CEO
Director of Operations
General Manager & Chief Policy Officer
PMLL General Manager
MCPS Project Delivery Manager
Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Marketing and Communications Manager
Membership & Events Manager
Trainee Financial Accountant
Data Admin Assistant
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Paul is an experienced senior level executive in the music industry with a strong commercial background in licensing and administering intellectual property rights. After graduating with a Bsc (Hons) degree in Mathematics & Management Studies from Queen Mary London University, Paul worked for a short period of time at Thomas Cook’s headquarters, where he worked in the foreign currency trading team before embarking on a 22-year career at PRS for Music.
While working for PRS for Music, he worked on MCPS business for 15 years, before focusing his efforts on Performing Rights licensing, Membership and International.
He is renowned as an astute, dynamic and a highly skilled negotiator and has a proven track record for delivering significant revenue growth through expert negotiations, business transformation and the establishment of strategic joint ventures with industry partners.
Paul became CEO of the MPA Group on 1 February 2019 and is thrilled to be leading the MPA, MCPS and PMLL at a time in which we face as many opportunities, as we do challenges.
Since graduating from Oxford with a degree in Music, Kathryn has had over 25 years’ experience in the music publishing industry, with a focus on education, business strategy and digital innovation. She is a Director of the Edition Peters Group and Peters Edition Ltd (London) and President of C.F. Peters Corporation in New York. She sits on the Boards of both MPA-UK and the MPA-USA.
Kathryn started her publishing career at OUP and ABRSM, before becoming Director of Publishing and Business Development at Faber Music for 17 years. During that time she led a series of successful publishing ventures with major pop publishers (as exclusive European print partner for EMI and Warner Chappell), performers and education organizations.
Kathryn is passionate about music education and is committed to advocacy, partnership and collaboration. She has working closely with some of world’s leading educationalists, artists and institutions including VOCES8, Lang Lang, Juilliard School, RCM and Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. She is a Trustee of leading contemporary music ensemble, The London Sinfonietta and Co-founder/director of Sing Up (the transformational £44m Government-funded national singing programme for primary schools). For five years from 2014, she was CEO of an innovative digital start up, Tido, offering the wider music industry a connected world of music where interactive scores automatically align to recordings, video, tutorials and text.
Kathryn divides her time between living and working in UK and in USA. She has been a regular commentator on BBC TV Classical Music Proms, including Last Night of the Proms, and is a professional singer. She has three children and loves nothing better than music-making with her family.
Harriet is Head of Business Development at Oxford University Press, leading a global strategy to maximise revenue from print and digital sheet music sales, licensing and promotion of OUP’s choral, orchestral and instrumental education catalogues.
Harriet began her music publishing career working in copyright and licensing at Wise Music Group before moving to Manners McDade to manage the publishing and finance operations. More recently, Harriet managed relationships with classical stakeholders and increased royalties for composers and publishers at PRS for Music. She also created a portfolio of development partnerships for composers which included workshops, performances, commissions, recordings and broadcasts.
Harriet has spoken about the music industry, inclusion and leadership in a range of education settings, conferences and festivals including The Open University, International Conference on Women’s Work in Music and Cheltenham Music Festival. She holds postgraduate degrees in music and law and received an MBA from Durham University in 2019, which focussed on strategy and organisational development.
Harriet is currently a Board Trustee at Tŷ Cerdd and a member of Music Masters’ Advisory Council. She has previously been a member of the Ivors Composer Awards committee, a judge for the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards and an assessor for PRS Foundation.
Steve graduated from Liverpool University in 1987 with a music degree before joining the printed music company, IMP, as a music editor – many of his published arrangements are still in print today. During his 10 years in print, Steve rose through the ranks to head up all production, copyright and licensing, before joining Warner Chappell Music as Head of Copyright.
