Sony Music has appointed the former CEO of UK record industry trade group BPI, Geoff Taylor, to the newly created role of EVP Artificial Intelligence.
In an internal memo confirming the appointment, the major’s COO Kevin Kelleher wrote: “Artificial intelligence has great significance for the future of the music industry and, as a result, more focused attention on it is required. Accordingly, we are delighted to share that Geoff Taylor will be joining us as our new Executive Vice President, Artificial Intelligence”.
Taylor will work with Kelleher and Sony Music’s digital and legal teams to “align and help coordinate the work of every part of the business that touches AI”.
Referencing Taylor’s past trade body work, Kelleher continued: “Most recently, from 2007 to 2022, Geoff was the Chief Executive of the BPI, our UK trade body for recorded music, where he led the fight against piracy and fraud and advocated for the strategic importance of recorded music to jobs, investment and maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness”.
“Prior to joining the BPI”, he added, “Geoff was General Counsel and Executive Vice-President at our global recorded music trade body, the IFPI, from 2005 to 2007″.
“In these roles”, the memo went on, “Geoff has worked with our company for several years and I am delighted he is joining to help us successfully navigate a key moment in the history of the music industry”.