Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) today announced that Natasha Baldwin has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Classics and Screen. Based in London, she will report to Jody Gerson, UMPG Chairman and CEO, and Marc Cimino, UMPG Chief Operating Officer.
In the newly created role, Baldwin is responsible for leading UMPG’s global classical and screen composer businesses. She succeeds Jim Kendrick who, after a successful period spanning over 10 years leading UMPG Classical, is retiring but will continue to work closely with our global teams. The division is home to iconic catalogs like Ricordi, Durand/Salabert-Eschig, and EMB, which includes composers Puccini, Respighi, Poulenc, Messiaen, Haas, Kurtag, David Lang, Julia Wolfe, Michael Gordon and more.
Additionally, the UMPG Classics division will include Decca Publishing – which Baldwin launched out of Universal Music UK in 2016 – and an expanded portfolio of catalogues within UMPG specializing in classical, post-classical, electronic and score composers.
Leading UMPG Classics and Screen, Baldwin will also oversee UMPG’s roster of world-class screen composers, including Danny Elfman, Alexandre Desplat, James Newton-Howard, David Lynch, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Gustavo Santaolalla, and more. As the publisher of choice for the world’s biggest film and TV studios, UMPG is centrally positioned to amplify the talents of composers worldwide and redefine their creative possibilities.
In making the announcement, Cimino said: “Natasha is a dynamic executive who has been a great partner to UMPG over the last five years. Her leadership, experience and global sensibility fit right in with our company culture. We happily welcome Natasha to our team and know that she will lead this new Classics and Screen division to tremendous success”
Previously, Baldwin served as Executive Vice President, Decca Publishing, Global Classics & Jazz. In that time, she led the company to huge success in signing and representing some of the world’s greatest composers: Max Richter, Clint Mansell, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Will Gregory, Kelly Lee Owens, Amelia Warner, Ben Frost, Laurel Halo, Clark, Actress, Iskra Strings and more. Additionally, Baldwin developed Decca Publishing’s creative strategy and, under her leadership, the company signed a host of next-generation writers including groundbreaking composers like Afrodeutsche, and Cassie Kinoshi.
Baldwin’s first-ever signing, Max Richter, has become one of the world’s most in-demand composers, with more than three billion streams. Baldwin also worked to erase traditional boundaries for classical music with an Oscar, Emmy and Ivor Novello Award-winning roster. She has championed cross-genre collaborations between composers and mainstream pop writers, providing unique opportunities for artist development.
Baldwin said: “With the creation of this new division, we have the opportunity to bring together the world’s greatest legacy composers, the established trailblazers of today, and the next generation of writers to amplify the best and brightest global voices in classical and screen music. I want to thank Jody Gerson and Marc Cimino for giving me the opportunity and support to lead these businesses into an exciting new future. I also want to thank David Joseph and Dickon Stainer for their vision and commitment to composer artistry over the last five years.”
Prior to her time with Universal Music, Baldwin had built a strong track record in music publishing. She was formerly Group President, Creative & Marketing for Imagem Music Group, and represented the rights of artists including Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd, Mark Ronson, internationally renowned musicals and classical composers. Baldwin also worked at Boosey & Hawkes and was a board member for Imagem.
In 2021, Baldwin was included in Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report. She is Chairwoman of the MPA Education and Training Board, a speaker for BPI, AIM and MPA, and is on the new-look board of The Ivors Academy Trust.
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