Steve’s responsibilities at WCM were extended to oversee all copyright and royalty administration across Europe before being appointed EVP, Global Operations (taking in IT), during which time he led the build and rollout of the Company’s new global contracts, copyright and royalty system, which allows writers to view statements and other metrics online and via their mobile phones. After spending over two decades at WCM, Steve joined Round Hill Music as their Global Chief Operating Officer in the summer of 2020.
Steve is passionate about metadata standardisation in the global music industry, along with constantly raising the bar on operational efficiencies to better serve the writer community. He is often called to speak about these challenges internationally and share thoughts on how the industry can move forward together, with particular focus on digital music consumption.
Steve has been influential on many industry committees, having sat on the UK’s MPA Board, the ICMP and IMPA Boards. In December 2019, he was awarded the MPA’s Tony Pool Award for his outstanding contribution to administration within the music industry.
Aside from work, Steve loves spending time with his family outdoors, has a private pilot’s licence, continues to play trombone and piano while serving as a Director of a local charity.
John is a composer/producer and a passionate advocate for music rights and the equitable distribution of royalties. As well as his position on the board of the MPA, John is a (writer) board member at PRS and also serves on the boards of the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) and IMPEL.
John founded Truelove Music in 1992 to represent his own output as composer following his successful first release, The Source’s “You Got The Love”. Throughout the 1990’s he built up the company signing single songs which were mostly released on his own underground dance labels or through the labels comprised in his own ground-breaking label management company, Truelove Label Collective. Since that time Truelove Music has developed into one of the world’s leading independent boutique publishers of electronic music with a catalogue (as of Sept 2020) of 50,000+ compositions. With direct membership of more than 25 collection societies and agencies worldwide, Truelove Music now boasts significant bargaining power across the globe. It is able to maximise returns for its composers and its administered publishers without the need for sub-publishers or other intermediaries.
Through his hands-on approach John has gained many years’ experience in all aspects of the publishing industry, from A&R to data management and copyright through to sync licensing.
Accordingly, he is personally well-versed in the manifold issues facing songwriters and publishers, and leverages that experience to provide support and guidance both to his own clients and the wider industry.
John is fervent in his belief that we need a more diverse industry with significantly more representation from minority backgrounds and gender equality in all fields of the music business.
A keen proponent of the use of technology to benefit publishers and composers, John has successfully campaigned for PRS to implement Music Recognition Technology (MRT) in festivals and clubs. He continues to campaign for technological solutions across the global community.
Having worked across the wide-ranging backbone of the music business over a couple of decades, Jackie Davidson MBE is a multifaceted entrepreneur. Her early beginnings saw Davidson interning at Bunny Wailer’s record company Solomonic. Following this, Davidson made a leap into marketing, where she founded the award-winning firm Hardzone Marketing & PR. Through Hardzone, Davidson consulted for reggae stars Buju Banton, Shabba Ranks and Patra, as well as labels including Columbia, Def Jam, Epic, BMG, Universal and Sony Music, across artist campaigns that were orientated within black music, for the likes of (but not limited to) Jay Z, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Destiny’s Child, Groove Theory and Brownstone. Despite these inimitable milestones, it is through her role as a manager that Davidson has made a perennial mark on the industry. Through her company JD Management, she has managed songwriters Wayne Hector and Ali Tennant amongst a range of incredible talent. Davidson continues to represent Wayne Hector today, who remains one of the world’s most coveted songwriters, having amassed over 30 International Number One singles, and earning awards at the Grammys, BRITs and Ivor Novello Awards. Together, Davidson and Hector have formed publishing firm Art Music, where they develop and nurture young writers and composers. Beyond her day-to-day, Davidson has remained a constant in the development of young people within the business, serving as a mentor and lobbyist. Her passion and drive for a fairer, more diverse and transparent industry is evident in her position in the Custodians Council for Music Managers Forum (MMF), in addition to being recently elected to the Music Publishers Association (MPA) board in 2020. As recognition for Davidson’s revered work, she has attained multiple awards, including Urban Music Seminar’s Respect Due Award, MMF’s 2015 Writer/Producer Manager Of The Year, and The Ivors Academy’s Gold Badge Award in 2018. A year later, she was honoured with the prestigious MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) on the Queen’s Birthday List for her services to the music industry – an acknowledgement that Jackie Davidson undeniably deserves.
