John O’Donnell apointed MD of EMI
John O’Donnell appointed MD of EMI
John O’Donnell has been appointed MD of EMI Music Australia.
The announcement came from George Ash, Universal Music Australasia president. Universal bought EMI globally in 2012.
O’Donnell, a former music journalist turned record executive signed Australian bands Silverchair, Something For Kate and Jebediah in the 1990s with label Murmur.
The announcement:
John O’Donnell has been appointed Managing Director for EMI Music Australia it was announced today by Universal Music Australasia President George Ash.
In his new position, O’Donnell, one of Australia’s most highly regarded music executives, will be responsible for the EMI, Capitol and Virgin labels, as well as overseeing the creative direction for their stellar roster of Australian artists. He will be based at EMI’s head office in The Rocks, Sydney and will take up his new role on March 4, 2013.
For O’Donnell the move is a homecoming, having run EMI in Australia from 2002 to 2008. He first began his career as a music journalist, including stints as Music Editor at Rolling Stone Australia and Editor of Juice magazine, before joining Sony Music Australia in 1994 where he started the internationally successful Murmur label and signed Silverchair, Something for Kate, Jebediah among other artists. In 2002, he left Sony to become CEO of EMI Music Australia/New Zealand, enjoying an unprecedented run of chart and sales success with local artists including Empire of the Sun, Silverchair, Angus & Julia Stone, Jet and Missy Higgins, all of whom were winners of the ‘Best Album’ award at Australia’s prestigious ARIA Awards and enjoyed multi-platinum sales during John’s first EMI tenure. In addition O’Donnell was a member of the ARIA Board and also served as Chairman of performing rights body PPCA from 2005 – 2008.
O’Donnell left EMI in late 2008 to start his own successful music consulting business. In 2010, he co-authored the highly acclaimed and best-selling book ‘The 100 Best Australian Albums’ and its accompanying gold-selling compilation album. Additionally he is the co-manager of legendary Australian band Cold Chisel. Working with their co-manager John Watson he oversaw the band’s 2011 Australia/New Zealand tour which is the highest grossing tour ever by an Australian-based band, playing to an incredible 350,000 people. John also conceived and was Executive Producer of the sold-out ‘They Will Have Their Way’ multi-artist national tour and the accompanying platinum selling album series.
Max Hole, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group International, said: “Everyone who has ever worked with John knows that he is synonymous with great artists and great music. Developing and investing further in our Australian artists is a key international goal for us. I’m thrilled that John has agreed to return to EMI to play such a crucial role.”
“John’s legacy of success at EMI, of finding and helping to develop so many incredible artists, speaks for itself and for him to come back to the label he helped to build into one of Australia’s best is not only exciting but critical to our vision for EMI,” said George Ash. “Our aim is to broaden and refresh the entrepreneurial edge that has been such a part of EMI’s proud heritage and with John at the helm we know that the company will be in the best possible hands.”
“It was impossible to resist the opportunity to return to EMI and oversee a full-service music company with a vision for the future,” said O’Donnell. “EMI is a label with brilliant international and local artists and the great staff at the heart of the Australian company have defined themselves as creative, innovative music professionals. I can’t wait to get in the middle of all of that.”
Universal Music Australia is the leading music company in Australia with the broadest range of stand-alone labels in the country including Island, Mercury, Modular, Dew Process, EMI, Universal Classics, Eleven, USM and Universal Music Publishing’s Australian business. Its roster includes some of Australia’s best known and most successful artists including Hilltop Hoods, Paul Kelly, Havana Brown, Karise Eden, The McClymonts, Gin Wigmore, Matt Corby, Megan Washington, Sarah Blasko, Bernard Fanning, The Presets, Tame Impala, Lee Kernaghan, Empire of The Sun, Angus & Julia Stone, Birds of Tokyo, 360, Clare Bowditch, Boy & Bear, Missy Higgins, Gotye and Silverchair.
Source: Universal music press release
Good to see you back there, John.
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