EMI announced another senior appointment from outside the music industry yesterday as Howard Handler, currently marketing chief for Virgin Mobile US, was confirmed as the major label's new marketing chief for North America. Handler will head up all of the major's marketing, advertising, press and plugging, video production, digital promotion and tour support activity for all of the major's US artists and labels.
He'll report to Sam van der Feltz, EMI's President of Global Marketing, who said yesterday: "Howard brings a perfect combination of experience to this role. He has successfully enhanced brand equity and built businesses for world-reknowned names in entertainment, sports, new media and consumer products. His creativity, experience, relationships and leadership will be extremely valuable to us as we increase EMI's focus on the consumer and help artists create more powerful connections with their fans".
Prior to Virgin Mobile, Handler headed up college marketing firm Burly Bear Network, and before that held a senior marketing role at the US's National Football League. Much of his previous marketing work has been primarily targeted at the youth market, while he does also have some music credentials having previously worked in a marketing role at MTV.