Universal Music’s classical music boss in the US market, Elizabeth Sobol, is leaving the major.
Sobol was hired at UMG by former Universal Music Group International boss Max Hole, who left the company last year.
She was initially hired as President of the Decca Label Group in the States in early 2013, before the division was rebranded as Universal Music Classics (UMC) later that year.
As President of UMC, Sobol oversaw a roster and catalogue encompassing UMG’s Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Mercury Classics and Panorama imprints.
She is believed to be leaving Universal next week, and MBW understands that UMG intends to announce a replacement in due course.
Before joining UMG, Sobol was MD of IMG Artists North and South America, which became the world’s largest international performing arts management agency representing over 500 of the world’s premier classical, jazz, world music and dance artists.
As well as acting as personal manager to artists including Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, James Galway, Evgeny Kissin and the Emerson String Quartet, Sobol produced numerous recordings and theatre projects, as well as co-creating and programming the Festival of the Arts BOCA.
Sobol diversified IMG Artists into new musical areas, building its Dance, Latin Music and World Music/Jazz/Attractions divisions, as well as sourcing and signing 40 new non-classical artists.
Max Hole stepped down as UMG’s international boss in October last year following a period of ill health.
When he hired Sobol to run Decca Label Group in 2013, Hole said that her ” passion for music, innovation and creativity make her the ideal choice”.
H/T: Slipped DiscMusic Business Worldwide
