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UMG BOLSTERS CATALOG DIVISION
1/27/22

Hannah Neaves, left, and Azi Eftekhari will head up Universal Music U.K.’s catalog division as co-Presidents.

Universal Music U.K. has hired Azi Eftekhari and Hannah Neaves as co-Presidents of its catalog division.

In their new roles, Eftekhari and Neaves will lead cross-generational, global discovery of U.K. repertoire from UMG. Reporting to chairman and CEO David Joseph, they start this week.

“I want the best team and future focused ideas to deliver for the songs, albums and artists that make up the greatest catalog of music in the world. Azi and Hannah are extraordinarily dynamic and creative executives who will bring this and so much more,” Joseph said.

Eftekhari oversaw the launch of YouTube Music across Europe and the rollout of the Google Play subscription service in over 40 countries as Head of Label Relations (EMEA) at YouTube/Google. She was previously Director of Digital and Publicity at Mercury Records and the first Head of Digital at Universal Music Catalog in 2007.

Neaves has been instrumental in developing artists including Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Ellie Goulding and James Blake. She started her career at EMI, before moving to Polydor and then Atlantic Records, where she was part of the team behind Sheeran’s Divide campaign. Later, Neaves joined TaP Music as Head of Artist Development and Marketing, where she oversaw the marketing and creative for Lipa’s Future Nostalgia.

Most recently, Eftekhari and Neaves combined forces to launch their own agency, Remedy Inc, which focuses on creative work that has cultural impact and spans music, fashion, tech and theatre.

The appointments follow the promotions of UMC co-MDs Richard Hinkley and David Rowe, with Hinkley becoming MD of UMC, reporting to Eftekhari and Neaves. Rowe has taken on a new central role to build on Universal Music U.K.’s relationships and track record with catalog repertoire as SVP, Universal Music U.K.

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