Universal Music UK has promoted Rob Fleming and Nickie Owen to co-Presidents of International Marketing.
Working in partnership with Universal Music Group’s companies around the world, Fleming and Owen (pictured) are tasked with leading a ‘significant expansion and strategic enhancement of the UK international division’.
Both execs report to David Joseph, CEO and Chairman of Universal Music UK.
Universal’s global focus on emerging markets such as South America, Asia and Africa is accelerating: the company recently acquired a majority stake in Kenyan label, AI Records, in addition to expanding the international remit of EVP of Market Development, Adam Granite.
Joseph said: “The opportunities are greater than we’ve ever seen before. All our artists have a global footprint from day one and our absolute priority is to support them in amplifying the potential of this changing world map for music. Being on a playlist is not enough – it’s essential to have the strategy and support on the ground to turn opportunity into meaningful success.”
Fleming and Owen will lead their team in developing, creating and executing strategic campaigns around new streaming hotspots as well as established overseas markets, leveraging Universal Music’s global reach by working with teams based in more than 60 countries.
Added Joseph, “Nickie and Rob are both hugely experienced executives, equally passionate about working with new artists as with global superstars, but most importantly they have the vision and strategy to navigate the seismic shifts we’re seeing in music consumption worldwide.”
“All our artists have a global footprint from day one and our absolute priority is to support them in amplifying the potential of this changing world map for music. Being on a playlist is not enough – it’s essential to have the strategy and support on the ground to turn opportunity into meaningful success.”
David Joseph, Universal Music
Rob Fleming has spent more than 12 years in Universal Music UK’s international team, playing a key role in the global campaigns for multi-million selling artists including U2, Elton John, Metallica and the late Amy Winehouse.
He has helped steer the global breakthroughs of Ellie Goulding, Bastille, Hozier, Years & Years and 5 Seconds of Summer among many others, latterly as SVP, International.
Fleming joined PolyGram in 1991 as a product manager for Phonogram’s Talkin Loud label, working with Mercury Prize winner Roni Size and Nu Yorican Soul before moving into the label’s international operations.
Owen is being elevated to co-President a year after she was promoted to Director of International Marketing at Universal Music UK.
She joined the company in 2014 as a senior international marketing manager and has played a key role in campaigns for artists including Florence + The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Sam Smith, Take That and Liam Payne.
Prior to joining Universal, Owen was at EMI Records where she worked on global releases by Robbie Williams, Babyshambles, Bryan Ferry, Laura Marling, Blur, The Kooks and Sigur Ros after joining the company in 2006.
Owen said: “We have an outstanding international marketing team and the world is only getting bigger for our music. This opportunity to lead an expanded and refocused team is hugely exciting.”
Fleming said: “International is front and centre of every campaign at Universal and music has never felt more global. I’m looking forward to supporting our artists and labels in what is genuinely a new world of opportunity.”Music Business Worldwide
