Wadsworth Exits BPI and BRITS

BPI and BRIT Awards Chairman and Generator Board Member Tony Wadsworth CBE has announced that he is to step down from the trade body and awards later this year. Wadsworth has put in a fifteen-year stretch as a BPI Council Member, becoming Chairman in 2008 after leaving a role as Chairman and CEO at EMI.

Tony Wadsworth said: “After almost seven years in the role, I have decided to make 2014 my final year as Chairman of BPI and BRIT Awards Ltd. It has been a real privilege to be so involved in industry issues over this period of radical change and transformation and to sit around the Council table with colleagues who have such an amazing wealth of knowledge, experience and passion for our business”.

Wadsworth intends to continue as a BRIT Trustee and BRIT School Governor, adding: “In recent years since leaving EMI, in addition to my BPI activities, I have enjoyed getting involved in several new ventures, commercial and non-commercial, but all music related. By relinquishing my duties at the BPI, I hope to make more time available to focus on these and selectively add to the portfolio”.

In a 26-year career wearing various hats at EMI’s UK labels, Wadsworth is considered to be instrumental in the success of artists such as Blur, Radiohead and the Pet Shop Boys in addition to Coldplay, Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue. The press release also mentions Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and the Beatles but The Gen considers it safe to say that the groundwork was already in place there. In any event, Wadsworth enjoyed an illustrious career in records, particularly as MD of a revitalised Parlophone in the 90’s, going on to run all EMI labels.

The aforementioned extra curricular activities include a role as Chairman of environmental sustainability company Julie’s Bicycle and trustee of The EMI Sound Foundation and, last but not least a member of Generator’s Board. Just in case The Gen hadn’t already mentioned that. Wadsworth was recently rumoured to be taking up a senior position at Sony but The Gen has it on good authority that this isn’t happening.