Frank Briegmann promoted to lead Universal Music Europe

Frank Briegmann was promoted to Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Deutsche Grammophon on October 1, 2023. He continues to report to Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Group. The move reshapes the company's leadership across multiple continents, aiming to drive cross-border collaboration for artists.

Briegmann's expanded remit creates a new structure designed to increase agility and enable closer collaboration between markets. The goal is to generate more opportunities for artists by making it easier for ideas and talent to travel internationally. He will collaborate with key regional leaders, including Olivier Nusse in France, Sean Warner in Australia and New Zealand, and Julie Adam in Canada.

Strategic Focus

Briegmann emphasizes the power of cross-border collaboration supported by strong local expertise. He believes great artists can emerge anywhere and find audiences almost everywhere. His approach involves nurturing each market's unique dynamism while providing artists with the necessary investment, local insight, and global reach.

He has expressed gratitude to Sir Lucian Grainge for the trust and the new opportunity. Briegmann stated that he has seen what becomes possible when great local teams work closely together across borders. His role will focus on fostering this cross-country collaboration to promote domestic growth and encourage global careers for artists.

Sir Lucian Grainge highlighted Briegmann's track record as a fierce artist champion who builds long-term careers. Grainge noted that Briegmann combines creative expertise with business acumen and insights from data and technology. He also respects what makes every market different and knows how to give great local leaders the freedom and support to succeed. Briegmann's expanded remit will help Universal Music anticipate and embrace change, using technology to amplify expertise, sharpen execution, and bring markets closer together.

Career Background

Frank Briegmann joined Universal Music in 2004 as CEO of its German business, becoming the youngest executive ever to lead a major music company in Germany. His responsibilities later grew to cover Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, and he took on global leadership of the prestigious classical label Deutsche Grammophon, which he is credited with reimagining for the modern era.

Prior to his 22-year tenure at Universal, Briegmann worked at Bertelsmann Music Group from 1995 to 2004, finishing as Senior Vice President, International. Beyond his corporate duties, he holds several board positions. He is a board member of the Federal Association of the Music Industry, serves on Deutsche Bank's Eastern Regional Advisory Board, and sits on the boards of trustees of the C/O Berlin Foundation and the German Sports Aid Foundation.

Regional Structure

The promotion does not change the leadership in all regions. Spain and Portugal, for instance, continue under their existing management, both reporting to Jesús López, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula. The United Kingdom also remains under its current leadership, reporting directly to Sir Lucian Grainge.

Briegmann will work alongside these and other leadership teams across Europe, including in the UK and Iberia, to strengthen cross-market connections. His focus will be on leveraging technology, data, and commerce to bring markets closer together and amplify local expertise on a global scale.