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New management at MAMA after James pushed out

By | Published on Thursday 15 August 2013

MAMA & Company

London-based live music firm MAMA & Company is prepping itself for a new management structure following the sudden departure of CEO Dean James last week.

James morphed what had been the Channelfly group into MAMA in 2005 in partnership with then co-CEO Adam Driscoll, subsequently overseeing the acquisition of the Hammersmith Apollo and most of the Mean Fiddler venue and tour promotion business.

After MAMA was itself acquired by HMV in 2010, James became the sole CEO of the business, before spearheading a management buyout of the company (minus the Hammersmith Apollo) just under three years later as the HMV Group headed towards administration.

James’s backer in the MBO was Lloyds Development Capital, but it seems that the equity group has now pushed the MAMA chief out; though officially the former CEO is “on leave”.

The company’s Chairman, Richard Thompson, also boss of sports-focused talent agency M&C Saatchi Merlin, is taking an executive management role in the interim while a new management structure is put in place. It’s not clear what impact, if any, the executive changes will have on the recently revamped MAMA company, and its venue, festivals and music services businesses.

A spokesperson for MAMA told CMU: “Dean James is currently on leave and, in his absence, responsibility for day to day functions is being handled by Chairman Richard Thompson. MAMA has just completed a highly successful festival season, which culminated in the sold out Wilderness Festival”.

UPDATE 15 Aug 12.30pm: A spokesman for LDC has refuted the claim that Dean James has been “pushed” from his role at MAMA, confirming he is currently “on leave” and adding that no further comment will be made at this time.



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