Laura May founded independent music publishing company May Music in 2017 after many years working in different roles around the industry. Beginning her career at Eaton Music after being chosen from the MPA job seekers list, Laura moved into auditing, forensic royalty tracking and royalty accounting at an accountancy firm five years later. After a break due to illness Laura returned to work part time as a finance manager at Rewind Festival while simultaneously starting her own business providing royalty analysis services for auditors and royalty accounting for producers, small labels and publishers including Turnfirst Artists. Laura joined Turnfirst Artists full time in 2015 to work in the finance team, also joining new venture First Access Entertainment when it launched at the end of that year.
Laura consulted for The Music Royalty Co, running the finances and co-ordinating royalties for the Cooking Vinyl group, one of their biggest clients for 18 months before joining fashion brand Casablanca to help set up their finance department.
Laura still consults for a variety of independent labels, publishers and producers on their royalties however is focused on expanding the May Music roster whilst developing opportunities for her diverse network of writers and juggling the needs of her small business.
Bella comes from a magazine and graphic novel print publishing background with an MA in Publishing and Creative Writing. She has worked on marketing for licensed titles such as Star Wars Insider Magazine, Tank Girl and various Marvel specials. This work also included creating content and strategies for top brands like Citizen watches and DK Publishing. Additionally, Bella was previously a Project Coordinator at the disability charity and social enterprise, Enhance the UK managing a variety of large scale, far-reaching projects designed to give physically disabled people a voice.
A love of all things music drew her to the MPA and she is incredibly excited to bring her skills to the industry.
I am delighted to be taking up this new position of Head of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion for the MPA. Having worked in the Diversity, Inclusion and human rights field for many years, I joined the MPA because I share their belief in respect, integrity and fairness:
Mission
The MPA exists to protect and enhance the rights of music publishers and the creators we represent, using education, collaboration and communication.
Vision
We strive to be the catalyst for positive change in the music publishing community, by empowering our members to achieve their goals and by advocating on behalf of our industry to the world at large.
Values
We do this with passion, integrity and respect for others and with the creator at the heart of everything we do.
After seeing both good and bad practices within the workplaces, I strive to create an inclusive working environment for everyone. Encouraging colleagues to have open and honest discussions and creating development opportunities and platforms which allows seldom heard voices to be listened to. This raises awareness about diversity, making sure that nobody is left out.
I have learned that focusing on diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging allows an organisation to help their employees more effectively.
Our personal background has an impact on how we feel at work, how we feel we are treated, and how we can be supported. Creating a positive and just environment in the workplace can help colleagues to feel confident speaking up, to feel listened to and to help promote respect.
We all want to feel like we belong!
Creating a sense of belonging is also important. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that everyone feels welcomed and supported enough to bring their true self to the table. Until we fully understand what is standing in their way, we should not be surprised if people choose not to bring their true selves to work. It takes a lot of energy and emotional effort to mask part of our identity and full disclosure only happens when we feel safe.
I will be introducing a number of new and exciting initiatives, and I will need the support of you, our members, to make these successful. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues at the MPA and with you to continue creating an environment where everyone can be their true selves at work.
Gavin first studied Music Business Management at Stow College before graduating from Paisley University with a BA in Commercial Music in 2006. It was during his studies he gained his first experience in mechanical licensing through a work placement with Duncan McCrone at the MCPS Scottish Office. He gained a real interest in licensing from this placement which led him to apply for a role at PRS in London, firstly working in the member admissions team before quickly moving back to mechanical licensing in the Recorded Media department. In his initial role as licensing agent he gained experience licensing mechanical and synchronisation rights to a wide variety of music users across every conceivable media, the ideal role to learn the trade for many in the UK industry. He went on to become a Key Accounts Consultant and was later promoted to a management position in the licensing team where he built on his licensing expertise and developed his skills in negotiation and business development. Gavin joined the Music Publishers Association Group of Companies towards the end of 2019 as MCPS Project Delivery Manager.
