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Business News Industry People Retail
7digital man to head up entertainment retail trade group
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 18 September 2014
The Entertainment Retailers Association has a new Chairman, and for the first time an exec from a digital music business sits atop the trade group, in the form of 7digital Group’s SVP of Music Raoul Chatterjee, who joined the download store operator in 2012 having previously worked for Warner Music, Trinity Street and Ministry Of Sound.
Confirming his appointment, Chatterjee said: “I am honoured to have been elected by my peers to chair ERA at this crucial point for entertainment retailing. ERA’s members have transformed the entertainment market over the past decade to the benefit of both content owners and consumers. It is vital that we work together with our suppliers, our fellow trade associations and with legislators to ensure the healthy business environment we need to continue this work”.
Outgoing ERA Chair Paul Quirk added: “ERA’s role has never been more central to the future of entertainment than it is today. ERA’s members are innovators, investing heavily in new business models and helping music, video and games companies transition to a new world. It has been an absolute pleasure to have chaired the organisation and I am confident Raoul will be an excellent successor”.
Although perhaps more readily associated with traditional high street music and DVD sellers, ERA counts many online operators in its membership, including mail-order, download and streaming businesses, with 7Digital having been a proactive operator within the association for many years now.
Quirk, of course, used his final moments as head of ERA to issue a damning statement about U2’s recent alliance with Apple, calling the band’s decision to give away their new album to all iTunes users “as damaging to the value of music as piracy”.
