SEISMIC SHIFTS AT
TWO MAJOR PUBCOS?

Word on the street is that after 6 ½ years, Sony/ATV Co-President Jody Gerson will be exiting her position. Inside sources are speculating that she will be joining Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) as its new chief exec. Considerable whispering would also seem to indicate that UMPG head Zach Horowitz will be ankling his post. At this point it’s all lip-flapping, with nothing confirmed by any of the relevant parties.

UMG ruler Lucian Grainge and Gerson are said to have been in on-again, off-again discussions for several years about her coming to UMPG, Gerson being his first choice to run the pubco.

The well-liked, highly respected Gerson began her career at Chappell Music, working with artists such as R.E.M., Rod Stewart and Bernie Taupin. She spent six years there before being hired by the king of music publishing, Marty Bandier, to run the East Coast office of EMI Music Publishing. Early in that tenure she inked Nelson, who went on to multiplatinum sales. Under Bandier’s wing, Gerson proved highly effective in both creative and administrative pursuits.

She was placed in charge of the L.A. office in 1992 and quickly inked hip-hop collective Arrested Development, which took the Best New Artist Grammy in 1993. Her subsequent signings included hitmaking producers Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin, Enrique Iglesias, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones. She also produced several films, including the hit Drumline.

After he took the reins of Sony/ATV, Bandier brought Gerson in as Co-President in 2008; her first signing in that capacity was an unknown singer/songwriter who called herself Lady Gaga. In 2012, the EMI pub empire Bandier built was brought back under his banner at Sony/ATV