Eddie began his role as a Data Admin Assistant for PMLL in June 2019, having previously worked as a Content Manager for WhoSampled.
With a background in Sound Engineering and music production, he studied Sound Engineering at Birmingham City University and graduated in 2016. This led to him working as a freelance engineer and producer, which he still does around his role at the MPA.
Working within PMLL as an admin assistant, Eddie handles various tasks across the PMLL business, including dealing with data input and queries for distributions and administration for current and newly launched licences.
Lucie is an experienced music business executive and senior rights negotiator. She has worked across the industry, from independent music publishers to time in digital licensing for PRS for Music and subsequently, negotiating on the other side of the table for digital services and start-ups. Lucie ran her own licensing and development company working for clients ranging from Deezer to the BRIT Awards, Amnesty International and Sony Music/SYCO. She had also focused significant work on developing media initiatives for youth emancipation, behaviour change and social impact.
Lucie is also on the management Team of the Palestine Music Expo (PMX), the first major international music event and music development programme in the Occupied Territories. She is an advocate, negotiator, egalitarian, music lover.
Natalie graduated with a degree in Music from Durham University and spent two years teaching music in Malaysia. On returning to the UK she began her music career at Digital Distribution company Believe Digital.
After four years a unique opportunity arose to enter the world of membership and she went onto work for 3 leading London clubs. During this time, she worked closely with the team to develop engagement, growth and retention strategies as well as delivering a seamless membership experience.
Natalie will be working to ensure that all MPA Members maximise and receive the most from their memberships alongside project managing the fantastic member events held throughout the calendar year.
Phil Rose is the Head of Rights Management at Sentric Music. Phil joined Sentric in 2008 having previously worked at Deltasonic Records both while studying and after graduating from the University of Liverpool.
Overseeing all aspects of Rights for Sentric, Phil’s knowledge of publishing and use technology to solve problems has played a key role in the growth of the company. Along with this, Phil manages the expansion of a team administrating over one million copyrights and liaises daily with Sentric’s broad worldwide network of collection societies, sub-publishers and other publishing stakeholders. An important element of this expansion has been developing Sentric’s internal expertise, with the company providing a leading global publishing operation.
Elected to the MPA Board of Directors in 2019, Phil’s interests include ensuring accurate, fair and transparent distribution of digital royalties to publishers, broadening the visibility of the MPA’s work amongst the publishing community and encouraging new talent to join the industry regardless of where they come from our their background.
Richard is currently the Director of Commercial Rights and Business Affairs for Faber Music Ltd. Richard has worked full time in music publishing since 1986, having previously pursued a not wildly successful career as a freelance musician. He obtained a Ph.D in music from the University of Lancaster, subsequently obtaining an LLB in law. Richard has worked for Faber Music Ltd since 1993, was appointed a Board member in 1996, and currently serves as Director of Commercial Rights and Business Affairs.
In 1996 he founded the firm’s Film & Television department, which now represents some of the UK’s leading and multi-award winning film and TV composers. More recently he initiated the company’s move into pop publishing, branded under the name Faber Alt. Additionally, he works on business affairs issues across all of the company’s many activities, from printed music publishing and distribution to classical and digital publishing. Prior to Faber Music, Richard worked for Peters Edition Ltd (1986-88) and Music Sales Pty Ltd in Sydney, Australia (1988-93).
Sejal is a trainee financial accountant and studying to qualify through ACCA. She started her career interning for a small practising firm where she was responsible for a range of clients from builders to property investors. After working there for 3 years she decided she wanted to work in a more fun, challenging environment which is why she joined the MPA.
