square bursting with different kinds of brains and different kinds of skills to benefit our labels and artists. It needs to feel like a collaborative network, not a centralised service.
“Ideas – insightful ideas, strategic ideas, useful ideas, audience ideas, progressive ideas, data-driven ideas, creative ideas, communication ideas, business ideas, innovative ideas – are our currency.”
Pictured [Left-Right]: Simon McMahon, Lewis Millar, Alexandra Dodd, Jack Fryer, Arslaan Ahmed, Helen Kennedy, Jon Fell and Charlotte ThomsonMusic Business Worldwide
