[PIAS] Announces New Music Group Structure
- Peter Thompson to head [PIAS] Group’s record company division- Adrian Pope to take global role leading Artist & Label Services divisionNovember 15th: [PIAS] Group, Europe’s leading independent music company, today announced a new organisational structure to further strengthen its two key business areas.Within the [PIAS] Music Group, based in the UK and operating on a global level will be two divisions: [PIAS] Artist & Label Services which will include the group’s multi-territory Sales & Distribution operation as well as other services provided on a global and territory by territory basis and [PIAS] Recordings, the record company division of the group including its two in-house labels Play It Again Sam and Different.Peter Thompson will be taking the helm of the Group’s record company as Managing Director of [PIAS] Recordings.Adrian Pope will take on the new role of Managing Director of Artist & Label Services across the Group.The [PIAS] UK Sales & Distribution department headed by Richard Sefton will report into Adrian moving forward and Seth Jackson and his [PIAS] Media team will also become part of the new Artist & Label Services division.The two divisions will report directly into Music Group Managing Director Edwin Schröter.Said Edwin Schröter, Managing Director, [PIAS] Music Group: “Both Peter and Adrian have been tremendously important in building [PIAS] into the great independent music group and all-encompassing home for artists and labels it is today. “Peter taking over the reins of our record company in the UK as our recently re-launched Play It Again Sam label enters its fourth decade, has taken a long time to finally happen! Together with his peers and label bosses we are privileged to work with, Pete has played a vital role in the success story of independent music and is the perfect person to lead our record company to new heights. “Adrian has been instrumental in expanding our range of services and establishing [PIAS] as the premier global digital distribution company. “We are very conscious that whilst we are developing our services, systems and network on an increasingly global basis, we also need to keep the focus on building our local territory businesses so we can fulfill the unique needs of our diverse client base and each local market. The new Artist and Label Services division under Adrian’s leadership will assure that we consistently provide the best in class Sales & Distribution based services whilst also developing new business models and revenue streams on a global, pan-European and/or territory by territory basis”Said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of [PIAS] Recordings: “[PIAS] has always been committed to artist and repertoire development, whether through our own labels or those of others. Play It Again Sam has such a rich history having represented so many amazing and influential artists. I’m extremely excited and determined to create a new and exciting chapter for the Play It Again Sam label and the record company division overall so it provides us with an important artist development opportunity in these dynamic times.”Said Adrian Pope, Managing Director of Artist and Label Services, [PIAS] Group:“I’m incredibly proud of the service that we’ve maintained, developed and invested in at [PIAS] in recent years - whether it’s our physical and digital distribution; our creative marketing; [PIAS] Media, the newly rolled-out Analytics portal or our specialist YouTube service. Most of all, I’m determined to grow and support the wealth of fantastically creative labels and artists we’re privileged to work. It’s an exciting and inspiring time right now and I know we can deliver on the high targets and standards we at [PIAS] set ourselves.”ENDSFor more information please contact Adam Webb – adam@namepr.co.uk - About [PIAS][PIAS] is Europe’s leader in the provision of specialist services for the licensing, distribution, sales and marketing of music, film and comedy on an international basis. [PIAS] is dedicated to providing repertoire creators and owners with specialist, premium level services that enable them to develop and maximise the value associated with their artists, products and brands.Originally founded in 1982 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, [PIAS] supplies a range of highly professional services for leading repertoire owners across both physical and digital routes to market. The group has significant operations in the UK, France, Germany/Switzerland/Austria (GSA), Benelux, Scandinavia, Belgium, Ireland and Spain. In addition [PIAS] has interests in USA and Australia plus an extensive international network of partners that enables it to offer its services on a truly global basis.[PIAS] also owns premium repertoire and rights through its [PIAS] Recordings stable of labels that includes Different and Play It Again Sam imprints. Additional interests include [PIAS] Comedy and the Strictly Confidential publishing operations and joint venture film company Twin Pics.