As well as a keen gym enthusiast, Sejal also has a profound love of dogs (I mean who doesn’t!).
Jonathan studied Business Studies and European Philosophy/Literature at Anglia Ruskin University. His final year dissertation was on music in advertising titled ‘Darling, They’re Playing Our Advert’. Whilst researching this subject (music in advertising) Jonathan met with The Soundlounge (formerly Songseekers International) and upon finishing University, Jonathan was offered an internship and was soon promoted to the position of Licensing Manager and was responsible for negotiating music rights for campaigns including GO! Airlines, Adidas, Hugo Boss, KFC, Guinness and Ford and after 2 years was made Creative Licencing Director. In 2002 Jonathan joined Bucks Music Group to run the Sync Department and work creatively placing the catalogue into Film/TV/Commercials/Computer Games and Digital Media. The team has twice won the Music Week Independent Publisher Sync Team of the Year award.
Jonathan has also signed several bands and catalogues to Bucks Music Group including Record Kicks, No Hats No Hoods, Echobelly, Pop Will Eat Itself and Heart Kill Giant.
Jonathan has been a moderator for the MPA Induction Course and has been a speaker at various industry events including Midem, In The City, Sensoria Pro, The Great Escape, Liverpool Sound City, Norwich Sound & Vision, Red Bull Music Academy.
James Eggleston is Vice President, Publishing at Boosey & Hawkes. Elected to the MPA Board as a Publisher Director in 2018 he now represents the parent company Concord as a Designated Director and also chairs the Printed Music Publishers Committee.
With over twenty years’ extensive experience in predominantly contemporary classical music publishing, James joined Music Sales (now Wise Music) to work with the renowned Chester and Novello catalogues and their composers. A move to Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers (Concord) followed in 2010 to head the Publishing Department with an international remit for the development and management of the catalogue working with some of the leading composers of our time.
James completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies in music at Royal Holloway, University of London and remains a practising musician. He is a passionate advocate for the value of music copyright and that wider value of music in society – particularly its often fragile place in education. James is a Council member of the Association of British Choral Directors, Trustee of the Sir George Dyson Trust and Honorary Patron of the Herbert Howells Society.
Blair is a founding partner of AMLOR Music Publishing.
His career in the industry started over 30 years ago in the mail room of Virgin Records. Talent scouting for the Virgin label soon led to a creative role for Virgin Music Publishing, where Blair signed artists and worked with the roster of songwriters. In 1992 Virgin Music Group was sold to EMI and Blair moved to Sony Music Publishing as Director of A&R before becoming Managing Director three years later overseeing the integration of the Northern Songs/TV catalogue
In 1999 Blair took the position of MD at Columbia Records UK working across their UK and international roster.
Since leaving Sony in 2003, he has worked in the world of independent music publishers establishing his own business before launching and overseeing the Nettwerk One Music catalogue.
Throughout this time Blair has served various stints on the MPA Pop Publisher’s Committee and has spoken on numerous panels and in the UK and internationally relating to the creative and logistical challenges faced by independent music publishers.
Justin Perry is currently the Managing Director of Proof Songs.
Justin started his career in the music industry as a Talent Scout for Capitol Records, before moving to London Records / London Music as an A & R Consultant for both the record and publishing divisions, and subsequently to BMG Music Publishing as A & R Manager.
In 1991 he founded Proof Songs Ltd, a music publishing company specialising in electronic music, for which he has concluded over 350 music publishing agreements with clients based in all continents of the world. Actively involved in all aspects of the business including A&R, Business Affairs, Royalties and Copyright, Justin has also overseen the development of Proof Songs’ bespoke royalty and copyright software solution. Justin also runs a neighbouring rights business, Proof Performance Ltd, and previously ran a record company and music consultancy; the latter offering services such as artist management, live promotion and sponsorship consultancy.
