JOINT PRESIDENTS TO BE NAMED FOR POLYDOR U.K.

We’ve been wondering who’d be picked to replace Polydor boss Ferdy Unger-Hamilton, who’s left his job at the UMG U.K. label , and HITS sources have revealed two names.

Virgin EMI General Manager Tom March (above left) and Polydor A&R Director Ben Mortimer (above right) are said to be filling Ferdy’s shoes.

March joined UMG U.K. in 2006 as Junior Product Manager of Island Records, where he worked under Ted Cockle. After rising through the ranks to Marketing Manager, working on campaigns for Queen, Paul Weller, Jessie J, Florence + the Machine, Mika, Tom Jones and more, Cockle took March across as GM of Virgin EMI a month after the label launched under Cockle’s leadership in 2013.

Mortimer was named Polydor A&R Director in 2011 after stints at Island, where he signed Florence, and EMI’s Virgin, where his most notable signing was Jamie T. At Polydor, Mortimer played a key role in signing and developing breakout act Years & Years, and last night won Artist Marketing Campaign at the Music Week Awards for their work on the trio’s debut album, Communion.

An official announcement is expected very soon.