FERDY TO EXIT COLUMBIA U.K.

Ferdy Unger-Hamilton is exiting Columbia U.K. after six years as president. “To work with all the legendary artists on Columbia has been a dream come true,” he tells us.

Unger-Hamilton is leaving with label MD Manish Arora according to a report in Record of the Day. Confirming the news of his departure to HITS, Unger-Hamilton said, “I’m grateful for the opportunity Rob [Stringer] and Jason [Iley] have given me.”

Unger-Hamilton took the top seat at Columbia in 2016 and has since had success with such acts as Rag’n’Bone Man, Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Harry Styles and George Ezra.

A respected A&R exec in the British industry, he has a storied history at UMG, spanning Island, EMI and Polydor and working with acts like Keane, Portishead, Lana Del Rey, Ellie Goulding, James Blake and Take That. You'll be informed of his next move as soon as we get the memo.