Mike Box is the Chief Financial Officer of Reservoir/Reverb Music Ltd. Mike joined Reverb Music in 1999, having worked in the industry since 1982 at a variety of labels and publishers including WEA Records, PRT, Sonet Records & Publishing and China Records. Whilst overseeing all aspects of Reverb’s finance and business affairs operations, Mike had a pivotal role in the company’s sale to Reservoir Media in 2012. Reservoir/Reverb
Music are now one of the industry’s leading independent publishers with a succession of worldwide hits over the past few years.
Mike was elected on to the MPA Board in July 2017. He has also served on the IMPEL Board since its inception in 2014 and is the chair of the IMPEL Advisory Group. Mike has also been a member of the MPA’s Pop Publishers Committee for over 10 years and regularly sits on Operational Groups for the MCPS and MPA.
Catherine obtained a BSc. in Music and Physics followed by a Masters in Music from Birmingham University. After gaining experience in the publishing, recording and live industries, she founded Manners McDade Artist Management in 2001 offering representation to Classical composers who were working in Film & Television.
In 2006, Catherine established Manners McDade Music Publishing which promptly gained a reputation as the primary independent publisher for composers of new classical music.
Catherine is a former cellist, a full voting member of BAFTA and was honoured on the Music Industry Alternative Power 100 List
Viki began her role as General Manager at Printed Music Licensing Ltd (PMLL) in April 2017. She is responsible for managing all aspects of the PMLL business including areas such as membership, governance, licence management and development.
After graduating from the University of Northampton in 2000 with a degree in Law & Business, she started her career at the Educational Recording Agency. ERA licences the use of broadcast materials (from television and radio), on behalf of its members, to educational establishments such as schools, universities and colleges. During her time there she worked her way up from Licensing Officer to the Head of Operations.
Since Viki’s background is in educational copyright in broadcast media, she sees a great opportunity in the role at PMLL. Not only so can she use her experience and skill set for the benefit of PMLL, but also to expand her copyright knowledge in a sector she is passionate about.
Steve Burton is Director Of Operations for the Music Publishers Association Group of Companies. He graduated with a degree in Business Studies in 1992 and went on to study accountancy. After a four year stint working in an accountancy practice Steve realised he wasn’t suited to the life of an auditor and in 1996 promptly moved to Belfast where he worked for Ortus, a cross community enterprise board on the peace line in West Belfast. He began first as assistant accountant and finally as financial controller.
In 2002 he moved back to Dublin and worked for Crunch Fitness, a high end leisure group, as financial controller and general manager. In 2007 he made the ill-advised move to work for himself designing and building health centres and leisure clubs around Ireland; Ill- advised because he began this part of his career in the lead up to the greatest financial crisis Ireland has ever suffered. Faced with an unsurprising lack of opportunities for new health clubs in a newly bankrupt Ireland Steve finally found an industry where he was completely at home, music.
In 2008 Steve started working for MCPS Ireland as financial controller. After a couple of years harassing Irish record labels and publishers Steve took on the role of Director of Compliance and Corporate Governance in IMRO where he stayed until 2014. In August 2014 Steve left IMRO and made the jump across the channel to work with Jane in MCPS, IMPEL and PMLL, along the way he picked up an MSc in Corporate Governance and Management at the University of Ulster. As Director of Operations Steve is responsible for all operational and financial aspects of the Music Publishers Association Group of Companies, he also sits on the MCPS Ireland board.
Roberto Neri previously worked as Executive Vice President UK Downtown Music Publishing and Head of European Business Development for its parent company, Downtown Music Holdings, at Downtown Music UK Limited. He oversaw the UK’s office and has broader international responsibilities. Roberto joined Downtown Music in 2015 as part of the acquisition of Eagle-i Music.
Roberto founded Eagle-i Music in 2011, which represented over 40,000 compositions and included clients such as John Lennon (Lenono), Sir George Martin, Deep Purple and BA Robertson.
