Universal Music UK yesterday announced the recruitment of former Virgin UK boss Ferdy Unger-Hamilton to the job of President at its Polydor division.
The appointment marks a return for Unger-Hamilton to the Universal family, which he left in 2006 in order to become MD of EMI's Virgin Records. After Terra Firma's takeover of EMI and the executive cull that followed it was initially thought Ferdy would be one of the few senior execs to stay with the London-based major, but then he announced he was resigning in April.
Unger-Hamilton's appointment follows the promotion earlier this year of former Polydor boss David Joseph to the role of CEO for the whole of Universal Music UK. Joseph's co-President at Polydor, Colin Barlow, recently took on a new job launching a new division within Universal UK, utilising the major's US-based Geffen brand.
Joseph had remained involved in the day to day running of Polydor, alongside Barlow, since becoming Universal UK CEO, but with Unger-Hamilton's appointment will now step back from such tasks. Though Unger-Hamilton will report to him, so he'll not be completed divorced from all things Polydor.
Confirming Unger-Hamilton's appointment, Joseph told reporters yesterday: "Ferdy's artist development record speaks for itself, but above all he is an exceptional leader, someone who gets the best out of the people around him whether they are artists or executives".
In his previous roles at Universal Unger-Hamilton worked with the likes of Gabrielle and Portishead, and signed the rather successful Keane. At EMI he worked with The Kooks, Jamie T and Laura Marling among others.