david joseph

LONDON — Universal Music U.K. chairman and CEO David Joseph has announced he is stepping down after almost 17 years at the helm of the company.  
The widely respected executive and longstanding label boss joined the U.K. arm of Universal in 1998 as general manager of Polydor and was promoted to chairman and CEO of Universal Music U.K. and Ireland in 2008. His departure was announced in a memo to staff on Monday (Sept. 23) in which Joseph said he was leaving the music business to study for a master’s degree in religion and theology at King’s College London, commencing next week.

“It has been an honour to work alongside you, creating something truly exceptional, a company that wasn’t only number one but also led with heart and creativity. We’ve done that together,” said Joseph in the memo, which has been viewed by Billboard.

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Joseph went on to say that his career in the record business, “once impossible to imagine, has been a gift for which I’m deeply grateful. Now, after 17 years in this role, it’s time to step into something new.”

The outgoing exec — who oversaw the EMI, Decca, Island, Polydor and 0207 Def Jam labels, as well as Abbey Road Studios — praised his former colleagues at Universal Music U.K. who “will undoubtedly continue to inspire, innovate, and lead the way.”

Joseph also issued a “special thank you” to Universal Music chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge “without whom none of this would have been possible. First, he hired me, and then he let me be myself.”  

“This place, the people, the building, the conversations, the inspiration, and the music that somehow makes the rest of life blur into the background – these will all be missed immeasurably,” said Joseph, who described his 26 year career at Universal Music as “an absolute pleasure.”

In a separate staff memo, also seen by Billboard, Grainge described his two decades-plus working with Joseph, beginning with the turnaround of Polydor in the late 1990s, as a “remarkable journey.”

“One of the many things I respect about David is that he never tried to be anyone but himself and he guided the U.K. company to heights in a way that was completely authentic to him. In addition, I have enormous respect for his decision to take an entirely different path after so many outstanding years at UMG,” said Grainge.

The Universal Music chairman/CEO went on to say that he would be informing staff “what comes next” for the U.K. arm of the company “shortly, but today is about David.”

“His contributions—as an executive, as a leader and as a friend—have always been focused on making our company a better place for our employees and our artists. I know you will join me in wishing David our very best,” concluded Grainge.

As U.K. boss of the world’s biggest music company, Joseph was one of the most powerful record executives in the United Kingdom and was a regular fixture in Billboard’s annual International Power Players lists. In 2016, he was awarded a CBE for services to the music industry, while Amy Winehouse, Florence and the Machine, Sam Smith, Lewis Capaldi, Ellie Goulding are just a few of the U.K. acts that achieved global fame under Joseph’s watch.

Earlier this year, Joseph told Billboard that the international sales success of the Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds, which topped the charts in 20 countries; followed several weeks later by The Beatles’ final song, “Now And Then,” reaching No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 7 on the Hot 100, were two of his recent highlights in the post, calling the campaigns “best-in-class examples of U.K. creativity exporting to the world.”

The London-based executive’s exit from Universal Music Group comes just a few months after the company announced it was merging its historic Island and EMI label divisions as part of a widespread restructuring of the firm’s U.K. business.

As part of that reorganization, two new frontline label groups — Island EMI Label Group, headed by Louis Bloom as president, and Polydor Label Group, led by Ben Mortimer – have been created, mirroring changes UMG made to its U.S. teams earlier this year with the formation of Interscope Capitol Labels Group and Republic Corps. The U.K. arm of Universal Music is additionally launching a new Audience and Media Division to support artists and labels, headed by Rebecca Allen.