Universal Head George Ash Promoted To Asia Pacific Role

The Universal Music Group's Australian President George Ash has been promoted to President, Universal Music Asia Pacific, which will see him take control of the label's operations across the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan.

The region has been identified as a strong growth area and an untapped market for Australian music and that of other Western countries. Ash's appointment is a strong indication that the world's biggest label will look to exploit that market.

The announcement was made by the Universal Music Group's Chairman and CEO Max Hole, who said, “In Australia and New Zealand George has built one of our most dynamic international operations with a very strong roster of artists and an immensely talented team of people. I'm very pleased that he will now be applying his energy and ideas to our business across the Asia Pacific region.”

New Zealand-born Ash set up Universal Music's New Zealand office in 1995 before relocating to Australia in 2001 to become the Managing Director of Universal Music Australia. He was named President of Australasia in 2010. He is the PPCA Chairman, is on ARIA's board and last year he was named the fourth most powerful person in the Australian music industry in the AMID Power 50

The label praised Ash's input since 2001, during which the label has won Grammy Awards with Gotye and Wolfmother and significantly increased its marketshare.

“I have been lucky enough to work alongside the best in the industry in Australia and New Zealand,” Ash said last night. “With Max now giving me this great opportunity and with our diverse and exceptional artists I'm very positive about Asia Pacific's unprecedented growth potential and what we can achieve together.”

Ash has recently overseen the local integration of EMI into Universal and last week appointed John O'Donnell the new EMI head.

Locally there has also been a restructure of Universal Music Publishing's Creative Licensing Department, with Danielle O'Donohue promoted to the expanded role of Manager Creative Licensing Services. She was previously Digital Media and Client Relations Assistant.

Mitch Huckstepp will become Licensing Coordinator with the 'administrative core' of the six-strong licensing team now including Angela Blackhall, Adam Moore and Cameron Elliott

Department Director Denise Sharp said, “I am incredibly happy to be in a position to promote Danielle who has become an integral member of the creative team and has a premium set of ears. Her extensive musical knowledge, organisational skills and affable personality will be refocused to further benefit our clients and writers whilst she concentrates on providing hands on creative assistance and explores new business opportunities across all media.

“Mitch will be taking on the role of general music librarian for all music coming in and out of the department and managing our marketing tools and music distribution. All bases will be covered and the functionality of the Department is at full tilt.”

The company's Managing Director Bob Aird said, “We want to ensure that our songs continue to have every opportunity to generate synch revenue. The restructure will allow us to pitch our broadening catalogue in more extensive domestic and international projects. It is our intention to increase marketing activity of our local works globally, not just in Australia/New Zealand, by working in conjunction with our International UMP creative licensing counterparts on joint licensing endeavour.”