EMI boss resigns

End of an era for EMI as Wadsworth steps down

08 Jan 08 - EMI Music UK and Ireland Chairman and CEO Tony Wadsworth is stepping down after 20 years with the label.

It's the latest change in the company since private equity firm Terra Firma took over.

Music Week Editor Paul Williams says although the news isn't surprising, it's a sad day for the music industry:

"Tony really is one of the outstanding record executives of his generation; a very, very successful and very well liked man across the UK music industry.

"And he played a key role in many, many of the most successful UK acts of the last few years."

"The unknown quantity really is Mike Clasper; he was previously running the British Airports Authority."

Before taking the lead in EMI UK, Tony Wadsworth was the MD at Parlophone; Paul Williams says he made some great decisions in that role:

"Certainly he was closely linked with the likes of Radiohead, who he had an involvement in their career really from day one, and there were other acts like Blur that he played a big part in the career of.

"Even prior to that he was the one at EMI that oversaw the release of the Beatles on CD for the first time.

"So his career at EMI really has involved every single key artist that the company has been involved with over the past two decades."

He'll now be replaced by two men, rather than a new CEO. Industry veteran Roger Ames will take responsibility for A&R, while Mike Clasper will take control of all his other responsibilities.

Paul Williams says this is an interesting partnership:

"Roger Ames is a very well known name within the music industry, much like Tony Wadsworth he's someone who's been around for many, many years; but the unknown quantity really is Mike Clasper.

"He has been brought in by Terra Firma in the last few months and was previously running the British Airports Authority as Chief Executive.

"So he has a background certainly in industry, but not a background at all in the music industry."

EMI Group Chairman and Terra Firma boss Guy Hands said:

"We would all like to thank Tony for his tremendous contribution to EMI over the years and to wish him well for the future."


Lucy O'Doherty