Sony Music Hires Taylor As EVP, A.I.
• In what is believed to be the first A.I.-focused executive hire for a major record company, Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has brought on Geoff Taylor as the company’s first ever Executive Vice President, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).
Taylor most recently spent 15 years as CEO of the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) — the London-based UK trade organization that represents the interests of the UK music industry.
Taylor’s hire was announced by Kevin Kelleher, Chief Operating Officer of Sony Music Entertainment, in an internal memo, obtained by RAMP, which reads, in part, “Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has great significance for the future of the music industry and, as a result, more focused attention on it is required. Accordingly, we are delighted to share that Geoff Taylor will be joining us as our new Executive Vice President, Artificial Intelligence.”
Kelleher continued, “Geoff brings to our company decades of music industry experience. Most recently, from 2007 to 2022 Geoff was the Chief Executive of the BPI [British Phonographic Industry], our UK Trade Body for recorded music, where he led the fight against piracy and fraud and advocated for the strategic importance of recorded music to jobs, investment and maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness. Prior to joining the BPI, Geoff was General Counsel and Executive Vice-President at our global recorded music trade body, the IFPI from 2005-2007. In these roles, Geoff has worked with our company for several years and I am delighted he is joining to help us successfully navigate a key moment in the history of the music industry.”
Taylor is based in London and will report to Kelleher, while also working closely with the company’s Global Digital Business and Business & Legal Affairs divisions. [Photo credit: Louise Haywood-Schiefer]
