In a concurrent move, longtime UMPG U.K. Managing Director Mike McCormack transitions from current role to establish consultancy and form joint venture with UMPG.
David Gray has been promoted to Managing Director, U.K. and Head of Global A&R for Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), a leader in global music publishing, it was announced today by UMPG Chairman & CEO Jody Gerson, to whom Gray reports. Gray will relocate to London from New York in January. Passing the reins to Gray is longtime UMPG U.K. Managing Director Mike McCormack, who has established a consultancy and formed a joint venture with the company.
In his new and elevated position, Gray is responsible for overseeing all departments in the management and creative direction of the company’s U.K. office. He will identify and expand local and global creative opportunities for UMPG songwriters, artists and producers, lead the U.K. team in identifying, signing and developing early rising talent, and support legacy talent by securing opportunities to strengthen and enhance their catalogs.
In making the announcement, Gerson said, “David is one of the best creative A&R executives I have ever known, and he is integral to our global approach and success. His talent for identifying and building careers for songwriters, artists and producers is second to none, and his leadership and mentorship of the next generation of publishers is a quality I admire tremendously. I am delighted to promote David to this new role.”
Gray was most recently UMPG’s Executive Vice President and Co-Head of US A&R, as well as Head of the company’s Global Creative Group. Among the many songwriters, artists and producers he has signed to the company are Sabrina Carpenter, Stephen Sanchez, Julia Michaels, Shawn Mendes, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Demi Lovato. He and Gerson envisioned and formed the company’s Global Creative Group in 2022 to create and connect opportunities for songwriters, producers, artists and executives on a global scale. Under Gray’s leadership, this priority initiative has brought together creatives from distinct genres and countries to collaborate and create tomorrow’s hits.
Some of the hit songs and album projects involving UMPG songwriters and producers that have already emerged as a direct result of the Global Creative Group include: Colombian artist Feid and American hip hop producer ATL Jacob’s “Luna” which topped the charts in numerous countries; Brazilian artist Luísa Sonza, whose album Escandalo Intimo was co-helmed by Brazillian and US producers and became the third biggest debut of a female Latin album in the history of Spotify, featured a collaboration with Demi Lovato, “Penhasco2,”which broke the record for the biggest debut in the history of Spotify Brazil; Italian artist Mahmood’s recent #1 album Nei Letti Delgi Altri has four songs written with UMPG France writers, charted in France, Germany, Sweden and Portugal and was #5 on the Spotify global album debut chart.
Gerson added, “I would like to thank Mike McCormack for his many contributions to UMPG through the years and especially for his leadership during his eight years as our U.K. MD. I value him greatly as a friend and colleague. I am delighted he will continue to be part of the UMPG family.”
Gray commented, “I want to thank Jody for her constant belief in me and for shaping a company built upon A&R, creativity, and a belief in songwriters and artists that is at the heart of our ethos. I am so excited to work with the incredible U.K. team, including our great Head of A&R Pete Simmons, and build upon the success achieved by Mike McCormack, who will continue his stellar contributions to our company through his new joint venture.”
McCormack said, “David embodies everything I could hope for in my successor at UMPG U.K. He’s a creative leader, first and foremost, and understands the global A&R philosophy that Jody has instilled in our company since the first day of her tenure. He’s signed the biggest breakthrough artist in the world this year, Sabrina Carpenter, Most importantly, he’s a great guy and will no doubt prove that he can lead the U.K. as well as he’s led his A&R team in the U.S.”
Gray joined UMPG in 2013, shortly thereafter becoming EVP/Head of West Coast A&R and soon becoming Co-Head of A&R for the U.S., as well. He previously held posts as an A&R executive at Zomba and at Sony Music International, and served as senior A&R at Simon Cowell’s Syco Music, where he developed artists signed to the label via TV shows X Factor and the Got Talent franchise. Prior to becoming a music executive, Gray was signed to UMPG as lead singer of the band Idle Wilds (RCA Records).
McCormack became UMPG Managing Director U.K. in 2016, after serving three years in an advisory role to the company. Prior to joining the company in his seniormost capacity, McCormack worked alongside Simon Fuller at 19 on various sports and music projects, and as director of A&R at RCA Records before that. Earlier in his career, McCormack led the A&R team at Virgin Music Publishing. He first joined UMPG’s U.K. business in 1999 as Deputy Managing Director.