LONDON (CelebrityAccess) – UK Music chairman Andy Heath has announced that he will step down from his role as head of the music advocacy group and trade body come 2020.
Heath founded UK Music in 2008, uniting the commercial side of the music industry for the first time to advocate for the British music business.
While the UK Music Board has begun the process of appointing Heath’s successor as UK Music Chair, he will remain in his role as chairman until the process of recruiting a CEO to replace outgoing chief executive Michael Dugher has been completed. Dugher who is stepping down at the end of January 2020 to take up a position as CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, will be replaced in the interim by Tom Kiehl, who currently serves as UK Music deputy CEO.
“The time is right for me to make way for a successor,” said Heath. “Indeed I intended to step down before Michael Dugher was appointed, but felt it was right to support Michael in his, then, new post. I’m thrilled that I did that as UK Music has risen to new achievements under his leadership. Building on the impressive legacy of Jo Dipple, UK Music is now a truly respected organisation in Westminster, Whitehall, the media and within the industry itself.
“I’m immensely proud to have been part of the UK Music story, but I have to mention the part that Feargal Sharkey played all those years ago. We did it together and it has been a privilege to build what we have today.”
He added: “When we started legislators and commentators generally regarded the music industry in a very confused and not always complimentary light. We did not have the ear of government and were seen as a slightly disreputable industry.
“That has all changed now and it is entirely down to the members of UK Music finding and expressing a common and constructive voice, which is now, not only heard, but sought out for information and opinion. The value to the Treasury is now also universally accepted.
“I have no intention to disappear over the horizon and will make myself available to help in any way that the incoming Chair and CEO might wish and for as long as they wish. UK Music is now a powerful force with a great team and I have no doubt that it will go from strength to strength with new faces at the top.”
Over the course of his more than 50-year career, Heath has served on the Council of the Music Publishers Association (since 1989 – as president from 1993 to 1997) and sat on the boards of PRS For Music and Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (1992 to 2008). In January 2008, he was appointed chairman of British Music Rights, which he co-founded in 1997. Additionally, he has been on the board of Beggars Group and is currently Chairman of Beggars Music, where he will remain. At present, he is also a member of the MPA board.