Prior to Eagle-i Music, Roberto worked for Bug Music, starting in 2003 as Liaison Manager and soon General Manager. In 2007 Bug purchased the Los Angeles based independent “Windswept Music”. Roberto was instrumental with the growth of Bug Music UK and with the handling of the integration of Windswept internationally. Roberto was promoted to Vice President of International in 2010.
Roberto began his career in the Music Industry in 1999. He was offered a position at the MCPS/PRS Alliance and worked in both the Copyright and Member Services departments. He also took part in the management-training scheme and looked after the main key Publisher accounts.
Roberto was elected to the MPA Board of Directors in 2015 and also chairs the MPA’s Pop Publishers Committee. Roberto was named Chair of the MPA at the MPA AGM on 3rd July 2019, following Jackie Alway’s announcement that she was stepping down as Chair after 4 years. You can follow Roberto on Twitter @RobertoNeri47.
Jo Smith currently resides at Warner/Chappell, as the Director, Legal and Business Affairs, which she joined in 2014. Prior to Warner/Chappell, Jo held the same position at Sony/ATV following Sony’s acquisition of EMI where she worked previously as their VP, Legal & Business Affairs. Jo spent the 6 years before this as a consultant for Warner/Chappell and Island Records after qualifying as a lawyer in 1998 at Russells Solicitors.
Jo became a Designated Director on the MPA board in 2014 following on from previous Warner/Chappell director Stephen Clark.
Andy is the Vice President of Copyright at BMG UK
Jackie Alway is Universal Music Publishing’s SVP International Legal and Industry Affairs. Jackie joined UMP in 2007 following the acquisition of BMG Music Publishing, where she was Director of Commercial Affairs. Jackie’s current role includes multi-territorial digital licensing and society, industry and public policy issues for the world ex-North America. She has 25 years’ experience as a music publisher and is a Solicitor having graduated in Law from Cambridge University.
Jackie replaced Paul Connelly as Universal’s Designated Director on the MPA Board in 2013 and was elected by the board as the Chair of the MPA board in 2015, taking over from Chris Butler. Jackie is also a Board member of PRS, MCPS, PMLL, IMPA and UK Music.
Jackie was awarded an OBE for her services to the Music Industry in the Queen’s Birthdays Honours in June 2019.
Jackie stepped down from Chair of the MPA in July 2019 but will remain a board Director.
Gary started his career at the PRS in the late 1980s where he worked in Repertoire Research, Licensing and Membership. In mid-1997 he moved to the then Sony Music Publishing as an Income Tracker and in 1998 he had his first taste of corporate expansion when further to the Joint Venture with Michael Jackson, Sony Music Publishing became Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2004, Gary was promoted to run the UK Administration Department, in which time he has seen the 2013 merging of the EMI catalogue.
Gary has been a designated Director on the MPA Board since 2013.
David McGinnis is a broadly experienced music publisher with a specialist background in synchronisation and A&R.
McGinnis is the General Manager of Mute Song, a leading independent music publishing company attached to the eminent Mute record label.
Following a decade learning the legal and technical foundations of music rights management and licensing at PPL and MCPS, McGinnis joined Mute Song in 1999 in the creative and marketing role of Licensing Manager. Over time McGinnis’ role with the publisher developed and expanded to cover all areas of operation. He was appointed General Manager of the Company in 2014.
As General Manager of Mute Song David McGinnis manages all of the company’s A&R, creative and business affairs activity, supervises the copyright, royalty and sync teams and directs the company’s future development and growth.
Mute Song publishes many internationally renowned recording artists and a very successful roster of composers working in film, television, opera, theatre and ballet. McGinnis was personally responsible for bringing the artists Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Gabriel Prokofiev, Ben Frost and Public Service Broadcasting to Mute Song.
David McGinnis is a regular public speaker, moderator and interviewer on music publishing and other music matters at events and conferences around the globe. In 2015 McGinnis was elected to the UK Music Publishers Association Board of Directors.
David was born and raised in Canada and has lived in London for thirty years.
