NEWTON BOUND FOR
THE TOWER

Columbia President Ashley Newton will be exiting his post to take on the role of President of Capitol Music Group and EVP Creative and Special Projects for UMG. Newton’s deal with Sony is believed to be up in December.

Newton has served at Columbia since 2010, when Steve Barnett, then Co-Chairman and now head of CMG, hired him away from RCA, where Newton served as EVP of A&R.

He previously held the position of co-prexy at Virgin during the spendthrift regime of Nancy Berry following EMI’s purchase of the label from Sir Richard Branson; La Berry’s reign, you’ll recall, was characterized by lavish expenditures on parties and candles. Newton was gone before the wholesale destruction of EMI by the incompetent Terra Firma regime truly kicked in.