David Kassner is the owner and managing director of Kassner Associated Publishers Limited, a family business founded in 1944 by his father Edward Kassner. Representing over a century’s worth of classic songs, the Kassner catalogue is the home of the early creations of Ray Davies (“You Really Got Me”, “All Day And All Of The Night” and “Tired Of Waiting” amongst others) and hit songs recorded by a host of popular music’s greatest artists such as Ray Charles (“Hit The Road Jack”), Bill Haley (“Rock Around The Clock”), Matt Monro (“Portrait Of My Love”), Kiss (“Crazy Crazy Nights”), Paul Young (“Love Of The Common People”) and many more.
Educated in Canada, David entered the family business straight from school in 1972, starting his career as a plugger and producer for the Kassner Music group’s label, President Records. He was a key figure as the label experienced major success in the years following his arrival, starting in 1974 with George McCrae’s chart-dominating “Rock Your Baby” followed by a string of hits with KC and the Sunshine Band including “Queen Of Clubs”, “Get Down Tonight”, “Shake Your Booty” and “That’s The Way I Like It”. He continued to develop the label’s roster throughout the 80’s and early 90’s adding world-renowned artists such as Mike D’Abo, Denny Laine and Rick Wakeman, with whom he would forge a working relationship of over 20 years.
David took his present position in 1996 and, concentrating on the publishing side of the business, has progressed the Kassner operation into a client-focussed copyright administrator fit for the digital age, substantially growing the catalogue in the process by both acquisition and licensing of copyrights.
A determined champion of the value of copyright and a voice for the independent music community, David has served on the MPA Board since 2001. He is also a passionate believer in the power of music to inspire and enhance people’s lives and has devoted his time as a trustee of the BRIT Trust since 2005.
Chris Butler has worked in the music publishing industry since leaving Durham University with a music degree in 1984. He held a succession of positions at Chappell Music (later Warner Chappell), before joining Novello in 1989. Four years at the classical independent ended when Novello was acquired by the Music Sales Group in 1993. Over the past 25 years the Music Sales Group has become one of the world’s largest independent music publishers with offices in London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Berlin, Copenhagen, Sydney and Tokyo.
In tandem with being the leading player in the business of printed music, Music Sales owns and administers an extensive portfolio of copyrights through a network of wholly owned companies throughout the world. In addition to Novello these include J & W Chester, G. Schirmer, Edition Wilhelm Hansen, Union Musicales Ediciones, Editions Alphonse Leduc, Bosworth & Co, Sparta Florida and Campbell Connelly. The Music Sales Group currently has an active roster of over one hundred living composers creating new music in all genres.
Chris first joined the MPA board in 1992. In 2011 he was appointed as a director of the MCPS and Chairman of the MPA Board which he stepped down from in 2015 to be replaced by Jackie Alway.
With a rock music background, Anne is one of the founders of Accorder Music Publishing and Accorder Tracks.
After running her own music publishing businesses in the mid-1990s (representing some of the best UK TV & film composers), she went on in 1999 to launch the UK and European film and TV division of J Albert & Sons (a subsidiary of the oldest independent music publisher in Australasia: AC/DC, Easy Beats, and Strictly Ballroom).
In 2008 Accorder Music Publishing was launched with a direct focus on music used in TV & Film for composers, independent producers and broadcasters. Accorder represents over 140 producers in the UK, Australasia, France Netherlands, Russia, Asia and North America and publishes over 70 composers. Anne is actively involved in shaping television and film music policy, sitting on various industry committees; including being on the Board of the Music Publishers Association, sitting on the PRS for Music Operational Group and as an active member of the Pop Publishers’ Committee and Women in TV & Film group. Anne lectures at the University of Chichester on their Film and Media course and for the online Think Space Education courses in Music. Her recent creative work is as a music supervisor for the Michael McIntyre BBC Big Show. Anne was first elected to the MPA board in June 2015.
Global independent peermusic acquired Accorder Music Publishing in July 2018. Accorder Music is now a peermusic company.